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Forums - PC Discussion - What is so bad about EA's Origin?

Can someone please explain this to me, because I just don't get it. Im not a pc gamer so I guess from an outside perspective, people are justing hating on it to hate on it. The only real complaint I hear from people is that they don't like having two services(having both steam and origin), or some of the prices are a few dollars more expensive. Is that really all people have to say against it? Because that really isn't a reason to hate on such a growing service.



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From my experience:
I wanted to install BF3 a few days after launch, couldn't get Origin to send my old password (from EA Download Manager - Origin's predecessor) to my mail adress.
Could not create a new account either.
Needed to wait a full day (which sucked)

Then one day this week, I was logged out from origin and my password didn't work anymore and I couldn't get Origin to sent my password to my mail adress again to change it. It worked the next day.



I'd wager this thread was born out of this: http://gamingbolt.com/origin-is-required-for-all-pc-editions-of-mass-effect-3 ??



Yes, it is annoying to have to log into two services because EA and Valve aren't playing nice to keep it on Steam and if everything else is already on Steam, why bother having to run another game service just to play one or two games. Kind of the GFWL argument.

However, there's more to it than that. EA's policies with Origin are worrisome and potentially seen as inrsurive and spyware. For example, Origin can look at your computer and the programs you have installed. I believe in the TOS they are allowing themselves to collect data and potentially sell it to third parties.

As a service, it's also kind of questionable in quality. Sure, Steam had a very rocky and poor start, but yet Origin is a service released in 2011 and yet it had a lot of issues in a time when Steam has been doing very well. People would have expected it to be further along I guess.

Then there's the fact of Battlefield 3. You would have to run origin to 'launch' Battlefield 3 which in pretty much just opening a web page anyway.

Then there's EA's banning policy. If you get banned on their forums, if that account is tied in with your games, you're banned from playing your games too. What's worse is that supposedly the moderators in the forums are very trigger happy with bans. This might even apply to the games themselves too, get banned from a game and you find yourself locked out of everything.

Speaking of customer service, a friend of mine bought The Old Republic at launch time and has yet to be able to play it. He's having some issue with his account. He's essentially locked out of his account and when he tried to recover it, they're only asking him one of the three security questions he had to create and the answer is case sensitive and he doesn't remember how the answer went. However, of the three security questions they're only asking for that one so he's completely locked out and he's getting no help what-so-ever from EA.

I'm sure there's more, but I can't think of it off the top of my head.



Wow, get banned from one game or the forums and locked out of all games? That doesn't sound like a good offer... Sounds like EA is trying to be a freaking parent and ground you from your video games...  Glad, I stuck by my EA boycott for so long. They give me hope that maybe they are changing their shifty practices but every so often I get some bad news regarding how they treat their consumers.



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The link below was back in November of 2011, which was an update from happenings earlier in the year and further back than that.

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/11/14/ea-forum-bans-are-still-affecting-games/

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So yeah, I'm very dissapointed because I was so excited for Battlefield 3 after years of playing Battlefield 2. I also bought Mass Effect 2 on Steam so now I'm even more upset to hear the news that Mass Effect 3 is going Origin only.

*sigh* I recieved a Gamestop gift card for the holidays and I was really thinking to get Battlefield 3 so that I wasn't spending my own money on it, but I just can't bring myself to do it. This news of Mass Effect 3 pours salt in that wound.

I'm holding out with the hope that backlash will reverse their stance, but I doubt that'll happen soon, if at all.



sethnintendo said:

Wow, get banned from one game or the forums and locked out of all games? That doesn't sound like a good offer... Sounds like EA is trying to be a freaking parent and ground you from your video games...  Glad, I stuck by my EA boycott for so long. They give me hope that maybe they are changing their shifty practices but every so often I get some bad news regarding how they treat their consumers.


See my previous post above too.

Yeah, thinking about everything tied to one account on PSN, XBL and Steam is scary. However, it's like Origin wants to be even worse.



I'll wait ME3 to be released on Steam on the first volley of DLC, as it always has with EA games.

Look at Dead Space 2. It has been removed from Steam when shitty origin has been released, now you can find it on steam for 3.75 pounds (special weekend today) while it's still 19 on origin ^^

EA is once again shooting themselves in the foot, a lot of people are going to try to get ME3 at release, just to realize origin is a big pile of shit (look at BF3 and SWTOR launches ^^)



Just from a business standpoint I don't understand what the point of it is. Steam fills the needs of many PC gamers: Its a central place where you can find your friends and your games library, as well as browse the store for new entertainment.

EA Origin offers the same service...except it only sells EA games. Its not a bad service, its just not worth it for people to have to have multiple logins and a fragmented user base just to play a few games that are only on this service.



Platinums: Red Dead Redemption, Killzone 2, LittleBigPlanet, Terminator Salvation, Uncharted 1, inFamous Second Son, Rocket League

Special deal on Origin: Mass Effect 1+2 now 20 Euro

Steam at the same time: Mass Effect 1+2 now 10 Euro