EA Closes Origin, Migrates Users to New Platform

EA's Origin platform, launched in 2011 as a rival to Steam, is finally being replaced by the EA app. This transition, however, comes with significant drawbacks for some users. The clunky user experience and frustrating logins that plagued Origin haven't been entirely resolved.

A major concern is the loss of access to games for users who haven't migrated their accounts from Origin to the new EA app. This means players could lose access to purchased titles if they fail to complete the account transfer process.

Furthermore, the EA app only supports 64-bit operating systems, leaving users with 32-bit systems in the lurch. While Steam also dropped 32-bit support in early 2024, this decision highlights the challenges of digital ownership and the potential for losing access to purchased games due to outdated hardware. 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 operating system to access their games. A simple RAM check can help determine if your system is 32-bit (maximum 4GB RAM).

This situation underscores the limitations of digital rights management (DRM). The increasing use of invasive DRM solutions, like Denuvo, often requires deep system access and imposes arbitrary installation restrictions, regardless of legitimate purchase.

A viable alternative for preserving a digital game library is GOG, which offers DRM-free games. Downloading a title from GOG guarantees access regardless of future hardware changes, as long as the hardware meets the game's minimum requirements. While this approach presents challenges for developers in terms of piracy prevention, it offers a more sustainable model for gamers. The upcoming release of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 on GOG further demonstrates the platform's viability.