EA's Origin Store Will Offer Exclusive Titles and Content

Post by Steve Farrelly @ 11:17am 16/06/11 | 43 Comments

You may have heard, or seen, that EA pulled Crysis 2 from Steam this week, in an effort to add it exclusively to their rebooted digital store, Origin, where they also plan on making exclusive content available only for games purchased from them. Other titles are also poised to become EA Origin exclusives, including Alice: Madness Returns and Star Wars: The Old Republic.

"I think long-term you'll see we believe in reach so we will have other digital retailers for our products because we want to reach as many audiences as possible," said Frank Gibeu, President of EA Games, in an interview with Gamesindustry.biz. "But at the same time if we can use exclusive content or other ideas to help grow our audience then we're going to do that because we're growing a platform."

How this will affect other digitally released or DLC-centric titles down the track remains to be seen, but it could be a bad move to force people to only use Origin for Battlefield 3 or Mass Effect 3, for example.

"We are going to continue to be great partners for our retail channel partners as they evolve their business models to account for digital," he told the site. "But at the same time you talk about platform exclusives like Halo or Uncharted, EA's going to have some of our own platform exclusives."

Whether the move to Origin for Star Wars: The Old Republic changes the recent position of Aussies and Kiwis not seeing the game at all, is also something up in the air, but we're tracing down some solid information as we speak, so stay tuned.

ea steam crysis 2 ea origin battlefield 3

Latest Comments

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bepatient
Posted 11:37am 16/6/11

Yea I heard about this yesterday although it seems as though it was Valve who removed Crysis 2 not actually ea.

It’s unfortunate that Steam has removed Crysis 2 from their service. This was not an EA decision or the result of any action by EA.

Steam has imposed a set of business terms for developers hoping to sell content on that service – many of which are not imposed by other online game services. Unfortunately, Crytek has an agreement with another download service which violates the new rules from Steam and resulted in its expulsion of Crysis 2 from Steam.

Crysis 2 continues to be available on several other download services including GameStop, Amazon, Origin.com and more.

Secret sauce

Regardless if BF3 is an origin exclusive I will be purchasing it retail and be very angry I didn't jump on board the group buy :(

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Dazhel
Posted 11:42am 16/6/11

In other words instead of providing more real value like it does with the chat+steam overlay+autoupdater Steam wants to be the only game in town by enforcing shady exclusivity deals.

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CHUB
Posted 11:46am 16/6/11

FFS, I don't want multiple digital distribution systems.

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Mitch
Posted 11:49am 16/6/11

The main and only question here for me is..... Will Origin have the "Australian" prices on the games or will it be all in US so we can get games cheap again?

I think that if EA makes it so that we pay US prices im sure a lot of aussies will jump onboard

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paveway
Posted 11:49am 16/6/11

it's inevitable chub

Steam have been the only one pretty much for ages

of course there is going to be others that come along and try to steal some of their 100% market share

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Midda
Posted 11:51am 16/6/11

Yea I heard about this yesterday although it seems as though it was Valve who removed Crysis 2 not actually ea.

Yeah, I read that, but until I hear more detailed information to the contrary, I'm going to continue assuming that EA are doing something retarded.

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kettels
Posted 11:53am 16/6/11

I'd been waiting till the end of semester until I bought Crysis 2, and then as soon as i finish its gone from steam. After a quick check of the store its good to see that they are straight in their with regional pricing with all the games at $80. This was always going to happen, each developer is trying to create their own digital distribution methods so they can control the content. Honestly though all this means for me is I wont be buying EA games.

In other words instead of providing more real value like it does with the chat+steam overlay+autoupdater Steam wants to be the only game in town by enforcing shady exclusivity deals.

That part is about Origin.

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glynd
Posted 12:08pm 16/6/11

I don't understand ... why would I buy the digital copy if it's the same price as a hard copy (JB HiFi) or, in ozgameshop's case, minimum 1/2 the price? I hate the gaming industry sometimes.

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deadlyf
Posted 01:23pm 16/6/11

The main and only question here for me is..... Will Origin have the "Australian" prices on the games or will it be all in US so we can get games cheap again?

Yes they have regionalised pricing.

I won't be getting any games through them, exclusive or not. Steam is where I know where to find all my games instead of having to look for shortcuts or search for exe's. Basically their exclusive games is just a nice list of games that I won't be buying.

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d^
Posted 01:32pm 16/6/11

This s*** is useless for anyone who already has steam with all their games in steam. I can see it being good for a new comer but why they would choose this over steam? Titles maybe?

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Steve Farrelly
Posted 01:43pm 16/6/11

d^ I think the idea is they're using some of these bigger titles inititally to draw users to the service then, down the track, it's likely they'll allow for distribution and digital download elsewhere, but you'll be required to have the Origin version to get exclusive content - thus more cash-money for EA

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Tollaz0r!
Posted 01:50pm 16/6/11

The only digital distribution system I will be using is Steam and only when I'm not price gouged. I refuse to buy games at a 15%+ markup, anything under 15% and I may consider it IF there are good reasons for it.

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Python
Posted 01:53pm 16/6/11

Get use to it, other companies are going to follow I think!

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Hogfather
Posted 01:58pm 16/6/11

Don't be retards, competition in the digital distribution space is a good thing.

No matter how much you joygasm at your favourite company / service, they are there to make money and will never respect you if they gain a monopoly.

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Midda
Posted 01:58pm 16/6/11

It's not competition if they are the only ones distributing EA games.

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CHUB
Posted 02:07pm 16/6/11

No matter how much you joygasm at your favourite company / service, they are there to make money and will never respect you if they gain a monopoly.

Don't private companies like Valve have much more (complete?) flexibility when it comes to money/business compared to a public company like EA?

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Hogfather
Posted 02:11pm 16/6/11

Don't private companies like Valve have much more flexibility when it comes to money/business compared to a public company like EA?

In a private company, the number of shareholders is typically smaller, and they aren't traded openly for $ -- the fluctuating share price can drive business decisions a little more acutely, but they both want your moneys equally. Both entity types exist to make money for shareholders.

It's not competition if they are the only ones distributing EA games.

So we'll see Valve games on Origin then? Of course its competition.

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CHUB
Posted 02:19pm 16/6/11

So we'll see Valve games on Origin then?

Of course not, they're both technically as bad as eachother in this regard.

EA/Origin has shown me nothing of value so I'm happy to let hypocrisy slide.

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DM
Posted 02:22pm 16/6/11

To be honest I wouldn't care if I had to install origin, but only if they priced their games along the same lines as the US versions. Alice for $80? F*** you. You're not delivering me unicorn blood in a box, you are going to send it via the interwebs which eliminates the costs of shipping, boxing, manuals, extras, mark up at stores and all that and yet you managed to price it a tiny bit higher than what JB sells it for. *slow clap*

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Eorl
Posted 02:23pm 16/6/11

Competition is good, but when you make it only available from your service, then your screwing customers. Ah well, I'm getting my bf3 from fixah for cheap so don't care.

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Bah
Posted 02:26pm 16/6/11

Yea I heard about this yesterday although it seems as though it was Valve who removed Crysis 2 not actually ea.

Seems like pretty shoddy reporting all round, how hard would it have been for reporters (steve included) to load up a few of the other digital download services and check if crysis was pulled on them as well?

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AnarchyAngel
Posted 02:29pm 16/6/11

If you wanna help we trying to kill origin, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kill-EAs-Origin/156678217735064

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greazy
Posted 02:35pm 16/6/11

What the hell is the point of that? Competition is good, not bad. If you want Steam to continue have a monopoly then you run the risk of getting f***ed up the butthole.

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CHUB
Posted 02:46pm 16/6/11

Has Steam ever done regional pricing on Valve products before?

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Eorl
Posted 03:06pm 16/6/11

No, not on Steam itself. And competition is good, but if its only available on origin, then it starts to become a stupid monopoly.

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alandalf
Posted 03:25pm 16/6/11

"Whether the move to Origin for Star Wars: The Old Republic changes the recent position of Aussies and Kiwis not seeing the game at all, is also something up in the air, but we're tracing down some solid information as we speak, so stay tuned"

Sorry, what? I must of missed some news... Why arn't we seeing the game at all, at the moment????

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Stalfax
Posted 03:46pm 16/6/11

If Origin can provide the same value-add as Steam, with competitive prices, then I see nothing bad for the end user. It's not like its a hassle to have another program running 40MB of RAM. Maybe competition will reduce prices? If the prices are not reasonable and the A+ titles are exclusive, then it will be just another reason to boycott EA.

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CHUB
Posted 04:00pm 16/6/11

If Origin can provide the same value-add as Steam, with competitive prices, then I see nothing bad for the end user. It's not like its a hassle to have another program running 40MB of RAM. Maybe competition will reduce prices? If the prices are not reasonable and the A+ titles are exclusive, then it will be just another reason to boycott EA.

I'm just afraid it will become a Woolworths type situation, provide the lowest prices, exterminate competition and then proceed to rape freely.

Would Valve do this? There's always a possibility but I do have a certain level of trust.

Would EA do this? 100% without a single doubt, any and all measures to increase profits will be implemented.

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deadlyf
Posted 04:02pm 16/6/11

Don't be retards, competition in the digital distribution space is a good thing.

Competition how? EA supposedly set the prices for their games on Steam and a quick look shows most games are either cheaper on Steam or the same price, are EA competing with themselves? Steam is a complete platform that allows publishers to sell their games much like itunes can work to allow independent artists to sell their s***** music without needing a label, EA Origins is just a digital store front for EA games.

Unless you were saying it is competition for other digital store fronts like Direct2Drive, in which case, carry on.

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blaze0041
Posted 05:15pm 16/6/11

Nothing on Origin is worth buying right now, not at their asking prices, which are all in Australian dollars. Battlefield 3 is listed at $80AU. If BF3 becomes Origin-exclusive (i.e. not available on Steam), I'm taking my money elsewhere.

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icewyrm
Posted 05:30pm 16/6/11

Origin's is EAs answer to steam - including friends lists, game integration, chat etc yes?

It seems almost certain that regardless of where you buy future EA titles, you will have to install origin to play them. It's too good of an opportunity for EA to embed their software on your machine should you one day decide to buy something from it. As has been mentioned in this/other threads already I think.

Registering your key in origin to get online on whatever games you decide to play seems like the natural direction for EA to go.

IMO you've got to either accept the new platform, or stop buying EA games on PC entirely.

How long till origins comes to xbox360 and PS3 you think? EA certainly has the clout to make it happen fast, if they're planning it.

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CHUB
Posted 05:36pm 16/6/11

IMO you've got to either accept the new platform, or stop buying EA games on PC entirely.

Pretty much, I'm very stubborn and spiteful so I wouldn't be surprised if it's the latter.

I don't have enough time or money to play all the games I want so I can deal with it.

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AnarchyAngel
Posted 06:11pm 16/6/11

Origins just doesnt work, the last game I brought from EA every time they patched the launcher I had to redownload the game, When was the last time you saw a special on the EA store? Unlike steam the games ait bound to the account so you can only install on 5 machines, or the same machine 5 times if you dont uninstall before a reinstall. Yeah its s*** I feel bad cos I thought they were on a winner with BF3 and they have just sealed there own fate.

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teq
Posted 08:29pm 16/6/11

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Eorl
Posted 08:59pm 16/6/11

It still isn't competition, not when EA are brain dead and putting their prices higher then the games currently on Steam and other download areas. EA is doing this all wrong if they want to get a slice of the pie. If they were smart, they'd keep it on Steam, but then put it cheaper on theirs, thus attracting customers to build up a library and then want to stay with Origin. They need to get games that aren't EA published. Then, the great price wars will start, and us customers can sit back and enjoy the fireworks.

Also, I am definitely not buying on Origin with the s***** Australian price fixes. I can get it for half price or less if I so choose. Sure it will still link, but at least that's half the price those bastards are trying to gouge for.

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Ozzy
Posted 09:31pm 16/6/11

In stupid girly robotic voice...

"EA Games... we make everything"

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DM
Posted 12:03am 17/6/11

Well I just bought the new Alice game for $55 including shipping from an aussie ebayer (who i've used before many times) so origin can suck my ass if they think they are getting $80 for a digital only copy that will expire in a year. I loved the first one, and this one is equally as awesome.

EDIT - Ok seems this store Dungeon Crawl has an actual shop up in melbourne and a webpage which I didn't know about. Awesome prices too. I know it's a bit of a plug for their shop but hell everyone should know. $38 DNF, $55 MW3 pre-order, $60 BF3 pre-order, $45 alice. They express post too so overnight delivery. Nothing but good things to say about them. Good for those very impatient like myself

last edited by DM at 00:03:26 17/Jun/11

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Khel
Posted 12:37am 17/6/11

Sorry, what? I must of missed some news... Why arn't we seeing the game at all, at the moment????

I vaguely recall some press release EA made saying how since they wont have local servers for it, and they pride themselves on only offering the best experience possible, they wont be releasing the game in some regions because they can't guarantee the players will have a very good experience. I might be remembering that totally wrong though, but I think there was something along those lines.

Like it really matters though, pretty easy to import a copy either way.

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hen
Posted 12:04pm 20/6/11

i found out if u copy and paste your steam bfc2 cd key into your origin it u can download it again, but u can get the deluxe edition which is actually no difference but like $15 more the the normal edition for free.

MUAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAAAHHAHAHAHAHAHHHAH!

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Eorl
Posted 12:15pm 20/6/11

i found out if u copy and paste your steam bfc2 cd key into your origin it u can download it again, but u can get the deluxe edition which is actually no difference but like $15 more the the normal edition for free.MUAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAAAHHAHAHAHAHAHHHAH!

Why would you bother if you've already got it on Steam...

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hensun
Posted 12:20pm 20/6/11

get back at origin as much as i can, also may as well build up my games list in origin if i'm gonna have to start buying bf3 me3 tor n stuff. larger games list looks more appealing.

I don't have much to complain about origin tho, i like the look of it and feeel, some games are cheap. but some games are just ridiculous.

however there is a way to get around this, you can buy your games off http://www.ozgameshop.com which is like cheaper then steam, and you get a physical copy of the disk. pop the cd key in origin aand your good to go.

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Eorl
Posted 12:31pm 20/6/11

Or use sites like cd key warehouse who give you the cd key to.

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hensun
Posted 12:38pm 20/6/11

Oh kool. nice link, weird pricing tho. some really old games like bf2 are so over priced even more expensive on origin, but the new releases are like 20-40$. Still id pay extra $5 for a physical copy of bf3

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