Steam is ending support for Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 in January 2024: details

Valve is ending support for Steam on some older editions of Windows. As of January 1, 2024, Steam will stop working on Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 operating systems. The official blog post reads: “Steam’s latest features rely on an integrated version of Google Chrome, which no longer works on older versions of Windows.” Additionally, future versions of Steam will rely on features and security updates that are only present in Windows 10 and beyond. With Microsoft itself dropping support for these versions earlier this year, it was only a matter of time before others such as Steam followed suit.

According to Valve’s February hardware and software survey, only 0.09% of gamers are using a Windows 7 system, and another 1.43% are using Steam on the 64-bit version. Only 0.34% of gamers occupy the Windows 8.1 slot, while Windows 10 constitutes the highest number of gamers – 62.33%. Meanwhile, 32.06% of gamers use Steam on the new Windows 11, coming in second place. Using Steam and all games purchased through the app from 2024 will require users to update to a recent version of Windows. While any PC running Windows 7 can be upgraded to Windows 10 without issue, upgrading to Windows 11 requires a TPM 2.0 setting for security reasons. This can be enabled through your motherboard’s BIOS settings.

Earlier this month, Fortnite dropped Windows 7 and 8 support, citing security issues as well as the implementation of Unreal Engine 5.1. For those who can’t upgrade, game streaming via Nvidia GeForce Now has been mentioned as an alternative.

In another register, Dolphin Emulator, the essential application for playing Nintendo Wii and GameCube games on PC, will soon be available on Steam. A store page for the emulator is now live, with a wishlist option, and plans to release in Q2 2023.

“When we launch on Steam, we will have a feature article detailing the process and features of the Steam release,” reads the Dolphin blog. “We are thrilled to finally be able to tell the world about our experience. It’s the result of months of work, and we can’t wait to get it into the hands of users soon! the post continues. The Steam page also notes “partial controller support” for the Dolphin emulator, along with a promise of cloud saves. Once ready, it will launch in early access, while the developers will continue to collect data for a streamlined experience later.

In February, Steam unveiled all of its planned sales and festivals for 2023, allowing users to mark their calendars and plan their shopping spree. Last year, the company also updated its regional pricing tool, setting higher recommended play costs for countries outside of the United States. According to this graph, the default prices for PC games in India could increase by up to 85%, provided that developers accept these increases and change the base prices of their games.

As previously stated, Steam support for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 ends on January 1, 2024.

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