⁣ ‌ ​ Steam, the leading digital distribution platform for PC games,⁣ is preparing to discontinue support for 32-bit operating‍ systems. This​ change will affect a very small⁤ number‌ of users,as the vast majority have already transitioned to 64-bit systems.
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The Shift to 64-bit

⁣ ⁤ Steam allows players to purchase, download, install, and update a vast library ⁤of games, ranging from independent ‍titles to⁤ major AAA releases. ⁤Though, the gaming landscape has been steadily moving towards 64-bit architecture for several years. ⁢Graphics card manufacturers NVIDIA officially ended ​support for 32-bit drivers in 2018, followed by AMD in 2019. This has resulted⁣ in minimal game support ⁤for ⁢older 32-bit⁤ systems.
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Valve‘s Official Announcement

⁢ Valve announced that,effective january 1,2026,Steam will no longer support 32-bit operating systems. The platform will exclusively operate on 64-bit ‌versions of Windows ⁤10 and Windows 11, as support ⁤for Windows 7 ‍has already been terminated.
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how Many Users Are Affected?

‌ ⁤ ‍According‌ to‍ Valve’s‍ internal hardware studies, only approximately 0.01 percent of active Steam ‌users are currently ⁤running 32-bit operating systems. ‍ This indicates ⁣the impact of the change will be limited.
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What Happens Next?

⁢ ⁤ While the official end-of-support date is January 1, 2026, the transition will ‍begin sooner. steam will continue to​ function on 32-bit systems, but will no longer receive ⁣updates. ⁢ Over time, services​ will gradually cease to work ‌as the‌ platform‌ evolves.

Key Dates & Changes