In Defense of Origin

[Kurt Cristal]

So I saw an ad posting that Origin is having a big summer sale. Yeah, bandwagon hop much?

https://www.origin.com/en-us/store/deals/sale/playerappreciation?nan_pid=1804748193

But I bought a couple games on Origin, if only by choice. So yeah, I'll bite. And you know what, the deals are pretty good. Maybe they're finally catching on to this whole koo-razy digital market all the kids are talking about. But as I was browsing the selection, it really got me thinking.

Steam lately? Still love them, wouldn't have even thought of turning to PC gaming if it hadn't been for Steam. But between all the vids on Jimquisition and some general negative feedback on how well they handle PR, they're really starting to fumble a bit. Steam is just dishing out tons and tons of shovelware, allowing garbage to get past its nonexistent garbage filter, and just sit there and watch you take it. Every week another pre-alpha game in "early access" finds its way to the front page, or some godawful game from 10 years ago randomly emerges. Yuck.

And you who's NOT doing that? Origin.

WAIT WAIT WAIT. No, I mean, sure, it doesn't have that much of selection and it's mostly limited to the EA games library and a handful of games they managed to grab the distribution rights to, but still. Now, the interface for Origin is still lousy, shopping for games is a pain, and they need to make it easier to find and buy DLC (including doing away with a bogus points system). And then there's that whole "maybe we might be spying on you" business. But this Origin thing, the way its going, the way its finally treating the online platform like a real thing. That's potential!

I mean, Origin could be worse. It's not Uplay. AMIRITE U GAIZE?

No but seriously, with everything going on so far, I really want to start thinking Origin MIGHT be in the running to growing up and becoming a great distribution platform.

That, or Steam could just try to stop tossing trash heaps at everyone in the near future. What do you guys think? Am I reading into this too much? WILL EA CEASE ITS EVIL WAYS?

PS:
Capcha = Perfect World
Heh.

 

[Gankytim]

EA seems to understand that they're competing with titans.

Our Lord and Saviour Gaben promiseth great sales from the skies and lo and behold they come.

Meanwhile, GOG offers absoloute minimal DRM.

EA needs to really push and show that THEIR service can compete and guess what! When the market competes, the consumer wins!

When there's no competition, say in the Diamond mining industry you can see how bad everybody who buys diamonds gets fucked over.

So I'm all for Origin competing with Steam, let's fucking do it.

 

[Username Redacted]

WILL EA CEASE ITS EVIL WAYS?

Well given that I still, apparently, need to purchase Bioware points in order to buy Mass Effect 3 DLC I'm going to go with 'No' with regards to your question. It's also worth noting (and I may just be retarded) but one has to go through either the game OR through Bioware Social in order to actually purchase the DLC. At the very least Steam streamlines the add-on process to the extent that it embarrasses EA in this regard.

 

[Elfgore]

Besides ThingWhatSqueaks point about DLC for Bioware games and a small fiasco with The Sims: Kingdoms (and maybe some other issues I'm unaware of), there is nothing wrong with Origin. Yeah, they don't have as many games as Steam or the sales, sure they aren't DRM free like GOG. But when I see people complain when they give away free games and have newer games 50% off, I'm seeing pettiness start to kick in. I would actually like to know if half the people who hate on Origin have even used it. They have refunds for God sake! Something Steam, for the most part, lacks.

I've had one problem with Origin, caused by myself. Which could be fixed by simply restarting my computer. Steam has the exact same problem with a game because of it as well.

Edit: A personal grudge against EA is a decent reason I guess, as long as the reasons are justified.

 

[nomotog_v1legacy]

The problem with origin is that it's selection is so tiny. It's really hard to justify bothering with downloading and managing another DRM service when I can get at most one or two games off of it. I mean they could be giving away games and I still would want to be bothered.

 

[DementedSheep]

The problem with origin is that it's selection is so tiny. It's really hard to justify bothering with downloading and managing another DRM service when I can get at most one or two games off of it. I mean they could be giving away games and I still would want to be bothered.

You can delete it after your done playing the games you want (which is what I did)

 

[CloudAtlas]

It would be nice to have all my games on a single digital service, but other than that I have no problems with Origin whatsover. Whenever I want to play one of my 4 games that are linked to Origins, I just start it, and that's all there is to it.

 

[Hawkeye21]

Having competing digital content delivery systems is actually good (since competition is always good for end consumer). What is not cool, however, are games REQUIRING origins, steam or uplay to run. If a game is being sold on steam, it shouldn't require uplay to run, and so on. That is a dick move.

 

[DaWaffledude]

The problem with origin is that it's selection is so tiny. It's really hard to justify bothering with downloading and managing another DRM service when I can get at most one or two games off of it. I mean they could be giving away games and I still would want to be bothered.

You can delete it after your done playing the games you want (which is what I did)

Just so you know, they actually are giving away free games.

https://www.origin.com/en-ie/store/free-games/on-the-house

EDIT: Replied to the wrong person, like an idiot.

 

[Rozalia1]

Origin doesn't need defending as its attackers are for the most part really big Valve marks.
Just be smart and carry on, leave people to their games.

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

Which leaves me with "because I don't like EA and would rather give them as little money as possible" and "vague questionable program behaviour" as reasons for not using Origin. And until there's a game I do really want on Origin for less than it's likely to be elsewhere that's good enough for me.

And yes, UPlay is fuck and its entire business strategy consists of forcing itself in your face during a game and being required to play some games. It offers nothing. Not savings, not selection, not less DRM.

 

[TerribleAssassin]

really big Valve marks.

Dean Ambrose as your avatar, calling someone a mark, I have found an IWC brother (dude jack.)

OT: Origin gets shat on for no other reason than "EA boo." I downloaded it when they were giving away BF3 and I was pleasantly surprised with it, refunds, good deals on a wide variety of high quality games and non of those shitty greenlit games that plague Steam these days.

Spoiler: And you can edit box arts, which is fabulous

However contacting maintenance to fix account issues is a ballache, they should fix that.

 

[Padwolf]

Their deals are not that bad at all, 70% off is pretty damn good. They are competing with Steam, afterall and they do know that. I don't really have a problem with Origin. The only problem I have so far is an issue that popped up this morning. I had a physical copy of Dragon Age 2, but sadly I left the disc back with my family. Thankfully it's on my Origin acccount anyway, so I spent hours installing it. I clicked on the game and it came up with "error. Please reinstall your game" But that was sorted by just trying to open the game again.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

Origin deleted my games 7 times in 3 months. I had to delete every file related to Origin and reinstall it again and download all the games again. That's what's wrong with Origin.

 

[Jiffex]

WILL EA CEASE ITS EVIL WAYS?

Well given that I still, apparently, need to purchase Bioware points in order to buy Mass Effect 3 DLC I'm going to go with 'No' with regards to your question. It's also worth noting (and I may just be retarded) but one has to go through either the game OR through Bioware Social in order to actually purchase the DLC. At the very least Steam streamlines the add-on process to the extent that it embarrasses EA in this regard.

You can buy it through the client. You choose which DLC you want and if you have the Bioware points it'll go straight through or it'll show you the points bundle instead. That's how it worked for me, didn't have to go through the game or Bioware social.

OT: I haven't really had any problems with Origin, and I like the whole "On the house" program they have. I don't think they have reached Steams level of sales but I'm not sure this sale is a Summer Sale, just one they put on for E3 seeing as it ends on June 16th, but it's a start. Hopefully one that leads to bigger sales.

 

[A-D.]

I dont understand the argument that Origin somehow offers competition to Steam. Its like people who make the argument dont really understand just what they are saying because there is no competition, there is monopoly. Think about it for a second, how many games has EA recently released onto Steam? Out of its newest Titles, which does NOT require Origin to be installed? Yes, you can buy EA Titles in physical stores, but even then you have to install Origin. Conversly, you can not buy any of their new games on Steam, or refuse to use Origin to play the game.

The only way to play EA Games is to use Origin. Thats a monopoly right there, you can not buy EA Games any other way but through Origin or the physical way, and all physical copies require Origin anyway so the argument is moot. EA is not interested in competition, Origin is not competition. Its a monopoly. If EA would release games on Steam and other digital distributers (as much as thats possible) then yes, Origin would be competition because their games are available in other forms. As it stands, it isnt.

The only difference there is that Origin in that sense serves a purpose because you have to use it, you cant get it via steam for example. UPlay on the other hand doesnt, you have to use it even if you purchase Ubisoft games through steam, which are available which makes UPlay utterly redundant because any potential purpose UPlay could serve (DRM, Community Features) are already done by Steam. UPlay is redundant and pointless and Origin is a monopol-platform by EA. There is not competition here and none of these offer any either.

 

[NuclearKangaroo]

yes origin does not let shovelware in, they also hardly let any good games in, steam has tons more of games than origin, so of course, they are going to have more shitty games, i dont see how the existence of shitty games can affect your enjoyment of good games

i have my problems with steam, but having too many games to choose from (and having to put up with the expected stinkers) isnt one of them


the worst part: a few years ago Valve was being CRITIZED for letting too few indie games in, damned if you do damned if you don't it seems

 

[Doom972]

Origin would be a worthy competitor if EA would finally stop price-gouging for anyone outside of the US. I've seen the US prices, and many of them are less than half of the European prices.

If I can buy a physical copy for a cheaper price, then what's the point of digital distribution?

 

[spartandude]

Heres my main question about origin, have they fixed the performance issues or the fact it was a bit of a resource hog yet?

 

[nomotog_v1legacy]

The problem with origin is that it's selection is so tiny. It's really hard to justify bothering with downloading and managing another DRM service when I can get at most one or two games off of it. I mean they could be giving away games and I still would want to be bothered.

You can delete it after your done playing the games you want (which is what I did)

Just so you know, they actually are giving away free games.

https://www.origin.com/en-ie/store/free-games/on-the-house

EDIT: Replied to the wrong person, like an idiot.

If you delete origin, do you still get to play the game(s). As annoying it is to maintain a drm program. It's more annoying to have to re-download everything after you delete it.

I do know about the free games thing. Plants Vs zombies is rather tempting actually. I still don't think I will bite the bullet though