EA Games on WiiU Require Origin

[Soviet Heavy]

An updated Electronic Arts privacy policy document confirms that Wii U gamers wishing to play EA titles online will need a Origin account to do so.

Additionally, by signing up for a Origin account for Wii U, players must agree to allow EA to collect their email address, Mii information, friend list, country, language, and date of birth.

Further, the document spells out "Nintendo Network ID." Nintendo has previously confirmed that Friend Codes from the Wii era would return for the Wii U, but it is not clear if "Nintendo Network ID" is a new name for these.

A Nintendo representative was not immediately available for comment.

Having an EA Origin account to play EA games online is not an exclusive requirement for the Wii U. The same policy is in place for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 gamers. In all cases and for all platforms, players will not need to agree to share their credit card number or other personal financial account information.

Launched in June 2011, Origin is a replacement for the EA Store, and it serves as a hub and infrastructure for downloading and playing PC games, as well as ordering boxed products for other platforms. It boasts 12 million users and more than 50 publishing partners.

Source [http://www.gamespot.com/news/ea-wii-u-games-require-origin-account-for-online-play-6398683]

Seriously? It was bad enough throwing this at PC gamers, but now EA intends to spread their love to consoles as well. Nobody will be safe after a while. What do you think of this development?

Captcha: heated debate

Oh crap.

 

[LooK iTz Jinjo]

Pretty sure I had to sign up to Origin to get my DLC for Mass Effect 3 and Battlefield 3 on Xbox 360. This was pretty much expected.

 

[Tohuvabohu]

At first it seemed like a standard email sign-up/registration process. Then I read this.

An updated Electronic Arts privacy policy document confirms that Wii U gamers wishing to play EA titles online will need a Origin account to do so.

Additionally, by signing up for a Origin account for Wii U, players must agree to allow EA to collect their email address, Mii information, friend list, country, language, and date of birth.

...Is this sort of intrusiveness common on consoles too? I don't use mine too often, and I can't recall having to sign up for EA for any of my console games yet. This seems to be a bit more than just signing up for an Origin account. This seems like inviting Origin into your WiiU to start taking information.

 

[JCRamires]

I stopped buying EA games years ago, the only thing I really wanted to play was the Mass Effect franchise.

 

[TheSteeleStrap]

Alright EA, you want to force people who want to play your games to have an Origin account so your numbers will go up? fine. I hope you realize that most of your customers will not use it for anything else, and you end up looking like doucebags again.

 

[GoaThief]

How is this any different to the current situation on 360 and PS3?

 

[Shadowstar38]

I've never bought an EA game that gave me the urge to play online anyway.

Though the better solution is don't buy EA games at all.

 

[StriderShinryu]

How is this any different to the current situation on 360 and PS3?

It's not, but it's news involving EA therefore Chicken Little syndrome is a requirement here on the Escapist.

 

[dimensional]

Really never knew that seeing as I rarely play EA games and must have never played one online since this came in so it dosent effect me just more shit that I will ignore.

The only way I would sign up for Origin or steam or any of those things is if they released my dream game on there I just hate those kind of platforms each to their own though.

 

[Sassafrass]

Yeah, I've already got an Origin account because of Battlefield 3 and DA:O. They upgraded all old EA Accounts to become Origin ones, so...yeah.

This isn't really that surprising.