NEWS: Deprecating the MINGW64 Environment

Author: lazka

web/docs/environments.md

@@ -29,14 +29,14 @@ tools.
     | ![ucrt64](ucrt64.png){: style="max-width:25px" }         | **UCRT64**     | `/ucrt64`     | gcc       | x86_64       | ucrt      | libstdc++   |
     | ![clang64](clang64.png){: style="max-width:25px" }       | **CLANG64**    | `/clang64`    | llvm      | x86_64       | ucrt      | libc++      |
     | ![clangarm64](clangarm64.png){: style="max-width:25px" } | **CLANGARM64** | `/clangarm64` | llvm      | aarch64      | ucrt      | libc++      |
-    | ![mingw64](mingw64.png){: style="max-width:25px" }       | **MINGW64**    | `/mingw64`    | gcc       | x86_64       | msvcrt    | libstdc++   |
 
 === "Legacy Environments"
 
     |                                                          | Name           | Prefix        | Toolchain | Architecture | C Library | C++ Library |
     |----------------------------------------------------------|----------------|---------------|-----------|--------------|-----------|-------------|
     | ![clang32](clang32.png){: style="max-width:25px" }       | **CLANG32**    | `/clang32`    | llvm      | i686         | ucrt      | libc++      |
     | ![mingw32](mingw32.png){: style="max-width:25px" }       | **MINGW32**    | `/mingw32`    | gcc       | i686         | msvcrt    | libstdc++   |
+    | ![mingw64](mingw64.png){: style="max-width:25px" }       | **MINGW64**    | `/mingw64`    | gcc       | x86_64       | msvcrt    | libstdc++   |
 
 The active environment is selected via the `MSYSTEM` environment variable.
 Setting `MSYSTEM` to `UCRT64` and starting a login shell will put you in that
@@ -96,6 +96,8 @@ code was compiled with MSVC.
 
 ## Changelog
 
+**2026-03-15**: Deprecating the MINGW64 environment. See [NEWS](../news.md#2026-03-15-soft-deprecating-the-mingw64-environment) for more information.
+
 **2024-12-18:** Removed CLANG32 environment.
 
 **2023-12-13:** Start of phase out for 32-bit environments, MINGW32 and CLANG32. See [NEWS](../news.md#2023-12-13-starting-to-drop-some-32-bit-packages) for more information.

web/news.md

@@ -5,6 +5,15 @@ summary: Important events happening.
 
 This page lists important changes or issues affecting MSYS2 users. You can [:material-rss: subscribe via RSS](../news.xml). We also post them to [Mastodon](https://fosstodon.org/@msys2org) / [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/msys2org.bsky.social), including some not-so-important things :)
 
+### 2026-03-15 - Deprecating the MINGW64 Environment
+
+As support for Windows 8.1 has been dropped, there is no longer a need for
+non-UCRT environments such as MINGW64. Consequently, we are beginning to phase
+out the MINGW64 environment. To start, no new packages will be added to this
+environment, and existing leaf packages may be removed if issues arise. If you
+are currently relying on the MINGW64 environment, please consider switching to
+UCRT64 or CLANG64 instead.
+
 ### 2026-02-28 - Native Git Now Available in MSYS2
 
 We are pleased to announce that MSYS2 now includes a [native MinGW build of