Google Stadia has begun the release to some users of the new Family Sharing feature to share the cloud gaming service's library of titles
Google Stadia has begun the release to some users of an interesting new feature: Family Sharing. By associating different users, both family members and friends, to a Google account, it will be possible to share the library of video games purchased and make separate saves of game progress.
Google's cloud gaming service thus expands its offer and on the site Reddit announces that within a week the new feature will be distributed to an increasing number of Stadia users. Users will then be able to decide whether to share their entire library or just specific titles, even those available from Stadia Pro if one of the group members is a subscriber to the service. Family Sharing also has limitations: two members of the same group will not be able to play the same title at the same time, unless they have purchased two copies of the game.
Family Sharing, how it works
In order to use Stadia's Family Sharing, it is necessary to create a "family" group on a Google account. The company recommends that users set up a valid and unique payment method to activate the feature
Despite its name and the presence of parental control options, Family Sharing doesn't limit sharing to members of the same family: friends can also join the same group and enjoy playing titles from the same library.
After a number of sites, including Android Police and 9to5Google, noticed the new feature, Google confirmed the release of Family Sharing and published a support page explaining how to use it.
Google account holders will be able to share with up to six people the titles in their library, which includes both directly purchased games and those redeemed with a Stadia Pro subscription.
Users can then decide whether to share the entire library or just specific titles. Also, you'll be able to share a game's add-ons, but not the currency.
Family Sharing, Service Limitations
The new Google Stadia feature does come with some limitations, however. For example, only one person at a time can play a particular title. If a user tries to start the game while someone else is playing, the title will be blocked.
You can play the same game at the same time only if two separate copies have been purchased by the users in the group, or if the game is also present in the Stadia Pro subscription of one of the users.
To use Family Sharing, you don't need to be a Stadia Pro subscriber, but if you share a title included in the subscription, when it is deleted, the game also leaves the sharing.