Origin: EA’s Gaming Download Service

Wall Street Journal reports that gaming publisher, Electronic Arts, is planning on launching a digital-game download service called Origin. Similar to Valve’s Steam service, gamers can buy and download PC titles onto their computer. Origin is reported to be launching with over 150 titles, although no specific names have been mentioned except one. In what seems like an effort to hopefully ensure Origin’s success, EA plans on making Origin the exclusive online place for gamers to buy Star Wars: The Old Republic when it comes out.

Like Activision’s new Call of Duty Elite service, Origin is reported to have a social networking aspect to it where gamers can access their profile across different platforms, including mobile devices. Accessing Origin from different devices may have an impact on the PC games. For instance, David DeMartini, EA’s senior vice president of global online, gave the example of being able to play a mobile mini-game of Battlefield that would give experience points in the real game.

EA’s recent purchase of the social-networking gaming company Playfish, the development of Dragon Age Legends, and now the announcement of Origin, it seems that EA plans to take on digital and online gaming.

Although I doubt it’s EA’s intent, Origin is going to be in competition with Steam, which offers various EA titles. I wonder if we’re going to see a lot of EA games being pulled off of Steam as Origin gets rolling (it’s set to launch tomorrow), or if EA is going to offer games that are also offered on Steam at competitive rates. Otherwise, Origin will have no hope of surviving, even if it exclusively offers The Old Republic.

Source: Gamespot