Farewell to EA's Origin: The End of an Era in Gaming Distribution

In a move that marks the conclusion of a tumultuous chapter, Electronic Arts (EA) has announced the retirement of its Origin game distribution platform, effective April 17, 2025. This decision comes after a challenging 14-year journey for the controversial service, which will now guide its remaining users to EA's updated launcher, aptly named the EA app, introduced in 2022.

Origin's inception in 2011 was a contentious moment for the gaming community, as EA began pulling popular titles, including the acclaimed Crysis 2, from Steam, a platform that had, at the time, cultivated a loyal user base. The motivation behind this move was clear from EA's perspective: they aimed to reclaim revenue that was otherwise directed towards Valve, Steam's parent company, which had minimal offerings compared to the financial share it commanded.

However, the transition wasn't simple for users. EA was already facing scrutiny and backlash from a community that favored the established trust and features of Steam. The limited functionality and features of Origin compared to its rivals made the switch unappealing, fueling skepticism and resentment amongst gamers who held longstanding affections for the Steam ecosystem. Coupled with the unfortunate choice of using a brand like "Origin," which harkened back to nostalgic RPG titles from the '80s and '90s, many felt like this move was more of a betrayal than an improvement.

Recognizing the growing discontent, EA started to reestablish a presence on Steam in 2019, slowly attempting to mend ties with its user base. The launch of the EA app in 2022 marked the company’s effort to streamline its gaming experiences under a cohesive branding strategy, eventually leading to the planned sunset of the Origin platform.

As EA prepares for this transition, it's also responding to larger industry changes. With Microsoft set to discontinue support for the 32-bit version of Windows 10 this October, and no 32-bit version available for Windows 11, the fate of the Origin app—built on 32-bit architecture—seems inevitable. This development signals a significant shift in the gaming landscape, as 64-bit architecture becomes the standard for gaming applications, including the newer EA app.

Ultimately, the retirement of Origin symbolizes not only the end of a specific platform but also the broader evolution of digital game distribution. Gamers are now witnessing a shift towards new, more integrated solutions as companies like EA adapt to changing technology and user demands. As EA bids farewell to Origin, one can’t help but wonder what the future holds for gaming distribution. Will EA's new app finally earn the trust of gamers, or will it merely be seen as another failed attempt to regain favor? Only time will tell!