Move My Games folder

[zebulon.macahan]

As far as I understand the folder "My Games" is created by Steam and used by some games, but not all for saves during gameplay. This folder is automatically created as a subfolder in your Windows Documents folder. I've tried to move this folder and it's sub-folders with mklink but it doesn't work. I guess it's because it quickly becomes a structure of different folders when several games are putting files in own sub-folders and use a "simple" command as mklink is not possible on a multiple folder structure. Please Steam, I know many players has limitied space on the default harddisks and already now we can move library folders to other locations. Furthermore, you may want to separate game and work files, not all computers are dedicated to games only! Is it so difficult to create the possibility to move the My Games folder to another location in the same way we can move the library folder?

[Satoru]

Actually "My Games" is a Windows folder its not created by steam.

You cant move it because its a 'special' folder in window just like "My Documents" is special and "photos" and "music" are

[BloodShed]

Originally posted by Satoru:

You cant move it because its a 'special' folder in window just like "My Documents" is special and "photos" and "music" are

That's a straight up lie!

My Documents, Music, Pictures, Saved Games and Videos to name a few can be moved easily.


Using My Documents as an example.

Right-Click "My Documents" -> Properties -> Location tab -> press the Move button -> select a new location.



My Games folder is not a "Windows" folder per-say and cannot be like the My Documents above.
You need to sym-link it with another folder.

[zebulon.macahan]

"Saved Games" is a Windows folder and can be moved, but I don't believe "My Games" is a Windows one.

[Black Blade]

Originally posted by zebulon.macahan:

"Saved Games" is a Windows folder and can be moved, but I don't believe "My Games" is a Windows one.

So it may be a game one
Games using the Steam system for saving games as much as i know keep the files inside userdata inside the Steam folder

[zebulon.macahan]

That's the worst scenario and then it's probably a hard-coded structure connected to your Documents folder. Sigh! Stupid game producers, I hate when they manipulate MY computer! The ones with separate folders directly in your Documents folders are usually "movable" with the mklink command.

[Aeolus]

You only option would appear to use the mklink command and create a symbolic link, then hide the symbolic link. If you show hidden folders and files, this won't appear much different although it does use a different icon allowing for easier identification of more important folders.

Open a command prompt. I opened mine as an administrator but as long as you have permissions in either end directory you don't need to.

Move the my games folder to where you want it. Lets say your user profile directory

From the Documents directory, type:
mklink /D "my games" c:\users\xyz

Substitute 'xyz' with whatever your account name in windows is.

Then to hide the symbolic link go into explorer, right click on the new symbolic link "my games" and select hide. Apply the changes to the folder only.

[JPMcMillen]

Originally posted by Black Blade:

Originally posted by zebulon.macahan:

"Saved Games" is a Windows folder and can be moved, but I don't believe "My Games" is a Windows one.

So it may be a game one
Games using the Steam system for saving games as much as i know keep the files inside userdata inside the Steam folder

Games save their data wherever the devs decided to store it. In the userdata in the Steam folder, in the games install folder, in the 'My Games' folder, in the 'My Documents' folder, in the hidden 'App Data' folder, and who knows were else.

Why the heck the games industry couldn't have figured out a single common place to save configuration and save data is beyond stupid. Having all this in a single location would make it easy for anyone to easily backup their saves or move them to another computer.

[Black Blade]

Originally posted by JPMcMillen:

Games save their data wherever the devs decided to store it. In the userdata in the Steam folder, in the games install folder, in the 'My Games' folder, in the 'My Documents' folder, in the hidden 'App Data' folder, and who knows were else.

Why the heck the games industry couldn't have figured out a single common place to save configuration and save data is beyond stupid. Having all this in a single location would make it easy for anyone to easily backup their saves or move them to another computer.

Like many other cases, every one try to make there own stranded so there is more then one, the My Games folder that was made by Microsoft i think in Windows XP? was one of them, but none of them really taken every one on, so it keeps been a mess till the day someone like the community push to have on stranded for all to follow

[zebulon.macahan]

Still I believe it's strange that Steam is able to move any game installation folder to their own SteamLibrary folder but not the location where those games save files during play! Practically none of the games I have save their gameplay files in the SteamLibrary, they're all spread in different subfolders, either under My Documents or in a My Games subfolder residing in My Documents. Regrettably, the My Games folder cannot be moved with mklink. Start complaining all around and they will maybe change and give us a better structure or options!

[JPMcMillen]

Originally posted by zebulon.macahan:

Still I believe it's strange that Steam is able to move any game installation folder to their own SteamLibrary folder but not the location where those games save files during play! Practically none of the games I have save their gameplay files in the SteamLibrary, they're all spread in different subfolders, either under My Documents or in a My Games subfolder residing in My Documents. Regrettably, the My Games folder cannot be moved with mklink. Start complaining all around and they will maybe change and give us a better structure or options!

It's up to the games developer where they want to save that stuff, not Steam.

[ KARR™]

Originally posted by zebulon.macahan:

Still I believe it's strange that Steam is able to move any game installation folder to their own SteamLibrary folder but not the location where those games save files during play! Practically none of the games I have save their gameplay files in the SteamLibrary, they're all spread in different subfolders, either under My Documents or in a My Games subfolder residing in My Documents. Regrettably, the My Games folder cannot be moved with mklink. Start complaining all around and they will maybe change and give us a better structure or options!

Where you install something is at the top level, the game save location is INSIDE the game files that are written by the game makers.

Moving files around windows is easy, re-programming something to save files elsewhere is... well it's not allowed unless you own it.

[zebulon.macahan]

Well, Steam are defenitely involved in some way! I tried to move my Witcher 3 savegames located in my Documents folder to another disk with mklink. It went OK, but the Steam Cloud immideatly restored the entire The Witcher 3 folder, without I had launched the game!
It would be interesting if any Steam technician could give us proper information about the conditions.

[aiusepsi]

One way for game developers to use Steam Cloud is that they tell Steam where the game keeps the save files, and Steam syncs them. It's supposed to be a sort of legacy mode, for games that were developed before Steam or were ported to Steam, rather than being more Steam-native.

It's not the recommended way, though. And ultimately Steam can't stop games from storing saved games wherever they like.

[Overson]

If nothing works, make a shortcut of the folder. Works everytime

[Tzitzimime]

Originally posted by zebulon.macahan:

Still I believe it's strange that Steam is able to move any game installation folder to their own SteamLibrary folder but not the location where those games save files during play! Practically none of the games I have save their gameplay files in the SteamLibrary, they're all spread in different subfolders, either under My Documents or in a My Games subfolder residing in My Documents. Regrettably, the My Games folder cannot be moved with mklink. Start complaining all around and they will maybe change and give us a better structure or options!

Don't for get the subfolders of "Appdata" under "Users" in whatever drive Windows is installed in.

Originally posted by Overson:

If nothing works, make a shortcut of the folder. Works everytime

This.