EA takes on Steam with Origin, the only place to download The Old Republic

by Christopher Grant on Jun 3rd 2011 10:40AM

Nearly 20 years after acquiring legendary game developer Origin Systems, EA is dusting off that trademark with the launch of Origin, its not-really-new "direct-to-consumer gaming platform." You see, Origin is a rebranding of the unambitiously named EA Store and, like the EA Store, Origin's angle will be access to EA's own games. While the site is still under construction (it will be up at noon ET), EA says that more than 150 games are already available on the service. Origin will also host "exclusive limited edition copies" of EA titles like Battlefield 3, FIFA 12, Alice: Madness Returns, and Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. The biggest attraction for Origin, however, is likely to be Star Wars: The Old Republic, which is being offered in downloadable format exclusively on Origin.

In order to better compete with Steam, EA will be putting the Origin store into an application as well. Currently in beta, the Origin application will offer a familiar list of services, including the ability to "find and connect with friends, see what they are playing, and digitally download and play PC games." If this sounds like Origin is covering old ground, the good news is that it will be growing. "Today we're launching Origin.com and the Origin beta application. Over time, Origin will grow with new functionality and unique new content that consumers can't get anywhere else," EA CEO John Riccitiello said.

One major area that Origin differs from Steam is in the mobile space. The service will work on mobile devices, ostensibly integrated directly into EA's mobile games, including Scrabble and the upcoming mobile variant of Battlefield 3. If you've been wondering why EA's mobile games refuse to support Apple's own Game Center ... well, there you have it. Another mobile social gaming platform!

We expect to learn more at EA's press conference during E3 next week. Tune in at 12:30pm PT on Monday!

Source: EA
More coverage: Origin

Tags: EA, Electronic-Arts, Origin, pc, Star-Wars-The-Old-Republic, Steam, The-Old-Republic

Reader Comments (114)

Oh dear : /

@Lt Cobalt seriously. There's enough of these digital stores as it is. agreed.

Elitist PC gamers are always claiming it's a better platform because of all the options.

@Lt Cobalt

Battlefield 3 will make this thing work, Or atleast get used. I hope it works as well as or better than steam.

@Lt Cobalt

There is something creepy as hell about this quote from their website:

"Origin lives where you live.

On your mobile phone, on your desktop and on the web, Origin is always there."

@jsx Thanks for proving that console gamers can be dicks too, despite popular opinion that PC gamers are the spawn of Satan and all console gamers are humble angels, tool.

Would you like if it I called ALL console gamers "casual", and you can call us "elitist"?

@nerdydesi1 Would you like it if I told you you were hysterically overreacting?

@(Unverified) If a console gamer wants to slag on the PC, I should be able to do the same in return no?

@Dance Mofo

It's not a new store. EA has simply re-branded their existing store and are making it more accessible.

@Lt Cobalt Hey, I have no problem with another store. If that means they'll be pushing aggressive sales to steal some folks from Steam that's just more savings for me.

Nope i am not going to use it. that is it ea i dont like you any more. just give me a disk that i can put in my console and play it without hassle.

@(Unverified)

That will show em'! Buy it anyway!

@(Unverified)
Pop the disc into your console all you want. This is a PC MMO.

I'm doing just fine with Steam. I guess I'll get it from this Origin and link the game to my Steam library so I can at least use the overlay.

@ColorblindMonk
Battlefield 3, I mean.

@ColorblindMonk

I'm still a fan of having physical disks. Granted I like steam, and use it often, especially when I can grab something on sale. But I like having a physical copy, on hand.

@(Unverified) what difference does have a physical copy of a PC game on hand do when you are limited to the amount of installs or it has crazy ass DRM? at least with Steam you can download as many times as you like....from what I can tell anyways....I have rebuilt 2 PCs and had to reinstall everything numerous times....as well as currently having all my steam games on all 4 PC's in my house.... Now when I tried to reinstall my EA games for the 4th time I had to email EA to let me install them again....Sucks cause I really like Spore

@Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi

Yeah Spore was one of the linchpins that solidified my disdain for EAs business practices and earned them a seat on my "publishers to avoid doing business with LIKE THE PLAGUE" list.

@Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi

Depends on the game. Steam has its own copy-protection system, but it also doesn't restrict publishers from adding another on top of it. Some games on Steam still have silly requirements like an active internet connection or install restrictions.

Well considering The Old Republic doesn't have a street date yet I think Steam will be just fine.

Why does everyone think they need their own store? These companies need to stop trying to "identify" with its customers. We only like the company because you make games. We are not interested in your stupid social services. Look at what Bioware's Social thing has done... absolutely nothing.

@(Unverified) +1

No thanks EA! I hate the EA store, I hate playing your games that make me login to my "EA account", and the few EA iPad games I have bought frequently crash. 3 strikes, you're out!

@(Unverified)

Because when they sell their own games on their own store they get 100% of the profits. Valve takes a share of all Steam sales.

@(Unverified)

It's amazing how completely uninterested in this I am. Like, super, super uninterested.

EA I don't give a crap about your store, just sell your stuff in Steam so I don't have to deal with yet another digital store I don't care about and want nothing to do with. It's almost like they want it to be as big of a pain in the ass as possible for me to give them my money.

So it's like what Ubisoft is doing with uplay then.

Why?

Taking down activision and steam? One of them isnt going to happen. This is a silly idea.

I've dealt with EA's online store before. I have never been more annoyed with any digital download. Imagine if you will. Buying a game, then being told that they will send you the code to download the game. The current queue is 36 hours. So I bought a digital download game... And was told to wait 36 hours for a code. It took them 3 days to get it to me. This wasn't some kind of special arrangement or favor they were doing. I literally bought the game from their online store. Their servers were a nightmare and barely functioned. Their website was a joke. It literally would not accept my password 50% of the time. And on top of it all, they would not guarantee that you could redownload your purchase. But they were happy to sell you protection for up to ... i don't remember a year or something for like $10. What a joke.

I'm sure this service will be marginally better than that, but I made a promise to myself and at the time.. God... that I would never buy online from EA again.

@(Unverified)

I don't know how long ago you used the EA store, but I've had some good experiences with it. I like the fact that I can install a game as many times as I want, activate it once only, then never have to load the ea download manager again or let it connect to the internet (unless I'm playing bad company 2 multiplayer).

Yeah, early on their store had it's share of problems, but now it's working pretty well and hasn't given me any trouble. And they keep doing these facebook deals that are hard to pass up.

BUT as long as this new Origin system is better and includes the current features, then I'll be fine. If it's worse, then forget it.

@darksied

I have to agree with you, I avoided the EA store for the longest time but recently tried using it and found it was actually really well set up etc... That and the fact that you can add the cdkeys of recent EA games, even if they are from different download services is nice. I was buying my EA games on Impulse before because they randomly sometimes weren't on steam but EA > Gamestop so...

Why cant they just get on Steam...sheeeeeeeesh...Microsoft tried to best Steam with GFWL and failed miserably...even made it free to access....the ONLY thing I have bought directly from the EA store was Sims released stuff for the wife....its just better for me to get stuff on Steam where most of my friends are already

@Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi the only things i've ever bought from EA store are NFS Hot Pursuit and BC2, only because i got a holiday coupon for %50 off my order...

@Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi shouldn't that be the other way around? GFWL came out before Steam, so Steam bested GFWL?

@Dance Mofo What? No it didn't. GFWL came out after the 360 and it didn't even have game downloads when it launched. Steam has been around since Counterstrike 1.6, which was like 2003.

@radda Yeah you're right. My bad.

@Dance Mofo
Since GFWL launched in 2007 and Steam started in 2003, I'd say you're wrong. Steam made it's first publishing deal in 2005, still 2 years ahead of GFWL.

As for this thing, I can't see it working. Part of the success of services such as Steam and GFWL are that they include other publisher's games. If EA will only distribute EA titles I can't see it working out for them. Especially if their games are available on Steam as well.

This might work out if SWTOR turns out to be a huge success, but we'll have to wait and see for that.

@pasta SteamXBL pastapappie Yeah i know now but you posted your comment a minute after mine. But I upvoted yours and radda's comment.

@Dance Mofo

Glad someone pointed it out before I did; especially on the dates. Didn't want to look too "nerdy". Just kidding, pasta. Good catch with those dates.

The intriguing thing I realized from this thread, though, was in remembering what came out when each service went online. Steam came out when the Counterstrike community was in full force, and really got fleshed out when Half-Life 2 came out. GFWL came out with the releases of Shadowrun (anyone remember THAT game?!) and the Vista-only Halo 2 (wow, bad ideas abound...).

I wonder how successful this Origin service could really be, with TOR and possibly BF3 as their initial releases.

Probably because they're the largest publisher in the world and don't want to give their profits to Valve, regardless of what your friends do or do not do.

People who use Steam seem to do so with righteous blinders on to the fact that it's a closed marketplace just like any other.

EA has partnerships and distribution deals with lots of major publishers and more money than Valve, they could easily give Steam a run for their money and cause huge complications for Steam loyalists. It begins.

@jsx

Only if they sell other games AND have the sales steam has...I know people thats Steam Library rivals the amount of games EA has on their digital platform......so unless they do what Steam does....they cant pose any threat to them

@Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi I don't think the branches of EA have any idea what they're doing. This literally comes right on the heels of them making a deal with GoG.com that was announced yesterday for 25 classic EA games to be distributed DRM-free, and also finally for Steam to start offering all the Sims 3 stuff, including Medieval.

Obviously, someone crunched the numbers and realized they'd make way more money selling the Sims on Steam than just the EA Downloader/Origin service. They also realized the expense of testing and repackaging their old titles was such a bother that they'd rather have a third party do it.

So what's the point of this, then?

So now we get to hear the Steam gamers vs the Origin gamers?! Yay!

"Look I got a gold M16 on my Origin Battlefield 3!!! PWNED!!"

@xFenixKnightx

that's not going to happen. Steam will win this out like it always does. People are too invested in it, and it's not like EA has a great history of downloadable clients

Everyone already uses Steam and no one wants two separate library of games. This is pointless.

good luck with that ...

here we go again...why to force the people with ONE service??? and it´s even more stupid when a good and established service like steam exists, and even less if people already prefers it. So forget it for me, good thing i don´t love star wars.... bad news for all the rest of the people.... lets see what the excuse for the failure is going to be this time, as piracy will not work here.....

No, EA. Just... No.

Why are people complaining about this? More competition = more Steam sales.

Well, my interest in The Old Republic has taken a massive dive.

@Rather Dashing
Mine has been taking a massive dive for months with the stupid things they've been announcing that make the game look less and less appealing...Now screw it, it's coming off of my bookmarks...I'll switch to GW2.

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Star Wars: The Old Republic

EA takes on Steam with Origin, the only place to download The Old Republic

Reader Comments (114)

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 10:44AM Lt Cobalt said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 11:10AM Dance Mofo said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 12:36PM jsx said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 1:05PM LEONLEONLEON said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 1:08PM LEONLEONLEON said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 1:19PM nerdydesi1 said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 1:47PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 2:21PM nerdydesi1 said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 8:23PM This Little Man Says His Name Is said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 9:14PM 2late2die said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 10:45AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 10:48AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 11:00AM RyanS said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 10:46AM ColorblindMonk said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 10:46AM ColorblindMonk said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 10:51AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 11:01AM Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 11:21AM Scuffles said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 5:28PM FraGNeM said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 10:46AM umainebearman said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 10:51AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 11:05AM Drew327 said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 11:50AM harusame said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 12:45PM Sh1fty said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 10:52AM Reapers said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 10:52AM The Cole Train said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 10:52AM LEONLEONLEON said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 10:54AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 12:54PM darksied said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 6:33PM draknahr said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 10:54AM Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 10:59AM Omnistatic said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 11:15AM Dance Mofo said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 11:32AM radda said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 11:44AM Dance Mofo said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 11:45AM pasta SteamXBL pastapappie said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 11:59AM Dance Mofo said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 12:32PM mwisco said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 12:32PM jsx said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 1:12PM Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 2:26PM onan said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 10:54AM xFenixKnightx said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 11:12AM Cleric said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 10:58AM dscuber9000 said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 10:58AM Omnistatic said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 10:58AM Hunter141072 said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 10:59AM TCJJ said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 11:00AM PercyChuggs said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 11:01AM Rather Dashing said

Posted: Jun 3rd 2011 11:16AM trinica said

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