EA Shuts Down Origin, Impacting Users

In 2011, EA launched the Origin App, a digital storefront for purchasing and browsing EA's PC games as an alternative to Steam. One of the most significant moves at the time was enforcing a strict Origin requirement for Mass Effect 3 in 2012. Despite this push, Origin never quite captured the hearts of PC gamers due to its clunky user experience and frustrating login processes. Although EA continued to support Origin, they have now decided to replace it with the EA app, which unfortunately, brings its own set of challenges.

For instance, if you own Titanfall on Origin but can't access your account, you're in a bind. Unless you formally switch your account from Origin to EA, you risk losing access to the games you've purchased. Additionally, the EA app only supports 64-bit operating systems, leaving behind users on 32-bit systems. While it's true that Steam also discontinued support for 32-bit OS in early 2024, the impact is minimal, given the small number of users still using such systems.

It's highly unlikely that anyone who has bought a new PC, laptop, or built a custom gaming PC in the last five years would be running a 32-bit OS. However, Microsoft sold 32-bit versions of Windows 10 until 2020. If you're using Windows 11, you're in the clear, as 64-bit support has been standard since Windows Vista, nearly two decades ago.

To check if your system is 32-bit, look at your RAM usage. A 32-bit OS can only utilize up to 4GB of RAM, so if your system has more, you're likely fine. But, if you've mistakenly installed a 32-bit version of Windows, you'll need to perform a full system wipe and reinstall a 64-bit version of the OS.

While dropping support for 32-bit systems in 2024 isn't shocking, it raises concerns about digital ownership. Losing access to a library of games you've owned for years due to hardware changes is frustrating. Steam isn't immune to this issue either, as Valve has also dropped 32-bit support, leaving players unable to upgrade to modern systems in a tough spot.

Moreover, the rise of invasive digital DRM solutions like Denuvo in PC games adds another layer of complexity. Some of these elements require deep kernel-level access to your PC or impose arbitrary installation limits, despite your purchase.

One way to safeguard your legitimately purchased digital library is to support GOG, operated by CD Projekt. Every game on GOG is DRM-free, meaning once you download a title, you can run and own it on any hardware the game supports, indefinitely.

However, this approach opens a window for potential software piracy. Despite this risk, new titles continue to be released on the platform, with the upcoming RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 slated to be "coming soon" to GOG.