Do You Need Steam Link for Remote Play Together?
The short answer is: no, you do not strictly need the Steam Link app for Steam Remote Play Together, especially if you’re connecting with a friend on another computer. However, the Steam Link app significantly expands the accessibility of Remote Play Together by allowing it to be used on devices beyond just computers, such as phones, tablets, and some smart TVs (although its availability on Samsung TVs ended in late 2023).
Steam Remote Play Together is a feature that allows you to invite your Steam Friends to join your local co-op games remotely, without them needing to own or even launch the game themselves. The process is essentially a screen-sharing session, where the host’s game is streamed to the guest’s device while their inputs are sent back. This experience works by utilizing the Steam client and its networking capabilities, primarily between computers.
The Steam Link app serves as an extension of this functionality. It lets you stream your entire Steam library from your PC to other devices in the same network or over the internet. Therefore, while Steam Link is not mandatory for Remote Play Together when both players are on PC, it is needed when either party wants to use a mobile device or a smart TV. Think of it as the bridge connecting your powerful gaming PC to a phone, tablet, or specific brand smart TV, allowing for play anywhere.
Understanding Steam Remote Play and Steam Link
To fully grasp the interplay between Remote Play Together and Steam Link, it’s useful to understand the individual technologies and how they work together:
What is Steam Remote Play?
Steam Remote Play is the overarching technology that enables the streaming of games from one computer to another, or a device. The core concept is simple: one computer runs the game, captures the audio and video, and sends this data to the device that you are using to play. This eliminates the need to have a high-end gaming setup for each device you wish to play games on.
How Does Remote Play Work?
- The host computer is where the game is actually running, doing all the processing.
- The client device receives the streamed video and audio from the host computer, and sends user inputs, like controller or mouse clicks, back to the host.
- The Steam client manages this process, facilitating the connection and data transfer.
What is Steam Link?
Steam Link started as a physical hardware device designed to stream Steam games to a TV. The hardware version was discontinued in favor of the Steam Link app, which can be installed on various devices. The Steam Link app is a software application which extends Remote Play capabilities, enabling a wider range of devices to serve as client devices.
How Does Steam Link Work?
- The Steam Link app is installed on a device, such as a phone, tablet, or compatible smart TV, turning it into a client device.
- The Steam client on your host computer recognizes and allows connection from any Steam Link device on the network or over the internet.
- The app streams the visuals, audio, and inputs, allowing users to effectively play games as if they were on their main gaming computer.
The Connection Between Steam Link and Remote Play Together
Steam Remote Play Together is an application of Remote Play; when used between two computers, it doesn’t require a Steam Link application. However, if one of the players, or both, are using devices without the native Steam client (i.e. Mobile Phones, Tablets, specific smart TVs) then the Steam Link app becomes necessary.
- PC to PC: Remote Play Together operates directly through the Steam client, with no need for Steam Link.
- PC to Phone/Tablet/Smart TV: In this case, the host computer runs the game, and a Steam Link app is required on the other device to stream and accept input.
- Phone/Tablet/Smart TV to PC: The same principle applies here, the host computer runs the game, and the other device uses Steam Link to connect.
When Do You Need Steam Link?
To make it as simple as possible, you’ll need Steam Link for Remote Play Together when:
- You want to play a game on your phone or tablet.
- You are using a compatible smart TV as your gaming device.
- You want to play games on devices where the full Steam client cannot be installed or run.
In short, if anyone wants to join using a device that is not another PC with Steam installed, then Steam Link is needed.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify how Steam Remote Play and Steam Link work:
1. Can I use Steam Remote Play away from home?
Yes, you can use Steam Remote Play away from home as long as both your host computer and your client device have an internet connection.
2. Do I need a Steam account to use Steam Link for Remote Play?
While the host computer needs to be logged in to a Steam account, the guest connecting through Steam Link does not necessarily need one.
3. What devices support the Steam Link app?
The Steam Link app is available on Windows, iOS, Android, and some smart TVs. However, note that Steam Link is no longer supported on Samsung TVs after November 30th, 2023.
4. What hardware do I need for Steam Remote Play?
The host PC should have a minimum of a quad-core CPU. The client device requires less power, but should have a GPU that supports hardware accelerated H264 decoding.
5. How does Steam Remote Play Together work between friends?
One person launches a game, and then invites friends via the Steam overlay. The game’s video and audio are streamed to the friends, allowing them to participate in the game remotely as if they were in the same room.
6. What comes with the Steam Link hardware (now discontinued)?
The original Steam Link hardware came with a power cable, an Ethernet cable, and an HDMI cable.
7. Is Steam Link wired or wireless?
Steam Link can be used both wired and wirelessly. A wired Ethernet connection is highly recommended for the best performance to reduce lag.
8. Is Steam Link the same as Steam?
No, Steam Link is an app that extends the functionality of Steam’s game streaming. Steam is the game platform itself.
9. Can Steam Link wake up my PC?
Yes, Steam Link supports Wake on LAN, but only with wired connections and on computers configured for Wake on LAN.
10. Why is my Steam Remote Play laggy?
Lag can occur due to a weak internet connection, an unstable Wi-Fi connection, or a low-powered client device. Reduce your bandwidth settings or switch to wired networking if possible.
11. Can I use Steam Remote Play for any game?
All Steam games can be streamed between your own computers. For remote play together functionality with friends, you’ll need to make sure a game supports Remote Play Together. This will be noted on the game’s store page.
12. What internet speed do I need for Steam Link?
A good starting point is 3 Mbit/s. You can increase bandwidth until you notice hitches, then back down. It is generally recommended that users utilize a wired connection when possible.
13. Can I play games offline with Steam?
Yes, you can play games offline via Steam, but features requiring a connection are not available.
14. How do I enable Remote Play on my Steam Client?
You do not need to enable remote play; it’s an integrated part of the Steam Client. You might need to toggle hardware encoding and network bandwidth settings.
15. Why was the Steam Link hardware discontinued?
Valve stopped selling the physical Steam Link hardware to focus on its software based Steam Link app, which provides the same function but for many more devices.
Conclusion
While the Steam Link app is not a mandatory requirement for Steam Remote Play Together when connecting PC to PC, it is essential for expanding remote play functionality to various devices such as phones, tablets, and specific smart TVs. Understanding this distinction will empower you to maximize your Steam gaming experience across multiple platforms. You can enjoy the convenience of mobile play while also using your powerful computer for local gaming, all using the tools that Steam has provided for the gaming community.