Level Up Your Privacy: Steam Beta Allows Hiding Games from Friends

Key Highlights:

• Steam beta update introduces ability to hide games and improve shopping
• Players can now label certain titles as private to obscure them from friends
• Private status removes games from libraries, hides playtime, achievements, and activity
• Update also upgrades cart with multi gifting, cross-device syncing, and privacy settings
• Cart changes streamline purchasing multiplayer titles to play together over holidays

Steam Beta Bolsters Player Privacy and Shopping Convenience

Leading PC gaming platform Steam recently rolled out a new beta client update right in time for the holidays. The update introduces two major features – the ability to hide games from prying eyes and overhauled cart functionality for streamlining purchases.

Obscuring Titles with a Private Designation

After years of requests, Steam finally enables players to label specific titles as private. This removes the games from public view including libraries, play time counters, achievement showcases, and all related activity. The setting can be toggled on and off freely via the cog icon on a game’s store page or library entry.

The feature helps avoid potential embarrassment or judgement surrounding controversial titles. It also lets players fully control what friends can see them actively playing for party invites or comparisons.

Shopping Made Simple Across Devices

Complementing increased privacy, the beta update also enhances Steam’s purchasing experience through long-awaited shopping cart upgrades. The refreshed cart syncs all items across mobile and desktop clients signed into the same account. It also simplifies buying games as gifts for friends through inline messaging and multi-select.

Additional options enable immediately flagging items as private before finalising checkout. Combined changes significantly smooth out the browsing and buying process while readying Steam for a busy 2024 holiday sale schedule.

Empowering Players Like Never Before

After standing the test of time since 2003, Steam continues evolving in meaningful ways to meet players’ shifting needs in an increasingly crowded digital marketplace. The ability to finally filter certain experiences speaks volumes about Valve’s commitment to providing real freedom of choice when building out those always expanding back catalogues.

So whether treating themselves to the hot new co-op sensation or an alluring indie gem better kept on the down low, the platform’s latest refinements empower players to curate the personal libraries harbouring adventures for every mood.