Can a Steam Account Be Inherited? Passing Your Game Library to the Next Generation
TimeWill Editorial · Updated 2026-06-19
Steam's Terms of Service explicitly prohibit account transfers, but in practice your family still needs the password to handle anything. Family Sharing is a workaround: enable it while you're alive and share your library with your family. Another route: encrypt and store the account password so your family can sign in afterward to play or transfer it to a friend.
A Steam library with hundreds of games, thousands spent on Honor of Kings skins, thousands of hours logged in your PlayStation save files, these aren't things you just throw away. Your child might simply want to play your favorite game or look through your save files. The catch: they have to be able to sign in to your account.
Family Sharing Is Something You Can Do Right Now
In Steam, go to Settings, Family, Manage Family Library Sharing, and check your family members' accounts. Once Family Sharing is on, your library appears in your family's Steam client. You don't need to give them the password, as long as your account is active the sharing stays in effect. But if you're no longer around, the account may be frozen for inactivity, so you should hand over the password too.
FAQ
Q: Is a Steam account legally considered an inheritance?
Legally it counts as virtual property and is protected under Article 127 of China's Civil Code. But Steam's Terms of Service forbid account transfers, and there's no court precedent yet. The most practical approach is to hand over the password and enable Family Sharing, so until the platform changes its policy your family can at least use the games.
Q: What about Switch, PSN, and Xbox accounts?
The three major console platforms have similar policies: accounts are for personal use and can't be transferred. But Nintendo allows family groups, and PSN and Xbox both support family sharing. Set up family sharing while you're still around, so your games can at least be played within the household.
Q: My in-game items and skins are worth thousands. Can they be sold?
In theory, yes. Once your family has the password, they can ask a friend who knows gaming to help: Steam trading, Fantasy Westward Journey items, and Honor of Kings skins can all be transferred. But your family won't know what these things are worth, so it's best to write up a game asset list with approximate values.