Steam no longer supports Windows 7, 8, and 8.1::Customers sticking to the good-old (and dead) Windows 7 now have one more reason to ditch the operating system: as of January 1, 2024, Steam no longer supports Windows 7, 8, and 8.1.
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Not really Steam’s fault, their app is built in a chromium browser, which stopped supporting those OSes a few years ago. A perfect example of Google having too much control over the Internet. This is what happens when big companies are allowed to purchase their competitors.
Edit: people in this thread are either really forgetting how much trust google used to have with basically the entire Internet. They were seen as the “good guys” for a long time.
Or they’re forgetting how unique and revolutionary chromium based desktop apps were when they first came out. It is a colossal pain in the ass to create a modern browser, if you have a web page in your desktop app like steam does, it quickly became a very difficult, time consuming, and virtually fruitless endeavor to develop a headless browser just to sit within your desktop app when you could just go with chromium.
And if memory serves me right, Microsoft is dropping W7, 8, and 8.1 support this year too. I love to shit on Google, but I also love to shit on Microsoft.
Especially since W10 EOL is on the horizon.
microsoft dropped windows 7 support like 3 years ago
January 10th 2023 was the last update for the extended security update program.
A thing I didn’t consider: many steam games still support Windows 7 and 8, so… What about them?
Google (or any other browser vendor) never forced anyone to rely on a web browser engine to develop desktop applications.
This is what happens when developers make trade-offs for convenience at the expense of control.
Also in Steams’s case the pre-Windows 10 Steam user base is also tiny, and may not be considered commercially viable to support regardless.
No they never forced them but they said “hey here’s this really awesome sandboxed platform that runs on almost any os, and it’s a modern browser!” That’s really enticing to a platform like steam where most of their app is web based. Steam isn’t a desktop application, it’s a hybrid application that needs a web browser. Do you know how hard it is to upkeep a modern browser? There’s a reason it’s pretty much only chromium and Mozilla making browsers. It’s not laziness, it made sense, and Google was the only one making anything like that at the time for developers to use.
Once Google had the market share, they started making changes that they knew would affect everyone using their platform, and that’s how they wanted it.
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Windows 8 is over 10 years old and was EoL years ago. No distro is maintaining that level of support outside of corporate and even that’s in the specialized more expensive custom contracts.
Nobody needs Steam’s “support”. They just need Steam to unlock their DRM for games that they have been playing for years and Steam has now broken.
👌👍 whenever you say
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Yeah, right… it’s my fault that Valve decided to use Chromium crap in their client.
Fanboys don’t even question themselves if it didn’t made sense to have a lite version of the client without the browser, you know, to play games! (͡•_ ͡• )Never said it was your fault, I explicitly said it was Google’s doing but ok be mad if you want to
I know you never said it was my fault. I was being sarcastic! What you said was that, it wasn’t Valve’s choice, but this is wrong. It is their fault. It’s was their decision to use an external software which is out of their control. It was their decision, so everything good/bad with this decision it will always be their fault.
What I’m trying to tell you, is that people are quick to give credits to Valve, but when they do shit (and I’ve been using their services for so long, that I’ve seen plenty of it), it’s rarely their fault.
Linux
It uses Chromium on Linux too. It uses DRM on Linux too.
The real answer is GoG.
Honesty for a lot of older games gog is the answer. A lot of older games just don’t run well or at all on proton.
Though you could also just get an old console to play them on and never worry about updates breaking things again.
It’s good for new games too! With Lutris I can even install Windows games with Proton on Linux, or choose my own Wine setup. I think Heroic Game Launcher does the same.
Best of all, no internet connection is required once a game is downloaded, unless the game specifically demands it. You can save your installers locally and keep them forever, never needing to phone home. If push comes to shove, install a VM of an old OS, and it’ll run just the same. Connecting old OSes to the internet is potentially a security risk. And, as we see here, Steam ain’t gonna work on old OSes anyway. You’re going to need to pirate the games you already bought if you want to play them again in 20 years.
Nah, gog doesn’t do anything to suppory Linux. Valve is the reason Linux gaming is as good as it is. Pretty much all the games that are on gog are also drm free on steam.
Okay, you just blew my mind. How does one download installers for DRM-free games on Steam? How do you even tell which games are DRM-free? I was not able to find answers with some quick searching, just community-maintained lists of games that are ostensibly DRM-free in one way or another. But how do I verify that? How do I archive installers?
You can usually just copy the game files
Why does it matter if Steam uses Chromium on Linux. It’s not like Gecko dropped embed support or anything
The alternative to Chromium-based apps is not Gecko-based apps; it is native apps, that do not require an entire bloated web engine to run.
This is especially obnoxious with Steam since it wants to run in the background 24/7.
Fuck GoG
The “let them eat cake” cry for social media.
Yes, except If cake were free and accessible to anyone regardless of silverware or plates.
And also allowed to you to modify the cake as you see fit and even gave you the ingredients if you wanted to bake your own
I hate to break it to you, but Linux isn’t as accessible as many people make it out to be. Sure, the base OS can probably run on more computers, but if you want to talk parity with what somebody needs, there’s a darn good chance you’ll run into issues.
And at that point, you need to expect the person to learn a new operating system, and one where user experience tends to be the last thing developers think about…
Same can be said with any operating system, even any piece of software.
I bet, we don’t find a single Windows 8 user who uses Steam on that system. Similar applies to Win7.
Not anymore since it no longer works.
I was still using Steam on Windows 7 as late as last month. Losing access to Steam was one motivation to finally upgrade my computer.
Why not switch to Linux? There is several ones which works well with steam
That’s actually just what I did. New PC runs Manjaro Linux. So far all the games I’ve thrown at it work just fine.
Maybe I should have done that with the old PC, but I’m lazy and Windows 7 was working well enough.
Because maybe they want to play games without having to check if it runs on linux?
Thanks to the Steam Deck and proton development, these days that’s pretty much limited to a few incompatible multiplayer anticheat systems. Gone are the days where a developer actually had to make a Linux build.
That’s becoming way less of an issue nowadays
Win 8 was listed just under 1%
Wrong, I used Steam under Win 7 from time to time until December. For some games it doesn’t really matter and I use old machines for fun.
I used to be a Win8 user who had Steam
We’re a GoG-first house, here.
I get that steam dropping win7 was unavoidable based on their shitty choice of browser base, but the alternative was only Firefox and we know how Mozilla-the-app went.
Anyway, GoG gives us control over our purchased copies, and I like that.
There was a time when software didn’t need an entire browser engine to run. We used to call them native applications.
Although looking at how small the pre-Windows 10 customer base is I imagine Valve would have considered it not commercially viable to continue supporting however easy maintaining the codebase was.
Why pay for DRM when there’s a legal, user-friendly alternative? GoG is the best. Proof that we can still have nice things.
I don’t go as far as to boycott Steam, but GoG is my first choice.
But, how about my funny and stupid reviews on the store page, and my useless badges and cards? /s
GoG or itch only, launch with lutris. I just don’t want to risk putting up with this.
I’m not sure why people blame mostly Google for this
Microsoft stopped supporting them long time ago first, in case of Windows 7 it’s almost 4 years nowDirect purchace (if dev is trusted) > GOG > Steam > anything else
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
My setup (it has been destroyed by Gabe)
*Google
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because valvle only removed support due to chromium removing it as well. Steam uses chromium in a few places so they likely figured ending support would be easier than creating a win 7 client with limited features.
Sorry, I realized (by, you know, actually reading the article) and deleted my comment within like 40 seconds, but may not have deleted everywhere (or you had already started replying).
Thanks.
nah I’m just an instance admin, I also see deleted comments. Decided to reply anyway to clear it up.
It is ridiculous that Steam won’t let you play your games you payed for outside of steam. Games that you’ve played for years on Windows 7 suddenly no longer play. Steam is like a DRM system that suddenly stops working and makes all the stuff you bought worthless.
What if a security exploit happens to affect that older version of Steam that’s no longer updated and somebody’s able to hack your account change your password change your email now they have a brand new entire steam library that you no longer have anymore. Would you rather that? This is more of them covering themselves legally, so if that were to happen, they cannot be sued
Would you rather that?
I would rather Steam let me play all my games I legally purchased on Windows 7 outside of steam. If Steam is not going to work on Windows 7 than stay the hell out of the way and let me play the games I bought and have installed on my computer.
I hope somebody sues them for stealing their purchased games.
This isn’t Steam’s fault. The OS is dead because Microsoft killed it (as part of their ongoing planned-obsolescence operating system program). There is no conceivable way Steam can maintain security for anyone’s account on an OS that hasn’t received security updates for three years.
Jesus Christ 🤦♂️
The OS is over 10 years old. No one in Linux land gets that level of support either.
I don’t want any “support” from Steam. All I want is for Steam to not actively block me from running my purchased games on my computer.
Yes you are asking for support. Even if you don’t understand that.
Nope. Just asking that they remove their DRM before they abandon Windows 7.
Nothing unusual about cutting the cord at some point when major updates introduce big enough differences that it becomes a pain to make sure things stay compatible. Same thing happen with any OS.
I swear some people around here must be mad that Microsoft doesn’t release Windows 98 updates anymore…
Microsoft doesn’t stop you from playing the games that already ran on your Windows 98 computer either. False equivelance.
Then don’t buy your games on Steam if you don’t like the way they do business, you’ve got other options, vote with your wallet and only buy DRM free games.
You still wouldn’t be able to play those Windows 98 games if they were bought on Steam, because they’ve stopped supporting that OS ages ago and for good reasons. It doesn’t support modern tech, it doesn’t receive security updates, there’s no point wasting money on supporting it, just like there’s no point wasting money on supporting an OS that hasn’t received a security update in close to a year and that less than 2% of users are using until they finally move on to the next version.
Then don’t buy your games on Steam if you don’t like the way they do business, you’ve got other options, vote with your wallet and only buy DRM free games.
I wasn’t expecting they would take away the games I legally purchased.
You’re really okay with Steam being able to take away all the games you purchased whenever it feels like doing this? A rich asshole like Elon Musk could buy Steam and shut it down just to fuck with people, saying he just wanted the employees or some piece of tech. You wouldn’t complain at all if that happened?
You still wouldn’t be able to play those Windows 98 games if they were bought on Steam
That’s why I buy them on GOG and not Steam.
There is no conceivable way Steam can maintain security for anyone’s account
Then they need to drop the DRM nonsense and let people use their desktop applications/games that they purchased.
It IS Steam’s fault that Steam forces people to use a DRM system which they then shut down. Who else’s fault would it be?
It’s not Google’s fault that Steam forces people to use a DRM system which they then shut down.
It’s not Microsoft’s fault that Steam forces people to use a DRM system which they then shut down.
It’s not Windows 7/8 user’s fault that Steam forces people to use a DRM system which they then shut down.
I can play GOG games without using GOG. The least that Steam can do is created a lightweight app that let’s users play the games that they have already installed on their computer. Forget about “security” and “accounts”. Just don’t get in the way of users running their own games on their own computers.
You want Valve to develop a version of Steam that circumvents their own DRM to play local files? What would prevent people from using that to pirate things even more easily? I can imagine they’d have some trouble with publishers as well for doing that. There are already largely standardized cracks for steam and emulators for steam; just use that. Regardless, no solution will work for any game using DRM other than Steam, like Denuvo, so you’ll have to rely on pirates for those regardless.
You want Valve to develop a version of Steam that circumvents their own DRM to play local files? Yes, exactly. They owe people that.
What would prevent people from using that to pirate things even more easily? Dunno. Maybe make it not work on win 10+.
Are you running an OS that hasn’t received a security update in a year (if you purchase the ESU packages)???
Dude, at least move on to Windows 10 or something, that’s just you taking bad decisions at this point.
I like Windows 7 precisely because I still have complete control over my computer. Microsoft cannot brick my computer on a whim like they have the power to with later versions of windows.
I feel like this group of people are the kind that would already be on Linux though. If you’re that anti Microsoft why be on any version of Windows when such a great suitable replacement that also still works on these older systems exists?
I feel like this group of people are the kind that would already be on Linux though.
I have plenty of Linux machines and used Unix since before Linux existed. But when I want to play WINDOWS games and dont want to deal with wine hassles I need a windows box.
Wine hassles? It’s not 2013 anymore. Proton sets up a prefix on first run and you don’t think about it.
You’ll probably even have more issues on Win7 for gaming than on Linux lol
No DX12 support, questionable driver support from AMD/Nvidia, Win7 CPU scheduling not playing well with plenty of recent CPUs, etc.
Linux gaming is good now.
“brick my computer on a whim”
Paranoid much?
It’s funny that you fear Microsoft but not all the people that can exploit all the flaws that are now left open in your computer because you haven’t received a single security update in 357 days (or more since the last three years were paid updates).
[Microsoft update system has destroyed my computer completely]
Odds that these computers were infected by something in the first place?
Pretty fucking high.
I support multiple computers at all times that are always running the latest Windows version, never had one where an update broke it and if it happened it’s a pretty major leap to go from “that update broke my computer” to “Microsoft intentionally bricked my computer”
It’s also completely ridiculous because you’re implying that the same situation couldn’t have happened with a Windows 7 update.
update broke my computer” to “Microsoft intentionally bricked my computer”
Didn’t say it was intentional. Why would it be intentional?
It’s also completely ridiculous because you’re implying that the same situation couldn’t have happened with a Windows 7 update.
You can turn Windows 7 updates off. You can also control the timing of the updates.
Odds that these computers were infected by something in the first place?
Zero since they specifically noticed it happened during the update process.
Didn’t say it was intentional?
Microsoft cannot brick my computer on a whim like they have the power to with later versions of windows.You can turn updates off for the following versions of Windows too.
Chances are they update broke because their computer was infected by something that didn’t play well with the update, I don’t know why you would think the odds are zero and don’t know why you would think something similar couldn’t happen with a Windows 7 update (not that you would care since you don’t get updates anymore, but you might want to care about infection risks though, going on the internet for you is like joining an orgy and leaving your condoms at the door).
Linux?
Yeah I don’t blame valve for Microsoft dropping security updates and neglecting the last good version of windows. I’ve switched to Linux where this will never happen.
It’s a Chromium issue, not a Windows issue.
It’s a DRM issue. Not a Chromium issue, or a Window’s issue. What happens when Steam goes out of business after a corporate takeover and NOBODY WILL EVER BE ABLE TO PLAY ANY OF THEIR STEAM GAMES AGAIN.
You’re talking about a different subject.
The reason why Steam is dropping support for W7/8 is a Chromium issue.
The reason why Steam will no longer allow me to play my purchased games on Windows 7 is a DRM issue which they could easily fix with a lightweight program.
Do you realize how ridiculous it is that playing a desktop game depends on a freaking web browser?? That is just unbelievably stupid.
No.
The reason is that Chromium doesn’t support the OS anymore and Steam is Chromium based.
You purchased the right to install games from Steam knowing you need it to install and play the games, you knew full well that no Steam = no games, your accepted that DRM as long as it didn’t get in your way. Looks like no matter how ridiculous you say it is now it didn’t stop you from spending your money.
But that lack of logic shouldn’t suprise me considering you’re running an unsafe OS but you fear Microsoft and not all the hackers that now have access to your shit.
You purchased the right to install games from Steam knowing you need it to install and play the games,
Actually I did not know that. It pisses me off that I bought Axis and Allies Online on Steam instead of GOG one week before it became unplayable on Steam on my Windows 7 system. I will ALWAYS check GOG from now on.
Note that dropping support for Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 came as part of a butterfly effect of the Chromium project - which Steam depends on - dropping support.
Steam is literally DRM. But nobody wants to acknowledge that.
It’s a store and content downloader. Buy games that don’t implement steamworks and you can copy the install folder to keep playing on windows 7 just fine without logging in.
I’m sorry I hurt your feelings.
Steam isn’t DRM, it’s a game storefront/downloader that offers developers the option of DRM when they publish their game.
Plenty of games have zero DRM, and plenty of games do. I wish they’d make it clearer which do and which don’t, but that’s a separate issue.
It is ridiculous that Steam won’t let you play your games you payed for outside of steam
Very easy to run your previously purchased steam games without Steam. Search “Steam emulator”, follow the GitHub or Codeberg link, and problem solved…
Won’t help with games that use their own custom DRM though.
Thanks! I will try.
You’re right with what you said except for Steam is not like DRM. Steam is DRM!
People will defend Valve with tooth and nails, but like every other digital system, one day it will fuck with their users (my guess is when Gabe Newell retires).
I can barely wait for that day, to see thousands of posts of users crying, because they never purchased anything, only rented! ᕕ(ᐛ)ᕗPlenty of people hated Steam when it first came out, it was a controversial thing when games started to require it.
Steam has only become as popular as it is because Valve responded to much of that criticism, and improved it enough to become “acceptable” DRM in the minds of most gamers. People defend it because it came to work (mostly) seamlessly and offer additional beneficial features. Unlike many other far jankier platforms/launchers which have been developed with minimum effort as more transparent cash grabs.
A DRM free world be be ideal, but we rarely get an ideal world, so people settle for the least worst instead.
