Google Stadia was not the first to launch a game streaming service, but it still beat out other giants in the gaming industry. It had a lukewarm reception at the time, but improvements have been made, including new features that allow users to share games.

Google just launched Stadia's new "Family Sharing" feature, which allows users linked through Google Play's Family Library to share games between multiple accounts with a single digital license. This means that everyone can play the same game together without having to purchase it multiple times. Even better, Stadia Pro members can claim free games and share them with their group, even if they are the only one with a Pro subscription.

The only caveat is that two accounts cannot play the same shared game at the same time. This means that if two people really want to play Destiny 2 or Doom Eternal at the same time, they will have to pay. Similarly, if you claim a free game as part of your Stadia Pro subscription and let that subscription lapse, you cannot continue to share that game.

Family sharing has become quite popular in a world where streaming subscriptions are very common. Since most people can only afford to subscribe to one service, being able to share access and share costs with others is a huge benefit. By encouraging sharing, those services can reach a wider audience.

It also demonstrates Google's commitment to improving Stadia and making it a strong competitor in the growing world of video game streaming. In our initial review of this service, we noted that it was virtually half-complete and a rather disappointing experience. In fact, we declared that the service was officially a mess.

But that was a year ago, and a lot can change in a year. Being able to share games is only a small part of it.

All of this comes at a time when the next generation Xbox Series X and PS5 will launch on November 10 and November 12, respectively. Both are $500 game consoles, and one could argue that at a time when the world is in economic turmoil due to the coronavirus pandemic, it would be unwise to spend a fortune on new game consoles.

So, with continued improvements to Stadia, Google is effectively beginning to create a more affordable alternative to next-generation gaming consoles, albeit with some limitations.

Google's support site has instructions on how to set up family links between accounts. Also make sure your account has a payment method.

Google Play's Family Library is not exclusive to Stadia, and multiple accounts can share Google Play purchases and subscriptions. Not everything can be shared, but many things can still be shared. The good news is that it doesn't have to be an actual physical family.

Stadium sharing is currently being rolled out, so if you don't have the option yet, you'll have to be a little patient.