Still Playing Steam Games on Windows 7 or 8? An OS Upgrade Might Be in Your Future

If you’re still rocking Windows 7 or 8 and love your Steam games, it might be time to think about upgrading your system.

With today’s software landscape, everything eventually reaches the end of the line. This is especially true when it comes to operating systems. Companies like Microsoft and Apple are naturally keen to phase out support for older systems that are hardly used now. This line of thinking extends to software developers, too. Take, for instance, Valve, the company behind Steam that has been a staple since the Windows XP era. Valve announced back in January that they were ending official support for Windows 7 and 8, so if you’re facing technical issues with Steam on these operating systems, you’re on your own now.

Just recently, a first for Steam updates has occurred. As PC Gamer reported, a new Steam update has rolled out that can’t be downloaded on Windows 7 or 8. The update notes straight-up mention, “This version of the Steam client will no longer run on Windows 7 or Windows 8.” And those on these operating systems won’t get this latest version automatically. There are valid reasons to stick with these old versions—buying a new computer is no small feat financially. However, the decision does make sense. According to October’s Steam hardware survey, only about 0.29% of users still operate on Windows 7.

The survey interestingly noted that Windows 8 users have dwindled down to zero, which isn’t entirely shocking given the system’s notorious reception. It’s a wonder why Valve waited until now to cut the cord, especially with many folks making the leap to Windows 11, Microsoft’s latest. But hey, sometimes these transitions take a while to unfold.