[Supergrover]

Once a device is authorized, the lender's library of Steam games becomes available for others on the machine to access, download, and play. Though simultaneous usage of an account’s library is not allowed, the lender may always access and play his games at any time. If he decides to start playing when a friend is borrowing one of his games, the friend will be given a few minutes to either purchase the game or quit playing.

http://store.steampowered.com/news/11436/

Interesting to say the least.

[oberfreak]

Awesome!!!

[Christopher Halsey]

I think it would be good if it weren't for the fact that "simultaneous usage of an account’s library is not allowed" so if my friend wants to play game X they can't if I am playing game Y so basically someone can only access your library when you aren't using the service at all. Because of that restriction I don't really see how this is any better than just giving someone your username and password for Steam and letting them log in to your account, the only difference would seem to be the number of authorised machines you can have and the fact that they can't make purchases on your behalf but then if you can't trust your family would you want to let them access your games anyway?

It is a shame that Microsoft had a far better system for the Xbox One but were chased out of town with pitchforks for it.

I just wish Steam would do something about not being able to be logged in on more than one machine at once. I quite often want to download a game on my main PC and whilst I wait for the download play a game on my laptop.

[Wixiban]

I think it would be good if it weren't for the fact that "simultaneous usage of an account’s library is not allowed" so if my friend wants to play game X they can't if I am playing game Y so basically someone can only access your library when you aren't using the service at all. Because of that restriction I don't really see how this is any better than just giving someone your username and password for Steam and letting them log in to your account, the only difference would seem to be the number of authorised machines you can have and the fact that they can't make purchases on your behalf but then if you can't trust your family would you want to let them access your games anyway?

I read the post as - if you friend was playing game X and you wanted to play game X - as the owner you would kick them out of the game and a message would come up on their end saying please buy the game or you will be logged out.

Wixi

[Christopher Halsey]

I read the post as - if you friend was playing game X and you wanted to play game X - as the owner you would kick them out of the game and a message would come up on their end saying please buy the game or you will be logged out.

Wixi

I'm not sure if that is the case or not though, they certainly aren't very clear it doesn't say about using the same game only "simultaneous usage of an account’s library is not allowed". To me that sounds like only one person can access any part of your library of games at any one time, it could be as you read it but if so they could have worded it much better such as "simultaneous usage of the same game from an account’s library is not allowed".

[Wixiban]

Indeed, ambiguity is a corporations best friend

[Christopher Halsey]

Indeed, ambiguity is a corporations best friend

Too true.

You would think those that draft press releases and announcements would do a better job of managing expectations, after all it does no good to seemingly promise the Moon only to give someone a stone. Obviously they probably have a number of details to work out before this gets implemented but I think they could be a little bit more clear about it.