Windows 7 and Windows 8 Support

[Narukami]

"Although support won't end until 2024, we strongly encourage all Windows 7/8/8.1 users to update sooner rather than later. Microsoft ended security updates and technical support for Windows 7 in January 2020 and for Windows 8.1 in January 2023. 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."

The real question is:

What are you waiting for?

If you believe the above and I am not saying you are wrong, Why wait?

The bottom line is you have drawn a clear line in the sand.

I for 1 am a very small percentage of the Win 7 64 bit user that will never be upgrading.

My statement has always been and will always be the day I can not play on this platform will be the end of playing games. That being said, this announcement is in fact the end of my purchases.

Its been a great run, Ive had lots of fun. I wish you well and continued success.

Respectfully

Edit: The response is larger than I have expected. Although, and do not quote me but, the number of users which this pertains to I believe i read somewhere is around 660k. Small indeed. My bet is 80 percent of that will upgrade leaving roughly 132k out. Out perhaps but, some food for thought below.

"While there is no specific number necessary to file a class action lawsuit, too few participants may keep the courts from certifying a class, according to Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Ideally, enough members would combine multiple people’s cases to create a court-certified class action lawsuit.

During your free consultation, a class action lawsuit lawyer can discuss your case with you. An attorney may help gather evidence proving another party caused your injuries and financial losses. Class action lawsuit attorneys may investigate whether others suffered similarly from the same party. If the evidence supports this, you may file a class-action lawsuit. Some of the biggest class-action lawsuits had or currently have hundreds of plaintiffs. Such massive actions give a case innate merit and establish the case’s validity in court. For the plaintiffs, the more they are, the stronger they become. When a corporation faces such massive numbers of plaintiffs, it is likely it will offer a significant response instead of shrugging off a small lawsuit as it usually does."

[Fincín]

引用自 Thermal Lance：

引用自 mw.marsh：

So what happens to all the game I bought that won't run on system beyond windows 7? Do I lose those games? Will you make it so they will still run on windows 7 without steam?

The very little games that won't run are often using either DX8 or DX9 as primary renderer. We speak of very old titles. As I retrogamer myself, I can assure you that there is wrappers out there allowing you to run these games by translating the calls into DX11. For example, dgvoodoo2.

Im curious if you know any work arounds for running fallout 3 or farcry 3 on windows 7 or later systems as eventually I will be trying to get a newer computer. I got them from steam and was going to install them, but they are xp/vista era games and I never found a way to run them nor could I install steam on those systems. Thus far Windows 7 seems to be abysmal for running xp and vista games from what I've been able to find in the forums and google searches. Would that same program work as well for those games do you suspect or know? Any insight would be appreciated.

[retro_Ed]

引用自 mw.marsh：

引用自 Thermal Lance：

The very little games that won't run are often using either DX8 or DX9 as primary renderer. We speak of very old titles. As I retrogamer myself, I can assure you that there is wrappers out there allowing you to run these games by translating the calls into DX11. For example, dgvoodoo2.

Im curious if you know any work arounds for running fallout 3 or farcry 3 on windows 7 or later systems as eventually I will be trying to get a newer computer. I got them from steam and was going to install them, but they are xp/vista era games and I never found a way to run them nor could I install steam on those systems. Thus far Windows 7 seems to be abysmal for running xp and vista games from what I've been able to find in the forums and google searches. Would that same program work as well for those games do you suspect or know? Any insight would be appreciated.

Wait until next Steam Sale. Buy Steam Deck 64Gb model. Perhaps under 400$.
Those games runs great on Deck.
If you dont like Linux inside Deck then install something else... it is open platform.

With dock it can be used as a desktop machine.

[smileyill]

I will just run an update blocker and run steam in offline mode for the games I bought. The problem with steam removing use on Win 7 & 8 is that unlike windows, it appears that steam will revoke a license to use steam. Windows just stopped supporting 7 & 8 - it did not revoke the license to use them.

[shadoza]

Story: When The Sims was released, I thought nothing of it. Watched someone else play and decided to try their copy. I liked it. Not great but entertaining. I purchase a copy for my own PC. Then, The Sims 2 came out and my old PC couldn't handle the new features. I really enjoyed the knew features and willingly upgraded my hardware to accommodate The Sims 2 needs. Then, The Sims 3 came out and I was blown away by the graphics, the features, the creative freedom and was solidly sold. Purchased every DLC and stuff packs, upgraded to a new PC with more power and stronger graphic support. It was awesome. I believed it could not possible get better. And . . . I was right. The Sims 4 was such a huge disappointment, that I was done spending money on that franchise and it just didn't matter what they promised in the future.
Moral of the story: If something is not broke, don't fix it.
I have upgraded my PC once again because I needed more hard drive space, better graphic handling, and a faster processor for work. (still haven't purchase another Maxis product.) I also, since my new PC was custom built, requested, and received, a brand new, licensed copy of Win 7. I was told, 'you can get Win 10 free'; I responded 'not even...' (If it an't broke; don't fix it.)
I still use Win 7 on my work PC. We have one with Win 8.1 (seriously, no one wants to use that one for more than checking emails and weather.) We have a newer PC with Win 10. I CHOOSE to use Win 7. It isn't about ignorance, or reluctance to follow the tech sheep, or even issue of finances. I like Win 7 (It isn't broke, so I won't fix it.)
End of story: I still play The Sims 3. I also still play Jewel Quest 3...not that it was part of the story but it is a very old game. (Have hard copies of both games, so I don't need steam to play.)

[Rusted Droid]

The more Windows go UP less games will be playable as MS WILL DROP backwards compatibility for older system = games for that system.

Again
Original Half life 1 made by VALVe was made for Win98 --oh noo
They updated HL.exe to version 1.1.1.1 to be used on WinXP
If you install this game on Win10 you will run hl.exe made for WinXP.
It will run worse as Win10-11 soon will not give a F about backwards compatibility with older OS like WinXP

VALVe will NOT patch hl.exe for WIn10
They are done with it long ago.

Win7 has beter backwards compatibility than 10 and that is WHY people stay on Win7.

I cannot upgrade as i not have DRIVERS for 10 and Windows WDM drivers that replace your old drivers are simply garbage that create problems.
That is WHY many older PC have problems.

Steam is just STORE
Game developers are ONLY ones that can say "We will no longer support Win7"

Steam has TONs of WInXP-Vista-7-8 games that sooner or later WILL have PROBLEMS.

NO NOBODY WILL PATCH THIS GAMES FOR WIN 10-11

[Cathulhu]

Half-Life 1 works fine on Windows 11.

Heck, i can even play Star Wars Rogue Squadron on my Series X Xbox gamepad on Windows 11. And that game was released in 1998. Yes, it does require some tweaking. But it does work and run.

[Rusted Droid]

引用自 Cathulhu：

Half-Life 1 works fine on Windows 11.

Heck, i can even play Star Wars Rogue Squadron on my Series X Xbox gamepad on Windows 11. And that game was released in 1998. Yes, it does require some tweaking. But it does work and run.

You are just only one
And i bet you must have artefacts or "rare" game bugs by emulating too old OS game on WIn11.

This topic is for people that cannot upgrade as their PC runs on Win10 very slow or not run at all.

[Cathulhu]

I'm not emulating anything. I run them natively.
Admittedly with Rogue Squadron i use a Glide Wrapper, but that's about it.

[Blueberry {JESUS IS LORD}]

nope no artifacts since steam runs the game nativly

[Rusted Droid]

Running game nativly == not using any Glide Wrapper

[Cathulhu]

Then you have no idea with the Glide Wrapper is, what it does and how it has no effect if a game runs natively using x86 code or not.
Stop embarassing yourself.

[Rusted Droid]

How to Install and Set up Glide Wrapper for Diablo 2 -youtube
Yeah man running "nativly"


You have no idea what is running nativly

[Komarimaru]

引用自 Rusted Droid：

How to Install and Set up Glide Wrapper for Diablo 2 -youtube
Yeah man running "nativly"


You have no idea what is running nativly

Glide wrapper is hardware/api emulation and has no bearing on the operating system.

[Cathulhu]

Which only affects an API in this case 3DFx Glide to translate the Glide commands to Direct3D to circumvent issues with early implementations of Direct3D on modern systems.
Not the game itself.

So yeah, you absolutely have no idea. And it shows. It still runs natively on x86 code instructions, without any kind of emulation.

引用自 Komarimaru：

Glide wrapper is hardware/api emulation and has no bearing on the operating system.

Not emulation, translation/wrapping commands. That is the entire point of the Glide Wrapper, to not use emulation.

[PopinFRESH]

Cathulhu is correct here. The Glide to OpenGL, Glide to DX3D, and nGLIDE (glide to Vulkan) are wrappers which are a translation layer, not emulation. Just like Wine/Proton is a translation layer and not emulation.

Regardless, even if it was emulating the Voodoo hardware to support GLIDE, that still would have nothing to do with "emulating too old OS game" as that still isn't emulating the game.