Tidy Up: Valve's New Library Update for Steam Has Arrived

If organizing stuff is your thing, and it’s always irked you that Steam’s library was a bit of a scramble of what you've accumulated over the years, perhaps you’ll be pleased to know that the new Steam library has left the beta and is now available to everyone.

Chances are that the new library update has already been pushed to your Steam installation when you last started the system. If not, just restart Steam and let the auto-updater do its thing.

The left column of the library remains largely identical. keeping stuff sorted between everything that’s uncategorized and whichever groups you make. But the entire selection is now also neatly visible in the main window instead of whichever game you had selected. They can be sorted in a heap of ways, including alphabetically, by which friends are playing, how many hours you’ve played, last played, release date, size on disc and by Metacritic score. You can also create custom shelves to sort stuff in the groups you like better to create your ideal library homescreen. Personally, I need a little time for the new layout to grow on me, but I’m sure I’ll get there in no time.

The game pages in the library have also changed significantly, making important information more accessible along with a visual tune-up. More information about friends who play that game is visible off the bat, and you’ll get post-game summaries with the day’s achievements.

The update comes with a list of additional small changes that’s too long to share here. You can find a full list by going to the Steam Library update landing page and scrolling down.

Moreover, Valve opened up its Steam Remote Play Together beta feature, which allows players to engage in local multiplayer games over the Internet, to all Steam users. Best of all, only the host system needs to have the game installed, meaning it can be a great way to get your friends involved in your current favorite game without needing them to buy it.