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(Image credit: Valve) Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Flipboard Share this article Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Valve has begun the final phase of its plan to end Steam support for 32-bit versions of Windows, with a December Steam client update that changes how the platform runs on modern systems. As of this week, the Steam client on Windows 10 64-bit and Windows 11 is now itself a 64-bit application, while users on 32-bit Windows are left on a shrinking compatibility branch that will stop receiving updates on January 1, 2026.
This follows an announcement by Valve in September stating that Steam would no longer support 32-bit versions of Windows as of 2026. The client update marks the first time Steam has been fully 64-bit on Windows rather than a 32-bit application running atop a 64-bit operating system.
Steam will continue to work for users still running 32-bit Windows instillations, but Valve has made it clear that the platform will be frozen in place after the cut-off. That means no client updates, no security fixes, and no guarantee that future game updates or backend changes will remain compatible. Valve has also stated that customer support for those systems will end simultaneously. Just under 95% of Steam users are on a Windows-based system, compared to 3.2% on Linux and 2% on Mac OSX.
Latest Steam Client Beta backport keeps Windows 7 and Windows 8 gaming PCs on life support
Linux usage hits an all-time high in Steam Hardware Survey
Key considerations
- Investor positioning can change fast
- Volatility remains possible near catalysts
- Macro rates and liquidity can dominate flows
Reference reading
- https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/pc-gaming/SPONSORED_LINK_URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/pc-gaming/steam-begins-64-bit-transition-on-windows-as-32-bit-support-enters-final-countdown#main
- https://www.tomshardware.com
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