Steam Achievement Sets beta splits base and DLC progress

Steam's new Achievement Sets beta separates base game and DLC achievements, adds blue and purple progress bars, and lets profile owners compare completion with up to three friends—changing how gaming creators showcase completion.

What happened

Steam has launched Achievement Sets in beta. The platform now separates base game and DLC achievements, so new developer additions will not affect a player's overall completion percentage. Developers will have to update their games to add specific collections, each one with a defined purpose, but Steam says there is a growing number of games that already support the feature.

The system lets developers group single-player and multiplayer achievements or introduce seasonal sets, such as one for a Halloween event. Once a game supports Achievement Sets, players will see achievements grouped together in collections when they browse everything they have unlocked on their profile. Each set has its own progress bar, and every completed collection can be displayed as a "set complete" trophy on the profile.

A player's progress will still show 100 percent even if the developer adds more achievements to a set later on. Steam divides collections into two types: Base Game Achievement Sets and DLC Achievement Sets. Base game trophies and their progress bar appear blue, while DLC achievements and progress bars are displayed in purple.

Key facts

• Steam Achievement Sets is live in Steam Client beta and separates base game from DLC achievements.
• Base game trophies and progress bars appear blue; DLC achievements and progress bars appear purple.
• DLC sets do not show in overall game progress until a player has access to the specific DLCs they are connected to.
• Progress still shows 100 percent even if a developer adds more achievements to a set later on.
• The redesigned achievements page allows comparing progress with up to three friends, including rare achievements earned and completed sets.

Our analysis

This changes the completionist calculation on Steam. Previously, new DLC achievements could dilute an existing 100 percent record, forcing players to buy or complete DLC just to restore their status. By splitting base game and DLC sets, Steam makes completion a collection-level metric rather than one moving target. That likely reduces frustration for achievement hunters and gives developers room to add post-launch content without punishing existing players.

The blue and purple visual distinction suggests Steam wants players to understand at a glance which progress belongs to the core game and which belongs to additional content. Because DLC sets only appear in overall game progress once a player has access to the specific DLCs, the change may also lower the perceived obligation to purchase DLC just to keep a profile clean. For gaming creators and community operators, the redesigned page turns achievement profiles into a more structured showcase: set-level progress bars and trophies, plus a comparison view with up to three friends, provide shareable proof of completion.

The ability to create seasonal sets, like one for a Halloween event, suggests developers can run time-limited achievement campaigns without permanently changing the base completion record. This is a meaningful shift from a single completion percentage to multiple visible goalposts.

What it means for operators

• If you run a gaming community or creator channel, update achievement guides to explain the new blue base game sets and purple DLC sets, including the access gating rule.
• Use the "set complete" trophy and friend comparison view as content hooks: create completion challenges or side-by-side comparisons of rare achievements and completed sets.
• For developers or community managers, plan achievement sets before DLC launches so base game 100 percent remains separate and the new DLC collection appears only for players who own that DLC.
• Audit your game's redesigned achievements page to see how collections appear on profiles, then communicate the change before players ask why DLC achievements no longer affect the overall percentage.