Have you noticed an increasing amount of "account-buyers" in the game? Well, it's not so surprising given the fact that there's actually a loophole in Valve's Steam system that inadvertently lead to facile boosting. Today, we're going to reveal how boosting is readily accessible to many and how Valve could mitigate the root-cause of the problem.
New Steam Feature: Family Sharing
One of the new features of Steam is Family Sharing which allows the user (account's owner) to grant another user access to his or her library; enabling them to download the sharer's library (games). The intentions of the feature is great considering that some games can be costly at times and this will allow some family members help the main account earn achievements on his behalf. But the problem about this feature is that, it becomes a safe haven for boosters to exploit.
How Boosting Actually Works
Basically, a person can easily share his game (Dota 2) to a booster. Note that the feature automatically disables the booster's access to Steam Market and Steam Community which makes it even more convenient for both players and boosters as it creates a security to the user and makes them feel more comfortable to inquire for a boosting service.
The booster will then ask for the user to disable Steam Guard and enable Family Sharing and then the process will commence. Once the deal has been accomplished, the user can then easily disable the Family Sharing and re-enable the Steam Guard and voila, sparkling new MMR! According to a Reddit post, the service can cater any MMR that ranges from 0-5K and some even goes to 6k depending on the price.
How Can Valve Mitigate The Problem
Boosting is definitely a problem for the simple fact that it disrupts the essence of the game. They create imbalance between low MMR games and once the deed has been accomplished, the user will also then disrupt the balance between high MMR matches. This not only destabilizes the MMR system, but also impairs the harmony of the community.
In order to avoid the widespread use of the boosting services online, Valve should tweak the Family Sharing feature in specific games like Dota 2. One particular way to discourage boosting is by simply disabling the rank queue when Family Sharing is enabled or by enabling the access to Steam Market and Steam Community when the feature is enabled. This way, the sharer wouldn't have the peace of mind that the booster will sell or trade his items.
What do you think of the Family Sharing feature? Do you think Valve should change the feature or remove it entirely? Share your thoughts in the comments down below!
