Steam client version (build number or date): Jun 17 2019, 23:31:27 (1560817063)
Distribution (e.g. Ubuntu): multiple (reproduced under SteamOS, Debian and unofficial Flatpak)
Opted into Steam client beta?: No
Have you checked for system updates?: No
Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:
After installing the Steam client on a new machine, free-to-play games that I already played on another machine don't appear in the Library tab.
I would have expected them to be treated the same as games that I "bought" for zero cost during a free games promotion, meaning they appear in my library alongside games that I have paid for or registered using a key, until/unless I use right-click -> Set Categories -> Hide this game.
Steps for reproducing this issue:
Have a Steam account already
Install and play some free-to-play games, e.g. Floating Point and Team Fortress 2
Install the Steam client in a new directory: either install it on a new computer, or as a different Unix user, or switch to or from the unofficial Flatpak
Go to the Library tab in the newly-installed Steam client
Expected result:
Paid-for games appear in my Library
Free games that I previously added to my Library also appear
Actual result:
Paid-for games appear in my Library as expected
Free games that I previously added to my Library do not appear
If I search for one of the free games in the Store tab and visit its Store page, it appears that a record has been kept that I have installed it in the past: there is a green banner reading [IN LIBRARY] Floating Point is already in your Steam library, and a light blue Play now button. This is not the same as a free game that I have never played, which has a green Play Game button in the same style and position as the usual Add to Cart button.
If I click the Play now button, the game appears in my Library, but disappears if I uninstall it.
Hello @smcv, looks like this is the intended behavior from around 2014, and a feature request for the older behavior is already being tracked at #3331. Closing in favor of the existing feature request.
Your system information
Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:
After installing the Steam client on a new machine, free-to-play games that I already played on another machine don't appear in the Library tab.
I would have expected them to be treated the same as games that I "bought" for zero cost during a free games promotion, meaning they appear in my library alongside games that I have paid for or registered using a key, until/unless I use right-click -> Set Categories -> Hide this game.
Steps for reproducing this issue:
Expected result:
Actual result:
[IN LIBRARY] Floating Point is already in your Steam library, and a light bluePlay nowbutton. This is not the same as a free game that I have never played, which has a greenPlay Gamebutton in the same style and position as the usualAdd to Cartbutton.Play nowbutton, the game appears in my Library, but disappears if I uninstall it.