Windows 98/ME support ending this July

Minimum requirements increased :: March 1st, 2007 :: Steam updates :: 80 Responses

Strings for two new system requirements were added to steamui_english.txt in Monday’s platform update. One warns that unspecified games will “within the next few months” no longer be able to run on CPUs without SSE (presumably relating to Source’s multithreading), and the other regards Steam itself:

Support for Steam on Windows 98 and Windows ME operating systems will end on June 30th 2007. This means you will no longer be able to run Steam.

In order to continue running Steam on this computer, you must upgrade to a newer version of Microsoft Windows.

An automatic update increasing the requirements of a game (let alone the platform itself!) was one of the first fears to develop when Steam was released to the public. While it’s true that according to the Valve Hardware Survey only 1 631 or 0.14% of all Steam users still have Windows 98 (Windows ME isn’t listed), those one thousand and six hundred people, a few of whom are complaining on the forums, will shortly have their currently perfectly functional software rendered useless unless and until they upgrade their systems.

Single-player gamers with pre-Steam boxes will be able to continue running their Half-Life 1-era titles, albeit with very outdated builds, or try to remember never to start Steam while online. Online players and everyone who bought the game in stores after its Steam re-launch, or on Steam itself, will have no realistic choice but to buy a new operating system.

While a more significant 11 876 or 1.03% users don’t have SSE, it isn’t unreasonable to assume that most of them will be playing Half-Life 1-based games on very old systems — SSE being a standard feature in all even vaguely modern processors.

Of wider interest is what could be happening on 30 June to actively exclude older operating systems. Vista support comes to mind: Microsoft’s recent code libraries have many features unsupported by pre-NT versions of Windows. A new authentication system is another possibility, although relying on OS components would almost certainly break Steam’s long-maintained — and in this age of rootkits and hardware layers thoroughly commendable — OS-independence.

Tags: big stories, hardware survey, min spec

80 Responses to this post:

52 Comments

March 1st, 2007 at 8:13 pm ::
Andy Simpson Says:

Steam links against DirectX to do a couple of things I think. Most likely they want to build against the newest DirectX SDK which dropped support for 9x.

The sooner 9x shuffles into the grave the better.
March 1st, 2007 at 8:47 pm ::
Tom Edwards Says:

What sort of things?
March 1st, 2007 at 10:52 pm ::
garry Says:

They probably just want to stop supporting Windows 98 because it’s a load of shit. I doubt it’s the case where they need to stop supporting it to support something in Vista.

It’s more likely that they don’t want to make sure it all works on 98 anymore. Come on, it’s nearly 10 years old. Upgrade already.
March 2nd, 2007 at 12:19 am ::
Ne0nguy Says:

It’s about time.
I am surprised they supported it as long as they did, Microsoft stopped supporting it years ago.
March 2nd, 2007 at 12:22 am ::
Michael Russell Says:

Tom,

The D3DX DirectX helper library released by Microsoft this last December no longer supports Win9x at all.

D3DX includes helper functions for mode enumeration, file format loading, and more.
March 2nd, 2007 at 12:37 am ::
Ne0nguy Says:

If your computer is that bad that you need to run Windows 98 you should not be able to play the majority of the games on steam anyway.
March 2nd, 2007 at 3:29 am ::
ATimson Says:

Isn’t this illegal? Selling products as supporting Windows 98 and ME (including Half-Life 2), and then making them so that they no longer support them? The SSA only mentions that Steam‘s system requirements may change, not the software that it supports. No Steam, no Half-Life 2, even when the user meets the system requirements on the box.

More, I doubt that all 98/ME supporting boxes will have been cleared from retail channels by the time this occurs…
March 2nd, 2007 at 3:32 am ::
ATimson Says:

If your computer is that bad that you need to run Windows 98 you should not be able to play the majority of the games on steam anyway.

Just because your machine can run something better than 98 doesn’t mean that you are running something better than 98. OS upgrades are not for the weak of heart.
March 2nd, 2007 at 1:10 pm ::
poullos Says:

Does this have something to do with the latest fog issue with 8800 nvidia cards? Because, it might be a DX9 SDK update supported by DX10 cards(and most probably the rest to come; and ATI as well) that makes that fog issue. Just a thought..

OR….the multi-threading update: newer instruction sets not supported by old OS; 98/ME and back?

Whatever…I’m insured
March 2nd, 2007 at 4:32 pm ::
kenthebear Says:

Isn’t this illegal? Selling products as supporting Windows 98 and ME (including Half-Life 2), and then making them so that they no longer support them? The SSA only mentions that Steam‘s system requirements may change, not the software that it supports. No Steam, no Half-Life 2, even when the user meets the system requirements on the box.

More, I doubt that all 98/ME supporting boxes will have been cleared from retail channels by the time this occurs…

Nope. There will be, somewhere, a note that says that valve have the right to change the requirements at any time. Or change anything at any time. Because they put that on in case they need to do something like this. I don’t have a box to check, however.
March 2nd, 2007 at 5:06 pm ::
Tom Edwards Says:

EA boxes have a URL for the license printed on the back, which may or may not help any court cases. VU boxes don’t, and pre-Steam boxes aren’t affected. Steam purchasers are shown the legal stuff before they buy (and what’s more, it’s actually quite readable).

Edit:

You understand that for reasons that include, without limitation, system security, stability, and multiplayer interoperability, Steam may need to automatically update, pre-load, create new versions or otherwise enhance the Steam Software and accordingly, the system requirements to use the Steam Software may change over time.

One more reason for Steam purchases to be “subscriptions” I suppose.

“Steam Software” includes the games BTW: see the start of section 2A.
March 2nd, 2007 at 10:08 pm ::
ATimson Says:

IANAL, so take everything in this comment with a grain of salt.

See, I read “Steam Software” as only covering Steam itself. As the first sentence says, the games require said software, but my interpretation is that they aren’t included in it.

So Valve’s ability to do this will depend on what the sustem requirements said. Some games (like Dark Messiah) do say that they require Steam in order to run. But if the requirements only say that you have to have an Internet connection, and that you have to accept the SSA, then you could argue that Valve broke the contract the system requirements established (since they never explicitly tied the use of the game in question to the use of Steam, only made the user accept the Steam license). Even if you establish that “Steam Software” includes the games, you’d still have to establish that tie, that the game is only a Subscription and not its own entity.

I really hope that this gets tested in court. Especially since the Vivendi boxes didn’t include the URL on the outside. Clickwrap has needed to be tested for years now, and I think that this might finally be something that could make it happen, since it’s preventing users from using the software.
April 12th, 2007 at 3:44 pm ::
toto952 Says:

Wow, games that self-destruct because of a mandatory update.

Pre-HL2 games are still playable with early builds and without Steam, so no real problem here (except for the online multiplayer obviously).

But for post-HL2 games, it was sold as 98 compatible and require Steam. So, if Steam enforce this new requirements, these games will be indeed completly unusable…

Now concerning the legalese, the SSA says that you haven’t bought any games at all, not even licenses. What you have paid at the shop are subscription fees to access some content (the games) on an online service (Steam) through a client (the Steam application). And, as said in the SSA, Valve can revoke your subscription at any time, and for any reason as this is not limited in the SSA. So they basically claims to have the right to say bye-bye to any users whenever they want, for instance to people using an operating system they do not want to tolerate anymore… Who cares, they are just a insignificant minority!!!…

I would also love to see this shady SSA tested in court. In the meantime, in his huge kindness, Valve could make a 98-compatible standalone version of the games, like the SSA says… Oh but wait, this is not mandatory, sorry for dreaming…

One more example of why we should stay away from all those DRMed digital distribution non-sense… (or at least make it REAL subscription, with a cost per month, etc.)
May 30th, 2007 at 11:38 pm ::
ian Says:

ye maybe it is about almost 10 years old windows 98 is pretty shit but i like it for the old dos games does anyone now how to get a patch to make steam run on win98
June 15th, 2007 at 6:50 am ::
JoshK Says:

Wow, Bad move steam, it just took me hours to Install Win98 & Windows Xp, I wanted to Play CounterStrike:Source on Win98, When i did this before the game ran 12X better for me than Xp, Windows 98 was the best OS there was i personaly think, Before Xp – I dont care for windows Vista or ME at all, My system has 512 Mb Ram and when you do the math, WindowsXp =256Mb ram , Windows 98 = 32Mb ram, I get far better performance out of 98 for counterstrike. Cmon Steam why cant i just install the stupid game? i can when i reboot to Xp, but thats really not what i want. Sorry Steam This is why so many people say you suck.
June 16th, 2007 at 3:29 pm ::
ian Says:

Ye your right about steam joshk why cant they just leave all old windows to work on it i still like windows 98 i just wish a patch does come out when it doesnt work witch it ends on june 30 steam u suck if anyone nows about a patch plz tell me thx.
June 29th, 2007 at 5:50 am ::
N-F Says:

that sucks, i literally just got an old P3 system setup to play 1.6 and then i find this, thanks a lot steam. why would i get xp for a machine with a 500mhz processor, 884 ram, and a 16mb voodoo 3000? Whatever, I’ll play something else, at least Westwood doesn’t pull crap like this. I guess it makes sense but it’s extremely annoying there will not be some sort of older version to use…
June 29th, 2007 at 5:51 am ::
N-F Says:

eh i meant 384mb not 884…
June 30th, 2007 at 11:30 am ::
Tom Edwards Says:

You can now have Steam stay permanently offline, through File > Go Offline. You’ll still need to reconnect when you next upgrade your computer though.
July 2nd, 2007 at 8:18 am ::
MrocznyWedrowiec Says:

today is a mnday 02.07.2007

wen i run steam alert box say

end of support steam on os win98 and winME

but i run steam and can play in C-S
if you dont belive see this screen

forgive my english
July 2nd, 2007 at 5:01 pm ::
Tom Edwards Says:

Whatever update is to remove support hasn’t been released yet. Not least because it’s a weekend…
July 7th, 2007 at 6:34 am ::
Abraham Smith Says:

I still use Windows 98 to run my Steam games. When there is nothing wrong with running games such as Half-Life on Windows 98, I do not understand why Steam should drop its support.
July 18th, 2007 at 4:57 am ::
izzy Says:

wow while it is true that microsoft stopped SUPPORT for windows ME/98 they didnt stop USE they didnt just say ok everyone with windows ME/98 Operating systems ur not gonna be able to use ur computer unless u get a new operating system they wouldnt fuck u over like steam does, its like being banned from every server permanently without hacking
September 17th, 2007 at 8:05 pm ::
JM Says:

I have just bought Half Life episode one, for some months ago. My system, is Windows 98SE. On the cover it says, that it runs on Windows 98SE. I don’t see that it is legalt, not to support it, and not give me any money back. They should support it, when it says on the cover.

Further, as far as I understand the agreement, I do not own the software, but I got a license to use it forever. This license is broken, and when Windows 98 is not supported I should be able to get all my money back. Even in 200 years.

It is special for software. For other things it is expected to only work two years, and have two years warrenty (EU).

For software, it is unlimited.

It is simply not possible, to terminate the operation of windows 98, without giving any costumer the money back.

The task seems as a car dealer, that have given you a special offer – you can not buy the car, but get a lifetime license to drive it, and borrow it for ever. Then he finds out that is not good for him, and steals the license – or the car.

This is simply not allowed, without giving the money back.

Valve software, and steam, will not exist tommorow.
September 17th, 2007 at 8:14 pm ::
JM Says:

I should say, that they are allowed to do as microsoft – not support it, but it continues to work. You do not have an offer of lifetime warrenty with software, or support.

But they must not steal the software back. It has nothing to do with warrenty.

Software is expected to work for ever, as long as your computer works, and is not expected to contain time bombs.

Else it should say so, in the license agreements, that the license only works for a limitted periode, of example one year. And it does not.

One way to fix the problem, without giving the money back for all, is to give free access to all games for all windows 98 users. Or, to just enable windows 98 support.

Else it is money back.
October 16th, 2007 at 1:20 am ::
steam>eats>ass Says:

Steam, you suck. i just bought counter strike anthology, and Half life 2. I dropped 40 bucks on your b.s. software, now you tell me i gotta go buy a new operating system too? are you f**kin kidding? I know my operating sytem’s old, i don’t care, it’s just fine for me. You owe me a refund. Steam, Valve, and Microsoft, kiss my @ss!!!
October 22nd, 2007 at 3:09 am ::
Chris Says:

Steam, you suck man, I mean you really suck. I ran a server, and a clan in DOD, and now I cannot even tell my members what happened. WHat really burns me is that I payed for the software, and it doesnt even work anymore! I must have put about 120 bucks into your stupid steam service. WTF! You should at least release a patch to let games work on windows 98 while thier offline.
November 9th, 2007 at 5:39 pm ::
Ian Cooper Says:

Steam you twats, i got counter strike 1.6 and it says on the back that windows 98 supports it wtf, at lest you can just get a patch, for us some people we still use it so get us a patch to make it run, you sad bastards.
November 10th, 2007 at 10:41 pm ::
Bill Says:

I am running a 2ghz machine with 3 win98 partitions (not dual boot for people who don’t know what partitions are) and a win2k. win98 is still used and is only outdated because people who don’t know what there talking about give it stick just because M$ dropped it.
November 11th, 2007 at 12:50 pm ::
Andy Simpson Says:

No, 98 is rubbish. It’s architecturally inferior to the 2000/XP line, because it’s basically a layer precariously built atop DOS.

Windows has a bad reputation because of the 95/98/ME line.

They dropped it for the NT (NT4/2000/XP/Vista) stuff because it’s inherently better.
November 21st, 2007 at 2:49 am ::
Jamie Says:

WTF ?

Ok, I hate windows. I don’t use windows. But I do have a (valid) win98 partition which I use to play windows games… Now, I know that some more recent games won’t work with win98 – so I won’t buy them.

My PC is a 2.4Ghz, 1Gb system, so it’s not totally sucky, but I’m not upgrading my windows OS because I don’t want to pay for an OS I hate just for other games — besides, the games I play work (or “worked”) with win98 – it did the job.

I bought Half Life – it worked fine on my system, and now steam has disabled it for no apparent reason… Ok, stop supporting win98, that’s fine, but DISABLING ? this is sofware I bought that now no longer works – I demand a refund…. Any class action suits going on here?

Ok, if they wanted to stop supporting win98, then fair enough – ‘freeze’ steam, and the steam-games on that platform….. i.e. no more updates/changes… fair enough… but to actually disable us…. I remember when the issue of online ‘registration’ each time you play a game started up, and people were worried that a game they buy may not work in 5 years time (etc.) if the company goes bust….

To me, this is the exact same scenario.

Not-Happy.
J.
December 16th, 2007 at 12:01 am ::
I Hate Valve 4 That Says:

I’m a German exchange student who lives for one year in the USA . I’m actually able to use an older computer here that runs win 98. I am not allowed to update the os and the hardware wouldn’t take it anyways. But when I was back in Germany, I used to play Counter-Strike 1.6 a lot – and this computer would be able to run at least CS 1.6. I think it is is unbelievable that something like that can happen. I want to be able to decide on my own what system I run and not being told by someone else what I have to do – especially when I Payed this person (or company) money for a product that I am going to use.
February 2nd, 2008 at 5:54 am ::
unknown Says:

does anybody know of a windows xp mask for windows 98/me or a different steam version to work with said systems?
February 2nd, 2008 at 9:55 am ::
Tom Edwards Says:

It wouldn’t work. 98 isn’t supported because it doesn’t have the right software, not simply because.
February 11th, 2008 at 8:06 am ::
strider Says:

its well tight. i have a vista laptop but i cant use it unkless i have my parents permission. so when theyr not home all i have is this stinkin win 98 comp. it used to be win 2000 but it got virus and had to reboots to win98. this sucks steam
March 20th, 2008 at 5:47 am ::
dylan Says:

my computer is a windows me and is up to date and runs very fast and has a great graphic card how can i play wit windows me?
March 20th, 2008 at 10:39 am ::
Tom Edwards Says:

You just can’t. Treat yourself and get Vista.
April 21st, 2008 at 12:16 pm ::
Dave Says:

Some people just don’t have the money, or don’t want Vista. I for one, un-installed it on my new computer to put 2000 on it. If they stop supporting 2000, then Steam can go KISS MY ASS. I always thought it was a conspiracy Valve and Microsoft put together.
April 21st, 2008 at 3:52 pm ::
Andy Simpson Says:

It isn’t a conspiracy. 98/ME is just old technology. It was replaced, for lots of really good reasons, by the NT line, of which 2000, XP, and Vista, are the descendants.

The sooner the 9x line of operating systems die a miserable death, the better.

What’s wrong with Vista, if you don’t mind me asking?
April 22nd, 2008 at 5:52 am ::
Dave Says:

Lets see…

With my “rig” (Intel Pentium 4 3.0GHz 2GB ram) and perhaps anyones which os would run faster? XP or Vista? For the most performance from my hardware I would use the older and more well supported OS. Oh and take a look at the price tag on Vista.
April 22nd, 2008 at 7:02 am ::
Tom Edwards Says:

Steam will still run on XP.
May 29th, 2008 at 4:21 pm ::
ollie Says:

i think their just going to keep on upgrading steam to higher and more advanced computers every 1, 2 or 3 years. which will decrease the selling production of all steam clients to original users. but maintain a selling rate if computers don’t go selling £2000 ($4000) plus, which is most likely to happen with new software and updates being created every day!
June 23rd, 2008 at 8:32 pm ::
Duarte Freitas Says:

My other computer is too old to run windows xp but it works fine on windows Me, its ok if they stop suporting windows 95/98/me…but they should had released a patch or something like that, to let ppl like me still be able play CS online on older OS. Something like play Steam Games on Windows 9x on your own risk…:)
I called Steam plenty names after i put an old pc runing and can’t play on it…:/
But I still love Steam, play and use it on Windows XP (new PC) but, i could be playing right now on this old pc that is at my worksatition. It’s a shame
Btw i think there is someone in this world that can make steam run on windows Me again, but maybe that person, with that kind of knowleged doesn’t know that some cs lovers can’t play cs on old OS that worked fine in the past.

Thanks!
p.s. sorry for my english, probably there’s some bad typing =)
June 25th, 2008 at 8:09 pm ::
Valve is a Souless Says:

I read a comment one of the administrators made, “Treat yourself to visa” he says.

That is quite the treat indeed, more errors to deal with, little to no support from the help functions they program into it, more succeptable to viruses and spyware and a whopping price to top it all off

Windows 98 was made before corperations started pulling shady moves like what steam is doing right now, therefore it is the most reliable system they got.

Regardless of any legal “rights” they have to pull the support of windows 98, morally, we small majority of 98 users deserve respect to play the games we purchased from this company.
October 1st, 2008 at 12:12 am ::
JFF Says:

win 98 has small problems fixed with freeware

put win 98 in a fast machine it runs 2x faster than
vista in same machine way less overhead

i have tfc non steam and i play bots

steam is pushing its players away

consider me pushed away
December 20th, 2008 at 12:16 am ::
The Revolution Says:

I say bollocks to these new policies. Although we may be a very minute minority, we still should be able to play steam at our leisure without having to worry about being cast away like a used up blow-up doll because of our technological “inferiority”. If our old operating systems work fine, then why not be able to use them? Why would we have to buy a new operating system just because ours are a little out of date. Obviously we still use those systems for a reason whether it be we can’t afford them (mostly because the majority of this minority are teenagers with no money) or that we prefer ours over others.

Our numbers may be small (a little over 13,000 not including windows ME users of which I am one) compared to the rest of steam users, but if we confront the administrators of this problem with an overwhelming number of those affected by this travesty, then we may be able to sway them to reverse this new policy. So I say all of you out-dated users, let us rise up to these tyrants and show them that we will not be shunned.
December 20th, 2008 at 12:17 am ::
The Revolution Says:

O yea, and piss off Tom Edwards ya prick
December 20th, 2008 at 12:41 pm ::
Tom Edwards Says:

Thanks for commenting!
January 2nd, 2009 at 5:44 am ::
The Revolution Says:

O my pleasure you pompous twit
January 7th, 2009 at 7:47 pm ::
Dave Says:

When are they gonna stop support for 2000? I gotta know so I can get a 360 by then.
January 8th, 2009 at 10:58 am ::
Tom Edwards Says:

Win2000 uses the same NT codebase as WinXP, so support will probably drop for both at the same time. Given that 67% of Steam users run XP I’d say they’ll be around for some time.
September 7th, 2011 at 2:37 am ::
Yushatak Says:

I’m still pissed off about this.