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

EA's Origin app, launched in 2011, aimed to rival Steam as a digital storefront for EA's PC games. The mandatory Origin requirement for *Mass Effect 3* in 2012 highlighted its ambition, but Origin never truly gained widespread acceptance. A clunky user experience and frustrating logins led many PC gamers to avoid it. Despite this, EA persevered, only to now replace Origin with the equally criticized EA app.

This transition comes with significant caveats. If you own games on Origin and fail to migrate your account to the EA app, you risk losing access to your purchased games. This is particularly concerning for those who own titles like *Titanfall*.

Furthermore, the EA app only supports 64-bit operating systems, leaving 32-bit users behind. While Steam also dropped 32-bit support in early 2024, this move raises concerns about digital ownership. Although unlikely for newer systems, Microsoft sold 32-bit versions of Windows 10 until 2020. Windows 11 users are unaffected, as 64-bit support dates back to Windows Vista.

A simple way to check your system is to examine your RAM. 32-bit systems are limited to 4GB of RAM; if you have more, you're probably fine. However, if you've mistakenly installed a 32-bit version of Windows, a full system reinstall with a 64-bit version is necessary.

The phasing out of 32-bit support, while perhaps unsurprising in 2024, underscores the fragility of digital ownership. Losing access to years' worth of purchased games due to hardware changes is frustrating. This isn't unique to EA; Valve's similar decision on Steam leaves some players stranded.

The increasing prevalence of invasive DRM solutions like Denuvo, with their deep system access and arbitrary installation limits, further complicates matters.

GOG, run by CD Projekt, offers a compelling alternative. Their DRM-free approach ensures that purchased games remain accessible regardless of hardware changes. While this opens the door to piracy, it hasn't deterred new releases, with *Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2* soon to join their catalog.