Origin Bulks Up With New Publishers

[Andy Chalk]

Origin Bulks Up With New Publishers

Electronic Arts is adding new publishers and a couple of big new games to Origin.

Saints Row: The Third [http://www.origin.com]. More games from each publisher will be added "in the coming months."

"Since launch, we've had overwhelming support from both publishers and developers across the gaming industry, recognizing Origin as an opportunity to deliver more of their great content straight to consumers across the globe," said Origin Senior Vice President David DeMartini.

But what's EA's plan to incentivize its service over, say, Battlefield 3 [http://store.steampowered.com], variety of selection isn't really a selling point either. That leaves pricing, and I wouldn't be surprised to see EA eat some bottom-line losses in order to draw attention to the service. But how low will it have to go before you're willing to give it a fair shot?


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[kebab4you]

Just so I don't have to worry, Saint rows the third and batman arkham city will work WITOUT origin also, right[footnote]Was hard enough to give up bf3, wouldn't want to loose those two games also[/footnote]? ._.

Also didn't Valve sign up as one of the first publishers for origin?

 

[intheweeds]

But what's EA's plan to incentivize its service over, say, Steam? If you're a PC gamer and you're able to read this, then it's all but certain you have Steam installed, with its huge library, ridiculous sales and proven reliability. It's not as though Origin is more conveniently located or has a cuter staff, and aside from a few EA titles like Battlefield 3, variety of selection isn't really a selling point either. That leaves pricing, and I wouldn't be surprised to see EA eat some bottom-line losses in order to draw attention to the service. But how low will it have to go before you're willing to give it a fair shot?

Easy question. My answer: when EA allows they're games to be sold on Steam.

When the two are truly in competition and EA isn't just trying to 'steal' my business by not giving me a choice as to where to buy Mass Effect 3, I will start considering them competitors. Until then, I am forced to go to Origin when I want EA games. That pisses me off enough that I don't really care how cheap the rest of their catalog is. This is not true competition.

It seems they are forcing me to go with them for ME3, Battlefield 3 and ToR and hoping I will buy other stuff while I'm there. It isn't going to happen.

If Valve games were exclusive to Steam, we could talk competition, but Steam is just a store that sells games, whereas Origin is a required platform for all future EA games disguised as a store so they can hopefully get a little more of your money while you are there.

 

[vrbtny]

There is one advantage of having Origin instead of Steam.

No wallet-raiding sales.

 

[Enkidu88]

But how low will it have to go before you're willing to give it a fair shot?

When it starts paying me to use it. That's how low.

 

[Odin311]

I won't.

I refuse to run another service on my computer.

I refuse to have another list of friends that I need to keep track of.

I refuse to agree to EA's EUA.

I refuse to allow another large publisher control prices so they can make more profit.

EA hasn't done anything to forgive their past transgressions. They are a company with questionable morals that take advantage of their customers, and developers. They are just positioning themselves to continue that trend. If I used Origin, I am only telling them that they can. If it means that I won't be able to play any of the newer games, so be it. I only have a limited amount of time in my life to play games. There are plenty of other publishers, and developers that are making great games.

I don't need EA. They need me.

 

[Lacsapix]

So there it is, the dark lord gathering all Evil around him. Gathering his army's to finally launch an assault on Middle-Earth....

 

[Frostbite3789]

When the two are truly in competition and EA isn't just trying to 'steal' my business by not giving me a choice as to where to buy Mass Effect 3, I will start considering them competitors. Until then, I am forced to go to Origin when I want EA games. That pisses me off enough that I don't really care how cheap the rest of their catalog is. This is not true competition.

It seems they are forcing me to go with them for ME3, Battlefield 3 and ToR and hoping I will buy other stuff while I'm there. It isn't going to happen.

Simple question: Do you use Steam already?

 

[Fasckira]

When the two are truly in competition and EA isn't just trying to 'steal' my business by not giving me a choice as to where to buy Mass Effect 3, I will start considering them competitors.

You know that there are a lot of games that require Steam these days right? Its no different. In time I imagine we will see some of these titles come back to Steam (with a lot going to Origin) but a lot will remain Origin only (think Half Life on Steam). Soon it wont be any different from choosing between buying a game from Game or Amazon for example.

EA's past history is causing people to knee-jerk a lot on this subject but I think once people get over that initial reaction they'll start to accept Origin as a valid content delivery system. If we get some cheap games out of it in the process then awesome.

 

[ph0b0s123]

Batman: Arkham City - Masochistic Edition

Exclusive to Origin, get a version of Batman that forces you to use both GFWL and Origin to play. That's right Origin to spy on your computer and GFWL to render your save games in accessible if you make any changes to GFWL (like rebuilding your system)

All exclusive to Origin.

The future will be that you will have to check what system a game natively uses, either GFWL, Steamworks (i.e COD games on PC) or Origin (i.e BF3 even if you buy off-line), as if you buy from another on-line supplier it means two clients you have to run to play. Welcome to the future....

 

[Sofus]

Well that is a fairly easy question. I will start considering Origin as an options once.

a) Origin only collects the data I want to share (I will gladly share my system specs and which games I own and which I play, but beyond that I have no interest in sharing anything)

b) EA's CEO is actively engaged in fan and customer projects

c) Once it's game library is on par with Steam

 

[Andy Chalk]

I don't like Steam - I don't like any form of digital distribution, really - but I use it because I have no choice. If Origin can compel me to do the same, I will, but that will mean putting out games that are good enough that I can't refuse to play them, and that aren't available elsewhere. That's a pretty tall order.

 

[XT inc]

As much as I like competition between stores, The way this business seems to work is a bunch of jerks backstabbing each other and throwing tantrums(justifiably, can't be treated like a *****) when one store gets an exclusive and yada yada.

Ea needs an overhaul of Its ToS and Eula, there is no need to invade your customers computers for any reason what so ever. The future of games is DRM free, and fan service, instead of this you shut up and sit there online while our special police watch you, and you will lick our boot for the privilege of buying a costume pack and a challenge map for 15 dollars.

 

[FogHornG36]

Makes me think of when EA was saying they were only taking the games off steam because steam wasn't letting them have control on the updates like they wanted... also, BF3 could run on steam no problem all origin does is give you a button that sends you to battle log were you chose what you want to play.

 

[Richard Allen]

To be honest, I love steam don't get me wrong, those sales have hurt my wallet more then once. But battlelog, current issues aside, is a great way to manage games. There are issues now but the thing is when it works, it works really well. I have to say that origin at least has a comparable product and I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. The battlelog and origin work really well together (when they aren't breaking :/ )

 

[Vrach]

If Valve games were exclusive to Steam, we could talk competition, but Steam is just a store that sells games, whereas Origin is a required platform for all future EA games disguised as a store so they can hopefully get a little more of your money while you are there.

BF3 is also not exclusive to Origin - it's available at other digital distributors and at retail. It's just not on Steam, because Valve isn't letting EA do business the way they like with their game. And it's not like that's just EA complaining, other titles have been held off Steam by other studios for the same reason.

 

[nukethetuna]

Eh. Lower prices would be a good start, but even then, some of the Steam sales are ridiculously hard to beat. Also I'm just not inclined to run two at once, and there's really nothing Origin can do to make me abandon Steam (though Steam could royally screw up, I guess).

A cuter staff though...

 

[Waaghpowa]

I don't care too much about origin to make a big fuss, I also won't refuse to buy games from it if they offer me the best deal. I will buy games from steam first and foremost UNLESS another service gives me a better deal. I care more about saving money then having a petty grudge against another service.

 

[ultimateownage]

Let's hope their prices are actually lower than everywhere else, and they don't try steal games from Steam. If they want to play Steam's game, they better play it the good way.

 

[Worgen]

I'm surprised that other publishers are willing to give ea that much power... well I guess its not really much, I mean thq uses steam for its drm... so if you buy saints row the third off origin, it installs steam probably, heh.