Steam Achievement Sets Beta: DLC and Completion Guide

Steam Achievement Sets are now in beta. Valve's new system lets developers separate related achievements, including base-game and DLC lists, while keeping a record when you finish a set. It also introduces archiving for achievements that can no longer be earned. You need the Steam Client Beta and a supported game to see the feature in use.

What an achievement set changes

Valve's announcement describes developer-created collections of related achievements. These can represent different parts of a game. A set has its own progress bar and completion trophy. If a developer adds more achievements to an already completed set, the record of your completion remains.

For a completion hunter returning to a game, the useful question is which part of the game remains unfinished. You might be returning for an expansion or looking at an unfinished part of a campaign. Separate lists make that choice easier to see before you decide where to spend your next session.

The game's own achievement conditions still matter. A reorganized list still leaves you with the game's original challenges to complete. Read the description beside the achievement you actually want.

Base-game, DLC and archived achievements

Valve distinguishes base-game sets from DLC sets. DLC achievements enter your overall progress when you have access to the corresponding content. Developers can also archive achievements or sets that are no longer obtainable. Players who earned archived achievements keep them visible; missed archived achievements do not block completion.

Choose DLC for the content you want to play. A DLC pack is still an additional purchase unless your edition or subscription includes it. An attractive progress bar is not a reason to buy an expansion you would otherwise skip. Check the store listing and your library before assuming an expansion is missing.

Archiving is especially worth checking when a game has changed over many years. An old guide might discuss a challenge tied to content that has disappeared. Look at the current achievement page before following that guide, and distinguish an archived entry from one you simply have not earned yet.

How to join the Steam Client Beta

Follow Steam Support's beta instructions for the current enrollment steps. Use Steam's own beta controls; you do not need a separate installer from a download site or an extension promising to activate the feature. Let the client finish its update and restart when prompted.

Then choose a game that Valve lists as supporting Achievement Sets. Portal 2, DREDGE and Crusader Kings III are examples in the announcement. Open its achievements page and check the available collections. If another game still shows a single list, the beta client alone does not mean that developer has divided its achievements into new sets.

For a shared challenge, agree with friends on the set you intend to finish before comparing progress. Owning different expansions can leave you looking at different totals, so an overall percentage is not always a useful measure of how far through the same content you are.

Read the enrollment instructions before switching clients, especially if you have a multiplayer session planned. You can also wait for a later rollout. The announcement is a beta launch, so a permanent public release date should not be inferred from it.

Why different games will adopt it differently

Steamworks' achievement documentation explains the developer side of Steam stats and achievements. Developers define the relevant achievement data for their games. That ownership is why two games can present completion differently even when you use the same Steam account and client.

For now, compare the current pages for games you already own before changing your approach to completion. Keep an eye on the game's own update notes if an achievement moves or its availability changes. Our Steam client feature guide covers another beta feature, while the Steam sale calendar keeps scheduled store events separate from client updates.

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