As expected, more and more apps and games are halting support for operating systems released before Windows 10. The list obviously includes the legendary Windows 7, but also Windows 8 and 8.1. It’s now time to look for alternatives when it comes to the famous Steam gaming service, but unfortunately, there aren’t many to choose from.
Valve has announced that its famous Steam platform won’t support Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 anymore. This means that if you’re a gamer who prefers to stick to Windows 7, for instance, as many people still do, even in 2023, you will need to upgrade to Windows 10 or Windows 11 if you want to keep using Steam on your PC.
Luckily enough, you still have plenty of time to make the switch to a newer Windows version.
Dead end: January 1, 2024
Valve is still giving users almost a whole year to make the upgrade to Windows 10 or Windows 11 if they still want to use Steam. While the vast majority of PC’s around the world are running either one of those two operating systems, there are still people who prefer Windows 7, and for relatively good reasons. Microsoft’s lack of support for Windows 7 might be a strong enough reason to upgrade, but not everybody is a fan of Windows 10 or Windows 11.
Here’s a part of the official statement issued by Valve:
As of January 1 2024, Steam will officially stop supporting the Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 operating systems. After that date, the Steam Client will no longer run on those versions of Windows. In order to continue running Steam and any games or other products purchased through Steam, users will need to update to a more recent version of Windows.
A gamer can use the Steam platform for many reasons. First and foremost, there are games out there that won’t launch until you have a Steam account. Steam also allows players to learn a lot about their favorite games, join online communities of gamers interested in the same games, and more.