The Steam client’s October 15, 2026 Preview/Beta update lets games separate base-game and DLC achievements into distinct sets. A completed set stays complete when new sets are added, so an expansion’s objectives can be tracked without undoing that completion status.
DLC achievements can have their own sets
In its patch notes, Valve describes a structure that allows additional content to bring its own achievement set. For someone who has finished the base game’s objectives, the practical benefit is clear: that set can retain its completed status while the expansion supplies a separate group of challenges.
The distinction is between finishing an existing set and completing newly added objectives. Under this structure, a player’s completed base-game set remains complete even if they have yet to tackle the DLC set. Adding another set does not reopen the one already finished.
Games must adopt this organization for players to benefit. Valve is introducing the option to separate achievements; the announcement does not guarantee that every game will reorganize its list. The client feature therefore cannot be read as a universal change to completion tracking across Steam.
Valve also adds the option to archive seasonal achievements and achievements that have become impossible to obtain. Archiving can cover individual achievements or entire sets. This is a separate capability from preserving completed sets, and it does not establish that every affected objective will be archived automatically.
The Linux client moves to 64-bit
On Linux, the Steam client becomes a 64-bit application running in a Steam Runtime container. This is a change to the Steam application itself, rather than an announcement of a new SteamOS version. The distinction matters when reading the release notes: the client update and an operating system release are separate things.
Remote Play adds stretching and zooming
Remote Play gains a “Display Style” setting for streams whose aspect ratio differs from that of the receiving screen. It offers stretching and zooming, giving users a way to adjust how the streamed image fits that display. These are presentation options; the announcement does not establish a gain in streaming quality or performance.
Valve also reports improved offline functionality for the library activity feed. That improvement concerns the feed specifically, rather than establishing broader changes to Steam’s offline services.
The achievement change gives games a way to preserve finished sets while adding new challenges through DLC. Its usefulness depends on each game’s implementation, and the October 15 announcement covers Preview/Beta availability without confirming a stable-channel release.
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