Steam Valve having finally ceased support for several aging Windows-based game development programs, in response to an earlier warning that the company intended to discontinue its assistance later this year. Without prior announcement, the latest Steam client update on November 5 has rendered Windows 7 and Windows 8 gaming on Steam obsolete.
As expected, this Steam replacement shouldn’t surprise many, given that Microsoft ended support for older Windows programs several years ago. As the gaming industry continues to evolve, one of the best PCs can no longer run Windows 7 or 8 effectively, prompting Valve’s announcement of plans to drop support for these older operating systems on Steam in at least a two-year timeline.
Valve’s gaming platform currently supports a limited selection of operating systems: Windows 10, Windows 11, Linux, and macOS. According to the latest Steam hardware survey, a mere 0.28 percent of users still rely on Windows 7 for their gaming experience, while those utilizing Windows 8 and 8.1 are so scarce that they are lumped together under the category “other,” accounting for only 0.08 percent of Steam’s overall player base.
For devoted Windows 7 users, this marks the end of an era. As of 2009, Steam has maintained support for Windows 7, a legacy that will come to an end after 15 years. For PC gamers, upgrading to Windows 11, Microsoft’s latest operating system, is the optimal choice, having recently become the default Steam OS for users.
If Windows isn’t your cup of tea, though, there are other options available. With the option to pick up a Steam Deck, you can enjoy playing Steam games using Valve’s custom-built Linux-based SteamOS, allowing you to play without relying on Microsoft. You’re free to install Windows 11 on your Steam Deck if that’s what you prefer.
If you’re interested, take a look at our Steam Deck OLED review to see how Valve’s latest gaming handheld measures up as a premier portable gaming device. Here’s the improved text:
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