EA Is Dealing the Final Blow to Origin, and Taking Some Users With It

EA's Origin app, launched in 2011 as a rival to Steam, is finally being replaced by the EA app. While intended to streamline EA's PC game distribution, Origin's clunky interface and frustrating logins led to widespread user dissatisfaction. This transition, however, comes with significant consequences.

Users risk losing access to their purchased games if they fail to migrate their accounts from Origin to the new EA app. This means that if you own games on Origin and don't transfer them, you'll be locked out.

Furthermore, the EA app only supports 64-bit operating systems, leaving 32-bit users in the lurch. While Steam also dropped 32-bit support in early 2024, this move highlights concerns about digital ownership and the potential for access loss due to hardware changes. Most modern systems are 64-bit, but older machines, especially those running 32-bit versions of Windows 10 (sold until 2020), are affected. A simple RAM check (32-bit systems max out at 4GB) can determine if your system is compatible.

This situation underscores the limitations of digital rights management (DRM). The increasing prevalence of invasive DRM solutions, such as Denuvo, which often require deep system access, further complicates matters. These systems can impose arbitrary restrictions, regardless of legitimate purchase.

A viable alternative is GOG, a DRM-free platform. GOG's games are yours to keep, playable on any compatible hardware, indefinitely. While this approach opens the door to piracy, it also offers a more secure and enduring form of digital ownership, as demonstrated by the upcoming release of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 on the platform. The ongoing debate about DRM and digital ownership remains a significant concern for PC gamers.