Screencap of Origin (formerly EA Store) |
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| Developer(s) | Electronic Arts |
|---|---|
| Initial release | June 3, 2011 |
| Stable release | 8.3.7.3619 - 117475 |
| Development status | Active, in Beta |
| Operating system | Microsoft Windows Mac OS X |
| Size | 50MB Download, Expands to 100MB, (Approx) |
| Type | Content delivery Digital rights management Social networking |
| Website | http://store.origin.com/ |
Origin (formerly EA Store) is a digital distribution, digital rights management system from Electronic Arts that allows users to purchase games on the internet for PC and mobile platforms, and download them with the Origin client (formerly EA Download Manager, EA Downloader and EA Link). It is currently in Beta.
Origin features social features like profile management, networking with friends with chat and direct game joining along with an in-game overlay, sharing of game library and community integration with networking sites like Facebook, Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. Electronic Arts has stated that it wants Origin to match Valve's Steam service, Origin's leading competitor, by the end of March 2012, by adding cloud game saves, auto-patching, achievements and rewards, and cross-platform releases.[1]
Origin users are identified by their unified Origin account, which supersedes an EA account and may be canceled if left unused after 24 months if there are not any premium games on it. As of September 2011, Origin has been installed by 3.9 million users.[2]
Contents |
Origin client screenshot |
The Origin store allows users to browse and purchase games from Electronic Arts' catalogs. Instead of receiving a box, disc, or even CD key, purchased software is immediately attached to the user's Origin account and is to be downloaded with the corresponding Origin client. Origin guarantees download availability for at least one year after purchase[3], and there is no limit to the number of times a game can be downloaded.
Users may also add certain EA games to their Origin account by using CD keys from retail copies, and digital copies obtained from other digital distribution services. However, the addition of retail keys to Origin is restricted to games from 2009 onwards and older keys will not work even if the game is available on Origin.[4]
The Origin store redirects users to a regional store and charges a different price depending on the location of the customer and declines payments from foreign account holders when a consumer uses a VPN to access another region's store to pay that regional price. One justification for this is that it allows the game to be sold for a lower price in regions of the world that cannot afford the higher prices in the first world nations. However, as a result of regional differences and economic currency fluctuations, these prices may be dramatically different. For example, Medal of Honor: Airborne costs $21.15 AUD in the United States but costs $99.99 AUD in Australia as of July 2008[5], Spore costs £22.21 GBP (£26.11 after Sales Tax) in the United States but costs £39.99 GBP VAT included in the United Kingdom as of September 2008, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 costs 599 RUB ($20) in Russia, $49.99 in USA and $63.50 in Denmark as of February 2010 and more recently Battlefield 3 costs $80 AUD in Australia but costs $60 USD in the United States, representing a 30% markup with a current currency exchange rate of 1 USD to 1.05AUD.
The Origin client is self-updating software that allows users to download games, expansion packs, content booster packs and patches from Electronic Arts. It shows the status of components available. The Origin client is designed to be similar to its competitor, Steam. Users can allegedly uninstall the client and the game will still run fine. The predecessor of the Origin client had caused issues with games such as Battlefield 2 and Spore Creature Creator, leading to crashes of a related standalone product.[6]
Electronic Arts also plans to launch the Origin platform for mobile devices (such as iOS devices) and achievements can be synced across both platforms. Scrabble Network will be incorporated into Origin mobile. These services will be free of charge.[7]
EA Downloader was launched in late 2005.[8] It was replaced by EA Link in November 2006, adding trailers, demos and special content to the content delivery service. In September 2007, it was once again replaced by the combination of EA Store and EA Download Manager.[9] Users purchase from the EA Store website and use the downloadable EADM client to download their games.[10] Games bought via EA Link was downloadable using the EA Download Manager.[11] The store and client was reopened under the Origin name on June 3, 2011. The constant changes in the software and branding is criticized for being hard to follow.
The digital distribution software was first used to deliver the Battlefield 2: Special Forces expansion pack,[12] and subsequently most EA titles. The biggest product launch on the software is Spore Creature Creator.
EA acquired the trademark Origin when it purchased Origin Systems in 1992. Origin Systems was a major game studio in the 1980s and 1990s, best known for its Ultima, Wing Commander, and Crusader game franchises.[13]
Shortly after the launch of Origin, Crysis 2 was pulled from Steam and appeared on EA's website with an "only on Origin" claim, though it remains available on other distribution services. This led to speculation that EA would be pulling games from Steam and possibly other download services to make them exclusive to Origin.[14][15] EA has since stated that Valve removed Crysis 2 due to imposed "business terms" and that "this was not an EA decision or the result of any action by EA."[16] Valve has yet to comment.
EA's Crysis 2 page no longer carries the "only on Origin" claim,[17] though there has been no sign of it returning to Steam. Alice: Madness Returns, a title initially released with the "only on Origin" claim (but was also on other services besides Steam), has since appeared on Steam.[18] EA have confirmed that Battlefield 3 would not be available through Steam,[19] though the game is currently available for purchase on other non-Origin services such as Direct2Drive.[20]
The download version of Star Wars: The Old Republic is the only game so far to be announced as Origin exclusive.[21] EA has also announced that limited editions of games would be exclusive to Origin.[22] An example of this is Alice: Madness Returns The Complete Collection which included DLC items available on the console version, but have yet to be made available again for PC since the promotion ended.[23][24]
EA's Origin has recently come under criticism for deciding to share any and all available information they collect from users' PCs to third-party vendors, as long as they agree to install collect application.[25][26] The two specific sections of the EULA drawing criticism were sections 2 and 3.[25]
Section 2 was interpreted to grant EA the right to log data on application usage, IP addresses, operating system usage, installation and removal of software, and usage of software and peripheral hardware.[27]
Section 3 states that using the software allows EA to monitor user activity: “EA reserves the right to monitor communications on the Application and disclose any information EA deems necessary to (i) ensure your compliance with this License; (ii) satisfy any applicable law, regulation or legal process; (iii) protect the rights, property and interests of EA, its employees or the public. EA also reserves the right to edit, refuse to transfer and/or to remove any information or materials, in whole or in part, in EA’s sole discretion.”[27]
On August 24 2011, EA revised its End User License Agreement, removing several of the controversial sections.[28] They released a statement saying that they had no intention to sell marketing data to third parties, nor install software akin to spyware on its customers PCs.[28] The specific changes to the EULA removed EA's right to transfer collected personally identifiable data to third party users.[28] However, Origin's EULA states that if there is a conflict with EA's Privacy Policy, the terms of the Privacy Policy shall prevail. EA's Privacy Policy gives EA rights to share anonymous non personal information with third parties. [29]
EA has also received criticism for a clause within the company's privacy policy, stating that "By accepting these terms, you and EA expressly waive the right to a trial by jury or to participate in a class action." [30] This clause has caused significant distress within the gaming community, with many fearing that the above clause is a preemptive attempt by EA to prevent legal action over the distribution of private information via its Origin platform.
According to reports in German newspapers, the German version of Origin's EULA violates several German laws, mainly laws protecting consumers and users' privacy.[31][32] According to Thomas Hoeren, a judge and professor for information, telecommunication and media law at the University of Münster, the German version of the EULA is a direct translation of the original without any modifications and its clauses "null and void".[31]
Electronic Arts deleted repeatedly some players' accounts on Origin - thereby blocking users access to their purchased games -after having banned them from the Origin forums,[33] contrary to the statements they made that the management of their forums was separated from the Origin platform itself, and in some cases for offenses which were deemed questionable by journalists. In one instance, user "Arno" was banned for using the term "e-peen" on the Origin forums. His conduct was punished by an initial 72 hour ban, followed by a permanent ban - although the user was eventually reinstated after the incident was made public.[34][35]