It's undeniable that a growing number of PC users are upgrading to Microsoft Windows 11 for various reasons. However, many users still rely on older versions of Windows such as 7, 8, and 10. Unfortunately, if you're a gamer who uses Windows 7 or 8, there's some bad news from Steam.
Steam has announced that it will no longer support Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 after this year. The change is set to take place on January 1, 2024. Before you criticize Valve for this decision, it's important to understand that there is a valid reason behind it.
If you're running Steam on Windows 7 or 8, it's high time to consider upgrading your operating system
Valve made the decision to discontinue support for Steam on Windows 7 and Windows 8 because the platform depends on Google Chrome, which is no longer supported by Google on those operating systems. This could result in a poor user experience for Steam users on Windows 7 and 8, and Valve wants to avoid that.
Indeed, that was the reason behind Valve's decision to discontinue support for Windows 7 and 8 next year. The good news is that Steam will continue to have full support on Windows 10, which is used by a majority of Steam users, as per Valve's survey. It is highly likely that the support for Windows 10 will continue for a long time.
If you're interested in upgrading your PC's operating system, you may be able to upgrade to Windows 10 for free. However, some users may find it more beneficial to upgrade to Windows 11. It's important to note that Windows 11 has certain hardware requirements and may not be compatible with older PCs.
Regardless of which operating system you choose, it's essential to update your PC before the end of the year. Failure to do so may result in being locked out of your Steam games.