EA Offers Free Origin Distribution For Crowd-Funded Games

[Andy Chalk]

Regardless of our personal feelings about Origin, can we not agree that this is (until we have actual evidence otherwise) that this is a very solid thing to do for indie devs? Origin has 12 million users worldwide, a number that's only going to grow. That's a huge potential audience for someone trying to get a small, niche project off the ground.

 

[PingoBlack]

They did it within 3 days of people complaining about it

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-11-01-ea-denies-origin-spying-on-battlefield-3-users

You mean 3 days after they got in trouble with German law, after ignoring general public's doubts for months?

 

[Thoric485]

I want to believe that EA have it in them to dedicate themselves to this simple trade of money for PR, without any fishy business.

But I have the strong feeling that somewhere down the line studios will be harmed, an innocent-looking line from the fine print will justify it, internet boards will explode, and we'll be chewing on the topic of "indie developer entitlement" for quite a few months.

 

[PingoBlack]

Regardless of our personal feelings about Origin, can we not agree that this is (until we have actual evidence otherwise) that this is a very solid thing to do for indie devs? Origin has 12 million users worldwide, a number that's only going to grow. That's a huge potential audience for someone trying to get a small, niche project off the ground.

Absence of evidence is not evidence to the contrary.

We can remain neutral, but claiming it is good thing without any developer using this offer successfully is pure paid marketing for EA's Origin.

Since your article is overwhelmingly positive of EA, it is only fair someone warns about the not so savory practices that are related to EA's Origin, I hope.

 

[burningdragoon]

EA isn't doing this to be nice to kickstarters.

Well of course not. Businesses don't do things just to be nice.

What EA would get out of this:
- good PR (and they could use a lot of it)
- potential dev customers - i.e. the developers who do this who might have avoided Origin in the first place
- potential retail customers - i.e. people who might use Origin to support those developers more and stick around for other stuff
- probably some other things

Is it possible that EA has some extra evil motives behind this? Uh I guess, but it's pretty silly to think that they do just because they're EA when there are some pretty clear non-evil advantages they would already get out of it.

 

[Starke]

anc[is]I await reveal of the fine print that says those games will be Origin exclusive.

That's kinda what I expect to find, but hillariously, you can't even see the small print on the site, you need to leave your email, phone number, and name, and they'll "get back to you".

 

[PingoBlack]

Does anyone know (factually) how EA Origin deal compares to what Valve offers for indy devs?

I find that badly lacking in the article, reason why EA offer is better than Steam or Impulse.

 

[Qitz]

Well, until we actually see any contract in place suggestion something dubious this can only benefit the devs.

Unless EA puts something in that takes their rights to the IP or a huge chunk out of the sales they'll be able to use that money to get a sequel and the numbers to show other Publisher studios just how well their products sold so they won't have to rely on Kickstarter.

 

[Gabanuka]

Hmmm, either EA is genuinely doing a nice thing or simply trying to gain back some of their image. Either way indie devs win I guess.

 

[getoffmycloud]

They did it within 3 days of people complaining about it

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-11-01-ea-denies-origin-spying-on-battlefield-3-users

You mean 3 days after they got in trouble with German law, after ignoring general public's doubts for months?

Well that isn't true I remember the original messed up EULA being discovered by a user on this site and it being changed shortly afterwards.

 

[shiajun]

Knowing EA this is just suspicious. I smell an exclusive contract simmering under that "hey, it's free" agreement. Meaning, a public, crowd-funded project would suddenly become, in function, part of EA's catalog. Also, on the one hand EA never takes the risk of pushing any new ideas (except new ways to nickle and dime customers) and on the other hand EA would somehow end up like the 'good guy' for all the fresh air coming in through the crowd-funded movement. Yeah, nope, not buying it. The fact that a lot of people have had to resort to Kickstarter funding because of business practices like EA's adn that now they want a part of the action does not sit right with me.

 

[Zipa]

Sounds to me like EA are just trying to one up their competition (Steam) again who have been focusing on indie games a lot more of late.

 

[Eri]

Regardless of our personal feelings about Origin, can we not agree that this is (until we have actual evidence otherwise) that this is a very solid thing to do for indie devs? Origin has 12 million users worldwide, a number that's only going to grow. That's a huge potential audience for someone trying to get a small, niche project off the ground.

No, they don't have 12 million users. At least 2/3 of those are only on it because they were forced. They are not "users".

 

[Mumorpuger]

Nice move, EA!

 

[Rednog]

If valve does it gamers read: Valve is giving away free blowjobs from supermodels!
If EA does it gamers read: EA just dragged your mom behind a garbage truck through half a mile of cacti, violated her, decapitated her with a rusty spork and then shat down her throat.

 

[CD-R]

Regardless of our personal feelings about Origin, can we not agree that this is (until we have actual evidence otherwise) that this is a very solid thing to do for indie devs? Origin has 12 million users worldwide, a number that's only going to grow. That's a huge potential audience for someone trying to get a small, niche project off the ground.

No, they don't have 12 million users. At least 2/3 of those are only on it because they were forced. They are not "users".

So are the millions of people who use Steam also not users because they were forced to install it to to play games like SKyrim and New Vegas?

 

[Beryl77]

Oh, a nice move from EA but I'd still take Steam. It has much more users and Indie games are often prominently displayed on the front page, I don't know how EA handles this on Origin. Also, I simply don't really trust them anymore, maybe some day I will again.

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

Regardless of our personal feelings about Origin, can we not agree that this is (until we have actual evidence otherwise) that this is a very solid thing to do for indie devs? Origin has 12 million users worldwide, a number that's only going to grow. That's a huge potential audience for someone trying to get a small, niche project off the ground.

Hooray for sense!

 

[hooksashands]

Too little, too late Electronic Farts. Your bloated, glitchy, data-harvesting delivery platform will never defile my C: drive again.

P.S. I hope Gamestop runs you into the fucking ground.