Steam’s December update finally brings a fully 64‑bit client to Windows, modernizing the platform after years of partial support

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Launched in 2003, Steam pioneered the way for today’s online game stores. While some PC gamers were initially skeptical, it eventually became the most popular platform by focusing on user experience and providing much more than just a game marketplace.

Steam gradually became more than just a game store. It grew into a complete platform offering a place to buy games, connect with friends, find modifications, and launch all your PC games in one place. This expansion is a key reason why Steam became so central to PC gaming.

Steam is currently the leading platform for buying and playing PC games, making it difficult for rivals like Epic Games and Xbox to gain significant ground. The vast majority – over 90% – of Steam players use Windows, and the platform boasts over 100 million active users each month across all operating systems.

Steam’s December update pushes it into the 64-bit era

Steam is now fully compatible with 64-bit versions of Windows 10 and 11. While 32-bit Windows users will continue to receive updates for a while, support will end on January 1, 2026.

Switching Steam to a 64-bit client offers several advantages. It allows for more efficient memory usage, increases stability, and sets the stage for future updates that will run better and perform more smoothly.

I’ve noticed a lot of helpful changes in the newest Steam update, and it’s not just one thing. The Friends and Chat features have been significantly improved – now you can actually report concerning or harassing messages right from the chat window itself, which is a feature many users have been waiting for.

I’ve been following the recent updates from Valve, and they’ve tackled some problems with Big Picture Mode and Remote Play. Beyond those specific fixes, they’ve also rolled out a number of general improvements and quality-of-life tweaks.

Steam Input has been updated with support for Nintendo Switch 2 controllers when connected via USB on Windows. Players can also now use GameCube adapters in Wii U mode, complete with rumble feedback – a welcome and unexpected feature in this update.

This update not only adds support for new hardware, but also improves how gyro controls work. It fixes problems that some users were having with controllers like the DualSense Edge, Xbox Elite, and Nintendo Joy-Con – specifically, issues with pairing and loading the correct settings.

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2025-12-21 19:09