Earlier this week, Steam announced it no longer supports Windows 7, 8, and 8.1.
Steam revealed these changes come from integral features in the Client being reliant on an embedded version of Google Chrome, which does not support the mentioned operating systems. Consequences of this change include the Steam Client no longer receiving any updates, security or otherwise, on those older operating systems.
Although Steam does expect both the Steam Client and games to run correctly for some time (although it cannot guarantee anything) after January 1, which has come and gone, it recommends users of the older operating systems to upgrade to a newer version swiftly, citing security concerns as both Microsoft and now Steam have stopped rolling out security updates for the operating systems and Client respectively.
Steam is the premier platform for PC gaming. This transition will most likely affect many of its users. Nonetheless, we recommend updating to the latest operating system as you will benefit from increased technical support, security, and retain access to Steam to continue your gaming journey.
“Computers running these operating systems, when connected to the internet, are susceptible to new malware and other exploits which will not be patched. That malware can cause your PC, Steam and games to perform poorly or crash. That malware can also be used to steal the credentials for your Steam account or other services.”
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