Maybe Steam wants to gently push users towards SteamOS or another Linux distro. Steam works wonders nowadays on Linux and GloriousEggRoll tweaked Proton, the list of games working for real under Linux is getting bigger by each passing day.

MonstroMart:

Not suporting != not running.

It won't run.

anticupidon:

Maybe Steam wants to gently push users towards SteamOS or another Linux distro. Steam works wonders nowadays on Linux and GloriousEggRoll tweaked Proton, the list of games working for real under Linux is getting bigger by each passing day.

As a steam deck user i have been blown away by just how well my steam windows games are running on steam OS with proton, it is truely witchcraft by how well they have done it.

MonstroMart:

Not suporting != not running.

This I know. I am just stating that it is still working on those old os on my retro rig.

Well I wonder if they mean that it will just be unsupported? Current Chrome works just fine in W7 /shrug. It's disappointing none the less that there won't be some bare minimum support to allow people to at least download their games. There are genuinely cases where it's easier to run some DX9/10 class (or older DX7/8) games on W7 or they don't work on Windows 10. Or in a specific case of a game I love, Sayonara Umihara Kawase the only version of GeDoSaTo that works to fix the 540p internal resolution is really finicky on current builds of Windows. But no issues at all on W7. It's too bad there isn't some kind of secure API for 3rd party clients like Playnite that could be used on OS that Valve doesn't want to support. I use PL for the majority of my launching on both W7 and 10 anyway these days since the current Steam library UI is lackluster. If I had a way of using SGSSAA, MFAA, DSR,etc natively in Linux I would leave Windows behind entirely. I really wish I could leave MSFT behind for everything but my Audio Production hobby work, Valves lack of a real current Steam OS3 based on the Deck doesn't help matters either. According to the developer of PPSSPP (Which ended up with them adding SGSSAA support in their Vulkan backend!) that I talked to about how feasible it would be for a program like DXVK to implement a compatibility like structures to intercept game rendering and use SGSSAA they said it is entirely possible. Wish I could code to do it myself haha.. Like when PC enthusiasts keep multiple old PC builds for specific games/software around for actually using and playing. There won't really be a way for those games that were only available digitally on Steam that don't play well with newer operating systems or wrapping software.(Or there isn't a dedicated person that makes a mod to make it usable) You won't be able to keep a dedicated W7 machine and get access to all of the same stuff. The downside of digital distribution.

MrBonk:

Well I wonder if they mean that it will just be unsupported? Current Chrome works just fine in W7 /shrug.

no it doesn't.

What of all those diehard counter-strike players that are still rocking hardware from 20 years ago? They still have to upgrade regardless of being able to play CS2 just fine at 1024x768 low settings...Valve doesn't care about their loyal fanbase at all.

Ok so I have until 2024 to create my "offline only" win7 system with Steam and all the old goodie games I love. Stupid AF to do so, especially since Valve has more money than GOD at this point and can definitely afford to keep that going. I wonder (this is a problem ive been considering for a while), what about all the game that become unplayable after that? You know, games that worked on win7 but will NOT work on win 10 (currently need for speed undercover comes to mind). Im not talking about the situation where you bought it and then upgraded to win10. I am wondering if they will stop selling games that WONT work on win10 on steam.

SteamOS it is then!!!

Yeah... more different operating systems is what really makes it easier for the user... 😀 I think the problem here is not as big as it sounds.

Astyanax:

no it doesn't.

Ah, after checking I didn't realize updates stopped at version 109. Ah well that makes sense. Firefox is though. To me, the big difference between this and stopping support for WinXP though is that the vast majority of the games for sale on Steam work fine, right now, on Windows 7 without major issues. (And funnily in some cases like Hastune Miku Project Diva Mega Mix +, once you remove the OS check in the .exe the game actually runs with almost none of the stuttering issues present on W10 without having to use mods) You can't say that about WinXp and what is sold on Steam. If this was like old PCs, and these were physical games. No big deal, you still have access to what you need. Want a dedicated W7 machine for whatever reason? You no longer have access to your purchases. Which stinks. At least some bare minimum client that has nothing accessible but a download interface would be adequate. But i'm sure someone somewhere will argue about it being some kind of security issue. Or that it's unreasonable to ask what is most certainly a multi billion dollar company with no public shareholders to pay out, to maintain a simple dumbed down client for people who paid money for their products to keep access on hardware it already worked on /shrug.

MrBonk:

But i'm sure someone somewhere will argue about it being some kind of security issue.

You can build a version of CEF based on 110+ that has the sandbox disabled, and it runs on windows 7+ just fine.

Ive got an old Win 7 rig packed away in a cupboard, been there for about 2 odd years now, so the Steam on it is an old version, and if i remember, if you fire it up without a net connection, it will just ask if you want to start it in 'offline mode', where it'll still works, so im assuming once this end of support comes, i'll still be able to do that on it, and thus still able to play the games ?, if i ever wanted to of course.

TheDeeGee:

Without TPM i bet 95% of all users could upgrade just fine to Windows 11.

Seeing as how most users get new versions of Windows by purchasing a new computer, it's really not a big issue outside of the enthusiast world.

DirtyDee:

What of all those diehard counter-strike players that are still rocking hardware from 20 years ago? They still have to upgrade regardless of being able to play CS2 just fine at 1024x768 low settings...Valve doesn't care about their loyal fanbase at all.

Valve cares about making money. If this decision pushes people to buy a Steamdeck, Valve makes money. Also, there's no reason for a company to care about a "fanbase" unless that "fanbase" is actively making them money.

Astyanax:

no it doesn't.

Astyanax:

You can build a version of CEF based on 110+ that has the sandbox disabled, and it runs on windows 7+ just fine.

So you are saying then they could in fact build their version of chromium in Steam in a way that could still support W7 just fine? I'm not super familiar with all that kind of stuff, CEF is this right?

MrBonk:

So you are saying then they could in fact build their version of chromium in Steam in a way that could still support W7 just fine? I'm not super familiar with all that kind of stuff, CEF is this right?

Yes.

Rich_Guy:

Ive got an old Win 7 rig packed away in a cupboard, been there for about 2 odd years now, so the Steam on it is an old version, and if i remember, if you fire it up without a net connection, it will just ask if you want to start it in 'offline mode', where it'll still works, so im assuming once this end of support comes, i'll still be able to do that on it, and thus still able to play the games ?, if i ever wanted to of course.

Probably, but you won't be able to redownload games, as Steam auto updates as soon as you start it with internet active.

Catspaw:

Ok so I have until 2024 to create my "offline only" win7 system with Steam and all the old goodie games I love. Stupid AF to do so, especially since Valve has more money than GOD at this point and can definitely afford to keep that going. I wonder (this is a problem ive been considering for a while), what about all the game that become unplayable after that? You know, games that worked on win7 but will NOT work on win 10 (currently need for speed undercover comes to mind). Im not talking about the situation where you bought it and then upgraded to win10. I am wondering if they will stop selling games that WONT work on win10 on steam.

Seems people run it just fine Windows 10, maybe your OS install is messed up. PCGamingWiki also has a lot of fixes for the game https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Need_for_Speed:_Undercover

TheDeeGee:

Seems people run it just fine Windows 10, maybe your OS install is messed up. PCGamingWiki also has a lot of fixes for the game https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Need_for_Speed:_Undercover

undercover doesn't have a windows compatibility issue, it has a core count compatibility issue, you can use SpecialK to boot the game with a 8 or less core spoof and set it to use waitable swap chains to improve the stutteriness. but the latest origin version has performance issues anyway, You can use 1.0.1.17 instead of 1.0.1.18 to get around the core spoofing and fix the performance issues.

It's about time. Better invest into current OS support than support for an OS which is EOL since years.