Steam Achievement Sets Beta Preserves Completion After Updates
Reported October 19, 2026 · PC Gamer
Steam Achievement Sets are now in beta, and Valve’s biggest change addresses a familiar completionist frustration: an update adding more achievements after you have finished a set. The new system preserves that set’s completed status while giving new content its own place to track progress.
The update at a glance
| Achievement update | What Valve has confirmed |
|---|---|
| Announcement | October 15, 2026 |
| Availability | Steam Client beta; supported games |
| Organization | Developer-defined achievement sets |
| Completion | Completed-set recognition survives later additions |
| DLC | Separate sets and progress tracking |
Valve’s official announcement describes an optional beta, so seeing the feature in the news does not mean every game in your library has adopted it.
Finishing a set now leaves a lasting record
The Steamworks documentation makes an important distinction. Players who completed a set keep that recognition if its developer later adds achievements. Players who had not finished the set still need to satisfy its expanded requirements.
That can leave a completed set containing a newly locked achievement. Valve therefore recommends that developers create separate sets for new content, helping players distinguish an earlier finish from a new challenge.
DLC progress gets its own space
DLC-linked sets separate expansion goals from base-game completion. According to Valve’s documentation, achievements in a DLC set do not count toward completing the base game or another set. Existing achievements remain in the base-game set unless the developer organizes them differently.
Unavailable achievements can be archived
Valve’s developer announcement also introduces archiving. Studios can retire an achievement or an entire set when its content is no longer available. Players who earned it retain a visible record, while those who missed it are no longer blocked from completing the remaining requirements.
Developers can arrange sets around modes, characters, or seasonal content. The updated tools support bulk editing and private testing, and Valve says adoption does not require a new game build or Steamworks SDK update. That makes rollout a choice each studio can make for existing games.
A clearer page for comparing progress
The player-facing announcement also confirms progress bars for individual sets, expanded search filters, and a comparison view for up to three friends. Per-achievement global completion rates move onto the achievements page as a toggle. The layout brings several checks into one place when you are deciding what to unlock next.
How to try the beta
Follow Valve’s Steam Client Beta instructions. In the desktop client, open Steam → Settings → Interface and find Client Beta Participation. Select Steam Beta Update and allow the client to update and restart when prompted.
Afterward, inspect the achievements page for a supported game. For your next completion project, browse PoGamer’s top PC games, or visit the PC Gamer hub for more PC coverage.
Reporting sources
Checked October 19, 2026. These are non-affiliate editorial references.