Valve launched a major Steam update on October 15, 2026, introducing achievement sets to separate base games from DLC and seasonal content.
For years, Steam completionists faced a frustrating mathematical reality. Achieving a pristine 100% completion badge on a favorite title felt like a permanent victory, right up until the developer dropped fresh downloadable content. Suddenly, that hard-earned perfection score plummeted, leaving players with a constant reminder of content they had no intention of purchasing or playing. Valve addressed that long-standing community annoyance on October 15, 2026, by pushing a new Steam client beta update that fundamentally alters how achievements are structured and displayed across the platform.
How Achievement Sets Separate Base Games From DLC
The core mechanic behind the update relies on developer-created achievement sets.
DLC achievements won't break your Steam 100% anymore. Valve's Achievement Sets beta is live today.✅ Base game and DLC sets, each with its own progress bar✅ Devs can archive seasonal or time-limited achievements✅ Completed sets stay completed when new ones arrive pic.twitter.com/LTrnamN5Ku
— https://x.com/echosofspace/status/2110862570936746259
Valve explained how players interact with the system once developers implement it:
In games that support sets, you still unlock achievements by playing the game as usual, But when you browse what you have unlocked afterward, Steam will break the long list of game achievements into the developer-created sets, making it easier to see what you have completed and to find other related achievements you can unlock next.
Valve, via Dohanew
Each individual set features its own progress bar. Finishing an entire set rewards the player with a distinct set complete trophy displayed directly on their profile.
Seasonal Archives and Time-Limited Holiday Challenges
Beyond permanent expansions, the update accommodates battle passes and time-sensitive events through archivable seasonal sets. Valve pointed to Halloween Event Achievements as a primary example of temporary challenges that remain active during specific windows without permanently altering a player’s core completion metrics.
We think there are a lot of fun ways games can take advantage of the temporary nature this can add, such as adding achievements to season-based games or enabling time-limited holiday achievements.
Valve, via PC Gamer
Players who choose to skip a specific seasonal event can maintain their base game standing without missing out on permanent completion percentages. If someone decides to bypass a season, their base game statistics remain entirely unaffected.
Interface Redesigns and Friend Comparisons
To support the new architecture, the Steam achievements page received a comprehensive visual refresh.
This functionality mirrors features found on PlayStation consoles, bringing Valve’s platform in line with competing ecosystems.
Supported Titles and Beta Availability
While platform-wide adoption depends on developers implementing the tools, a preliminary group of software titles already supports achievement sets:
- Against the Storm
- Age of Wonders 4
- American Truck Simulator
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4
- Crusader Kings III
- DREDGE
- Euro Truck Simulator 2
- Forza Horizon 5
- Flock Around
- He is Coming
- LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight
- Left 4 Dead 2
- Portal 2
- PowerWash Simulator
- PowerWash Simulator 2
- Team Fortress 2
- Victoria 3
Users interested in testing the features can opt into the Client Beta immediately. Valve betas typically run for roughly a month before a wide public rollout.