If You’re Playing Steam Games on Windows 7 or 8, It’s Time to Consider an OS Upgrade

If you’re one of the dedicated gamers still holding onto Windows 7 or 8 while diving into your Steam library, it’s time to consider making the leap to a newer operating system.

In today’s tech-driven world, everything software-related has an expiration date, and operating systems are no exception. Naturally, giants like Microsoft and Apple aren’t keen on supporting outdated systems that have largely been left behind by users. This also extends to the developers of longstanding software, like Valve, the masterminds behind the Steam platform, which originally launched during the Windows XP era. Back in January, Valve made it official: they would no longer support Windows 7 and 8. In practical terms, it means no more technical help for those clinging to these older systems when issues arise.

Fast forward 11 months, and as reported by PC Gamer, we’ve hit a significant milestone: the first Steam update that Windows 7 and 8 users can’t download. According to the update post, “This version of the Steam client will no longer run on Windows 7 or Windows 8.” That means those on these older systems won’t see their Steam client update automatically. There are legitimate reasons why someone might still be using such outdated systems—after all, upgrading a computer isn’t cheap, and not everyone can afford it. Still, the decision makes sense when you consider that only a minuscule 0.29% of Steam users are still on Windows 7, as revealed by October’s Steam hardware survey.

Interestingly, the survey showed that not a single user is on Windows 8 anymore, which isn’t too surprising given its less-than-stellar reputation. It’s puzzling why Valve didn’t make this move sooner, especially with so many folks transitioning to Windows 11, Microsoft’s latest operating system. But hey, these shifts don’t happen overnight.