Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. News

EA Origin takes on Steam, brings games straight to gamers

By

Video game giant Electronic Arts has taken the wraps off Origin, a new service for PC gamers that enables players to find, buy, and download EA games directly, tap into exclusive content and limited edition titles, and (via a desktop application) build their own community of gamers and connect with them directly for multiplayer action. Currently, EA says more than 150 games are available from both EA and partners, although in the coming months the company says Origin’s offering swill expand to include more titles, including the anticipated Battlefield 3, FIFA 12, and Mass Effect 3.

Electronic Arts Origin
Image used with permission by copyright holder

“Origin is a game service with two fundamental features,” said EA Global Online senior VP David DeMartini, in a statement. “It’s a download service for the very best content from EA and its partners. It also offers a social function which, over time, will connect a player’s profile with friends lists and a cross-platform feed that shows what your friends are playing and where.”

Recommended Videos

Electronic Arts has released a beta version of its Origin desktop application that enables users to not only search for and download games to their PCs, but also connect with friends on the Origin service and find out what games other users are playing.

Origin appears to be Electronic Arts’ response to Steam, an online service that currently offers download access to more than 1,000 games from a broad range of developers—including Electronic Arts. Perhaps more significantly, it signals the company’s willingness to transition away from a business model based on selling physical media in retail outlets to selling downloadable, digital content. Digital downloads are already a large share of the PC game market.

Origin will offer players access to digital exclusives (like access to betas of online games, as well as exclusive demos. EA’s plans for Origin don’t stop with PCs: EA plans to bring Origin to mobile gamers as well, enabling players to not only buy and download games but also keep up with what their friends are playing and compare high scores. No word yet if EA plans to roll console games into Origin.

Expect to hear more about Origin next week at the E3 Expo in Los Angeles.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Geoff Duncan
Geoff Duncan
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…
How to gift games on Steam to friends, family, and anyone else
A Steam Collection shows a player's backlog.

When searching for the perfect gift for the gamer in your life, you have a lot of options. From controllers and keyboards to collectibles and more, it can be hard to figure out what they'd like best. However, it's nearly impossible to go wrong with a Steam game, as the platform is used by millions of PC gamers around the globe. The gifting process has changed a bit over the years, but gifting a game on Steam is still remarkably simple. Here's a look at how it works.

Read more
How to uninstall Steam games (and reinstall them later)
how to uninstall steam games 1

Modern digital game distribution makes buying and installing games easier than ever. If you play games on a PC, there is a very good chance you’re using Steam. With many games requiring more and more storage space for all those HD textures and uncompressed audio tracks, most players don’t have space for every game they own on their hard drives. Plus, with those attractive Steam sales that are the source of the bulk of our libraries, it’s easy to amass a huge offering of games.

Read more
6 outstanding game demos you need to try during Steam Next Fest
Key art for Indika

The first Steam Next Fest of 2024 is here, allowing game developers to share limited-time demos of their upcoming games to get feedback and hype up players for previously unknown games. This Next Fest actually features the demos of some higher profile games, like the first public demos for Appeal Studios' Outcast -- A New Beginning, Surgent Studios' Tales of Kenzera: ZAU, and Mintrocket's Wakerunners. The true beauties of Steam Next Fest are the more experimental titles that tend to fly under the radar, though.

With hundreds of demos available to play, it's tough to spot the games that are worth your time. I played a lot of Steam Next Fest demos ahead of the event's kickoff this year, and the following six games stood out as the cream of the crop. From experimental narrative games to exhilarating titles focusing on a few core engaging gameplay hooks, these are the Steam Next Fest: February 2024 Edition demos you should check out.
INDIKA
INDIKA | Gameplay Teaser

Read more