[Linux] Steam game installation folder shared between multiple Linux users

[Hwoarangy]

The following guide shows how you can configure steam games installation folder for it to be shared between multiple Linux users.
In the guide I'm using /steam-library/ directory to store games, but you can can choose a different folder. Just make sure required users can get into this folder.
It's been tested on Ubuntu 20.04, but must be applicable to other Linux distros as well.
I've created this guide a few days after the configuration, so I might have missed something. Feel free to share your feedback and\or Linux wisdom - I don't have much anyway.
I'm using # as a sign that the following text is a comment and must not be run in the shell.
Disclaimer: your are applying this configuration at your own risk. But it didn't break my PC and I don't see how it could break yours.

Initial folder configuration (your account needs to have sudo root permissions)

Run the following in the shell:

sudo mkdir /steam-library
sudo groupadd gamers
sudo chgrp gamers /steam-library/
sudo chmod 770 /steam-library/
sudo chmod g+s /steam-library/
#don't forget to replace user1.users2,etc. with your Linux users
sudo usermod -a -G gamers user1
sudo usermod -a -G gamers user2
#sign out is required for group membership changes to apply,
#but if you are the one who created the folders,
#you'll get permissions as 'owner'.
# You can use id command to check current user group membership. 

Steam configuration (must be done for every Linux user who needs access to the library)

Go to Steam - Settings - Downloads - STEAM LIBRARY FOLDERS
Add /steam-library/ folder there by pressing '+' icon and selecting the required directory. Highlight newly added entry and set is as default by pressing '...' icon and choosing corresponding option.

If games already downloaded to the shared folder

First of all, shut down Steam on all accounts.
Apply initial config (if has not yet been done).
Run the following:

sudo chgrp -R gamers /steam-library/
sudo chmod -R 770 /steam-library/
chmod g+s $(find /steam-library -type d)

[Neil]

How well is this working for you? What if multiple users have Steam running at the same time? What if multiple users have different versions of Steam or game betas selected?

[AerialLEMONS]

Originally posted by Hwoarangy:

The following guide shows how you can configure steam games installation folder for it to be shared between multiple Linux users.
In the guide I'm using /steam-library/ directory to store games, but you can can choose a different folder. Just make sure required users can get into this folder.
It's been tested on Ubuntu 20.04, but must be applicable to other Linux distros as well.
I've created this guide a few days after the configuration, so I might have missed something. Feel free to share your feedback and\or Linux wisdom - I don't have much anyway.
I'm using # as a sign that the following text is a comment and must not be run in the shell.
Disclaimer: your are applying this configuration at your own risk. But it didn't break my PC and I don't see how it could break yours.

Initial folder configuration (your account needs to have sudo root permissions)

Run the following in the shell:

sudo mkdir /steam-library
sudo groupadd gamers
sudo chgrp gamers /steam-library/
sudo chmod 770 /steam-library/
sudo chmod g+s /steam-library/
#don't forget to replace user1.users2,etc. with your Linux users
sudo usermod -a -G gamers user1
sudo usermod -a -G gamers user2
#sign out is required for group membership changes to apply,
#but if you are the one who created the folders,
#you'll get permissions as 'owner'.
# You can use id command to check current user group membership. 

Steam configuration (must be done for every Linux user who needs access to the library)

Go to Steam - Settings - Downloads - STEAM LIBRARY FOLDERS
Add /steam-library/ folder there by pressing '+' icon and selecting the required directory. Highlight newly added entry and set is as default by pressing '...' icon and choosing corresponding option.

If games already downloaded to the shared folder

First of all, shut down Steam on all accounts.
Apply initial config (if has not yet been done).
Run the following:

sudo chgrp -R gamers /steam-library/
sudo chmod -R 770 /steam-library/
chmod g+s $(find /steam-library -type d)

Right at the last step terminal throws a bunch of errors saying that all of my installed files don't exist

[Yujah]

For a more Just Works approach, you can instead use bindfs. Please see https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/1/5540052310301824673/?tscn=1700530926#c4031346570749128582

[Neil]

That's a great idea. There's just one pitstanding problem: What happens when you have two Steam clients running at the same time, potentially different versions of the client both trying to update games at the same time?

I really wish Steam themselves would solve this.

[datayoda]

Originally posted by Yujah:

For a more Just Works approach, you can instead use bindfs. Please see https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/1/5540052310301824673/?tscn=1700530926#c4031346570749128582

Can you explain step by step how to modify the fstab ? I just tried and it caused issues and had to boot in bash to modify the fstab file. Using Fedora and got bindfs from dnf. Thanks!

[Yujah]

Not too sure I can add much. First just try "on the fly". I.e., assuming a SteamLibrary (a directory containing the "libraryfolder.vdf" file and "steamapps" subdirectory) on /data/SteamLibrary, use something like

sudo bindfs --perms=0660:+X --mirror=user1:user2:user4 /data/SteamLibrary /data/SteamLibrary

to give those mentioned users access to anything under /data/SteamLibrary as if they were the in fact UNIX-level file/directory owners. Those users would set their Steam libraries directly to /data/SteamLibrary.

If that works, adding a line

bindfs#/data/SteamLibrary /data/SteamLibrary fuse perms=0660:+X,mirror=user1:user2:user4

should work to automate the above on boot.

man bindfs

for details as to "perms" and "mirror" and/or other possibilities of bindfs.

[Stephanie]

This thread was quite old before the recent post, so we're locking it to prevent confusion.