Valve, the developer of the popular gaming platform Steam, announced that it will stop supporting Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 starting January 1, 2024. This means that users who still run these operating systems will no longer be able to use the Steam client and play their purchased games.
Valve’s Reason for Ending Support for Windows 7 and 8.1
Valve cited the built-in Chromium-based browser that Steam uses for rendering the Steam store and other UI elements as the reason behind this decision. Both Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 have already ended support by Microsoft in January 2023, which means that users who stick to these operating systems will be vulnerable to security bugs and functional issues.
Valve recommends upgrading to newer versions of Windows to avoid such problems because unpatched systems are more susceptible to malware attacks. Additionally, upgrading to Windows 10 should be simple for users of these older versions since Microsoft offers a free upgrade.
How Will Users Be Affected?
This decision will affect only a small percentage of Steam users, less than 2%, according to a monthly hardware survey conducted in February 2023. However, it is understandable for Valve to want users to upgrade for security and functionality reasons.
Future versions of Steam will rely on feature and security updates only available on Windows 10 or above. Users with old machines may consider switching to Linux or HoloISO, but there may still be compatibility issues with some Steam games.
Valve’s Decision Likely Due to Microsoft’s Discontinuation of Support
Valve’s decision to drop support for older versions of Windows is likely due to Microsoft discontinuing support for Windows 7 and 8.1 earlier this year. Most major games no longer support these operating systems anyway, so Valve’s decision to end support for them was inevitable.
Microsoft is gearing up for the next two years to be the last for Windows 10 before they also put it into extended life support. In 2025, Windows 10 will no longer be supported, forcing users to upgrade their operating systems for security updates.
Upgrading to Windows 10 or 11
Windows 10 and 11 are currently the most popular versions of Windows, with over 90% of Steam users on these versions. However, upgrading to Windows 11 will require a hardware upgrade or a fresh install since it has more restrictive hardware requirements.
Valve recommends upgrading to a newer version of Windows to continue running Steam and purchased games/products after 2024. Windows 10 will continue to receive security updates from Microsoft until at least October 2025.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Valve’s decision to end support for Windows 7 and 8.1 starting January 1, 2024, is likely due to the built-in Chromium-based browser that Steam uses for rendering the Steam store and other UI elements. Users who stick with these older operating systems will be vulnerable to security bugs and functional issues. Valve recommends upgrading to newer versions of Windows for better functionality and security reasons, and it should be simple for users thanks to Microsoft’s free upgrade offer.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
