

Those with old machines that users resolutely want to remain Steam connected may be tempted to switch to Linux, or even HoloISO - a PC version of the portable Steam Deck’s SteamOS. However, with the transition now set in stone, future versions of Steam are also set to rely on feature and security updates that are only present / destined for Windows 10 or above. It is thus at least partly due to this software embed that Steam must enact a Windows 10 or newer policy. It turns out that the newest Steam features “rely on an embedded version of Google Chrome” that offers limited functionality on older Windows versions. Some reasoning behind the support policy is revealed. In a short blog post on Windows 7 and 8 support today, Valve states that users will have to upgrade to a newer version of Windows “in order to continue running Steam and any games or other products purchased through Steam.” To be clear, from January 2024, Windows 10 will be the oldest Windows OS that is compatible with the Steam Client.

The cut-off date for Windows upgrade holdouts is January 1, 2024.

Steam, the world’s most popular PC gaming client, community, and store, will shut its doors to Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 users next year.
