Steam's new Achievement Sets beta leaves DLC achievements out of your overall game progress until you have access to that content, while preserving trophies earned for completed sets. It also gives developers a way to stop unobtainable achievements blocking completion.
Valve launched the beta on October 15, with support already added to 17 games. Players need the Steam Client beta to try it, and the new grouping depends on developers setting up sets for their games. This is not an automatic reorganisation of every achievement list on Steam.
There is no game patch required to add support. In its Steamworks developer announcement, Valve says sets are configured entirely in Steamworks, with no SDK update needed. Existing achievements, API names and unlock calls keep working, including in games already released.
DLC and retired achievements no longer have to block completion
Developers can split achievements into base-game and DLC sets. Base-game progress appears in blue, while DLC sets use purple and track expansion progress separately. DLC achievements only join a player's overall game progress once that player has access to the content.
Each set has its own progress bar and awards a profile trophy when every achievement in it is unlocked. Valve says that completion is preserved if more achievements are later added to the set. Developers can also create fresh sets for new content, preserving a returning player's prior completion status until they play again.
Archiving addresses a different obstacle: achievements that can no longer be earned. Developers can archive an individual achievement or an entire set, including those tied to past seasons or holiday events. Players who earned them keep them visible on their profiles. Anyone who missed them will not see them on their profile or need them to complete the relevant set or game.
Valve's developer tools also allow teams to test achievements in private sets. Upcoming DLC sets stay hidden until the content releases, so developers can prepare unlocks without revealing them to players ahead of launch.
Separate sets for modes, with friend comparisons
Sets need not follow expansion boundaries. A developer could separate single-player and multiplayer achievements or organise them around individual characters. Players still unlock achievements through normal play, but can finish and display a set without completing every other group.
The redesigned achievements page adds filters for sets and locked or unlocked achievements, plus comparisons with up to three friends. Totals can differ between friends because Steam counts achievements each person can actually earn, accounting for DLC access and archived or time-limited unlocks.
The Perfect Games tab becomes Completed, covering both fully completed games and games with completed sets. Sets can also appear in the Completionist Showcase. Family Sharing games now appear in the Games List, and friends with playtime through sharing can take part in comparisons.
Portal 2, Left 4 Dead 2, Dredge, Forza Horizon 5 and Crusader Kings III are among the initial supported games. Valve links to its Steam Client beta enrolment page for players who want to try the changes.