Does Epic Games Have Library Sharing?
No, unfortunately Epic does not offer a full game library sharing system comparable to Steam‘s Family Sharing. While Epic has parental controls via Cabined Accounts, there is no way to securely share or "borrow" games across adult accounts. Let‘s dive deeper on how the platforms differ, risks of unauthorized sharing, and recommendations.
Steam Sets the Family Sharing Standard
Steam‘s Family Library Sharing system allows account owners to share their entire game collection with 5 close friends or family members. Simultaneous gaming is even supported under reasonable limits:
"Family members can play one another‘s games while earning their own Steam achievements and saving their own game progress to the Steam Cloud."
This provides clear benefits in terms of costs and accessibility compared to individually purchasing multiple copies of games.
Key Steam Family Sharing Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Borrow Games | Access and play lender‘s full library |
| Restrictions | Only one borrower playing at a time |
| Saves & Achievements | Stored per user not shared |
| Remote Access | Even away from lender‘s devices |
| Account Protection | No lender personal data visible |
| Simple Authorization | Via family management page |
The Epic Games Gap
In contrast, Epic Games still lacks a comparable family sharing system over 3 years since launching their store. Epic does provide the parental control-focused "Cabined Accounts" – but these are primarily targeted at minor children rather than reciprocal adult game sharing.
There are risks to unauthorized account sharing that likely factor into this gap between Epic and Steam:
Dangers of Unauthorized Game Sharing
Epic expressly forbids sharing accounts across households in their Terms of Service. Letting a friend borrow account access to play games constitutes breaching this contract.
Yet the allure of free games could push some gamers towards quietly disregarding the ToS. A few rationalizations include:
- "Epic allows playing on multiple devices, so isn‘t account sharing similar?" (Different devices all personally owned by same account holder)
- "I‘ll just share with close friends, not publicly post credentials. How would Epic know?" (Account activity monitoring still occurs)
- "My buddy will just quickly finish the game they wanted then we‘re done." (Persistent access still violates ToS)
These assumptions downplay real world cases where shared accounts faced consequences:
- League of Legends – Players banned for suspected unauthorized account sharing between households
- PlayStation Network – Sony warns account sharing can lead to being banned from accessing purchased content
- Blizzard – Warns account sharing for World of Warcraft could result in penalties including banned access, revoked rewards, or deleted characters/assets
These examples indicate gaming companies do actively monitor for and sanction unauthorized sharing – especially when abuse or cheating risks are detected.
Financial Data and Security Risks
Beyond bans, shared accounts also risk exposing personal financial data saved to the account for additional purchases. Logging in from unknown devices increases vulnerability to credential theft. Hackers could then take actions under the account identity that original owner is still accountable for.
Major platform breaches like Epic Games in 2020 further establish no online account should be blindly entrusted in terms of security.
Protect Your Accounts – Alternatives for Safe Game Sharing
Given these genuine risks, what are some responsible alternatives friends and families could consider for affordable game access?
Group Purchase – Coordinate to split costs on multi-license packs for the most appealing games. Most games require each player own a legitimate license, so this helps reduce individual outlay while building your collections.
Formal Sharing Platforms – Consider organized game sharing programs legally sanctioned by publishers, like Steam Family Sharing. This formal structure offers consumer protections exceed unauthorized sharing. Lobby Epic for implementing similar library sharing features.
Free-to-Play (F2P) Games – Maintain your own accounts, but enjoy gaming time together in the wide range of quality F2P games like Fortnite, Genshin Impact, or Apex Legends. No purchase needed to participate.
Game Streaming Subscriptions – Services like Xbox Cloud Gaming or Nvidia GeForce NOW enable subscribers to access and play hundreds of games from a remotely hosted library. While not ownership, Streaming TCO can compete favorably with buying multiple $60 games.
In summary – there are ways families and friends can responsibly access awesome games while protecting accounts. I appreciate you trusting me as your gaming advisor – please reach out with any other questions in navigating the Epic ecosystem! There are always ethical solutions.
