Steam officially drops support for Windows 7 and Windows 8

[Redaktion]

Valve has officially stopped the support for Steam on Windows 8.1, Windows 8, and Windows 7 operating systems. Starting January 1, 2024, users running the client on these won't receive any updates, including security patches. Also, the users of these operating systems won't get support from the team for any technical issues.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Steam-officially-drops-support-for-Windows-7-and-Windows-8.788518.0.html

[grrr]

Better served by Linux. Proton is getting to a point where you can run almost any game.

[Hotz]

Effective from January 1, 2024, the users running the client on these operating systems won't receive any updates and security patches.

In other words: it will probably still work with Windows7/8 unless Valve puts in a Windows10/11-only requirement.

[George]

Effective from January 1, 2024, the users running the client on these operating systems won't receive any updates and security patches.

In other words: it will probably still work with Windows7/8 unless Valve puts in a Windows10/11-only requirement.

Well yes, no and maybe.

Let's keep in mind that the 'Steam Client' has multiple parts/objectives:
- graphically show and sort all available games
- graphically show and sort the games the user owns license/access to
- install the users games
- 'phone home' or otherwise keep in check # of active game installs user has and is using
- 'cloud based' saved games/progress
- interaction with other Steam users (chat/exc)

IMHO: the only items in the above list I'm concerned with is the showing and installing of games I own access to. Frankly the 'phone home' feature is a PITA as a sizeable use case for me is WITHOUT net access. (playing already installed games offline and away from the internet)

Steam's legitimate business concern is the 'phone home' feature where if given enough time Hackers could ether patch an 'abandoned' client or emulate the activity with a 'rogue client' which allows users to copy/share their games with others without Steam oversight.

BTW: Steam also dropped support for earlier OSX versions.