Technology is ever changing so it’s no surprise that at some point in our lives, we’re going to have to give up old favourites in order to move with the times. If you’re someone who’s clinging on to an older version of Windows, that time may have finally come as Steam will soon stop supporting older versions of the operating system.
It’s true what they say, time flies. It feels like just yesterday that I was playing on my PlayStation 2. Actually though, it was many many years ago and while my PlayStation 5 may feel ‘new’ still, the PlayStation 6 is seemingly already being teased and discussed. Over in the world of Xbox, the codename for the next-gen console has popped up in official documentation, plus we’ve been hearing about a Nintendo Switch 2 for years. The world of PC gaming can be just as rapid. You’ll need decent specs to keep up with the latest releases, which is why Steam has announced it’ll soon cease supporting older versions of Windows.
The Last of Us Part I released on PC today. Take a look at the game in action below.
As reported by VG247, Steam will soon stop supporting Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 so if you want to continue using the platform, you’ll need to update your operating system to Windows 10 or 11. The good news is that you’ve got some time to sort this out. The new policy will come into effect on 1 January, 2024 which means you have roughly nine months to get everything in order.
According to Valve, the reason for the change is that the newest features in Steam rely on an embedded version of Google Chrome which no longer functions on the three aforementioned older Windows operating systems. Windows 10 and 11 also have all the latest features and security settings that are required.
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Unfortunately, the free Windows 10 upgrade window ended some time ago, so there is a £119.99/$139 upgrade fee. If you’re looking to generally upgrade your computer setup though, the latest models will have the newest version of Windows pre-installed.