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 cumbersome user experience and frustrating logins led to widespread user dissatisfaction.

The transition to the EA app, however, comes with significant caveats. Players who haven't transferred their Origin accounts risk losing access to purchased games. Furthermore, the EA app only supports 64-bit operating systems, leaving users of 32-bit systems in the lurch. This isn't entirely unexpected, given Steam's similar move in early 2024, but highlights concerns about digital ownership. Most modern PCs use 64-bit systems, but users with older 32-bit Windows installations (like some Windows 10 versions sold until 2020) will need to reinstall their OS. A simple RAM check (32-bit systems max out at 4GB) can help determine your system type.

This situation underscores the vulnerabilities of digital game ownership. Losing access to a purchased library due to OS changes is a frustrating reality shared by both Origin/EA and Steam users. The increasing prevalence of invasive DRM solutions like Denuvo, with their kernel-level access and arbitrary installation limits, further exacerbates this issue.

A potential solution is supporting DRM-free platforms like GOG, which allows users to own and play games indefinitely on any compatible hardware. While this approach presents challenges for developers regarding software piracy, it demonstrates a commitment to enduring digital ownership. The upcoming release of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 on GOG exemplifies this trend.