Electronic Arts has unveiled Origin, a digital distribution platform for PC, which will exclusively host downloads of BioWare's hotly anticipated Star Wars MMOG, The Old Republic (above), when it is released later this year.
Set to launch this afternoon, Origin will offer an initial lineup of over 150 games, and in the coming months will also sell exclusive limited editions of upcoming games including Battlefield 3 and FIFA 12.
As well as EA's own titles, games published under the EA Partners label will also be available, as will trailers and exclusive DLC, with the firm also promising beta access and demo downloads in future.
The service is available through a web browser or a dedicated desktop client, which boasts social features such as friends lists. A mobile client will also be available, supporting friends lists across EA's portfolio of smartphone games.
EA CEO John Riccitiello said: "We're committed to offering consumers direct access to great content and community in a way they have never had before. Over time, Origin will grow with new functionality and unique new content that consumers can't get anywhere else."
The move fits perfectly with EA's increasing focus on the digital side of its business. Last year CFO Eric Brown predicted that EA's digital revenues for the year would reach $750 million, of which just $100 million was expected from PC downloads.
By offering its own platform, EA can promote its own games, control pricing and, of course, avoid having to pay commission to a platform holder, which should see that ratio change significantly.
Comments
5Oh gaaawd! Steam, Games for Windows and now THIS! Bye, Bye GAME!
Surely games should be cheaper via download ? No retailer margin etc, no packaging costs. Charging £40 for Battlefield 3 while it's < £35 elsewhere seems unrealistic. Particularly when such buyers have no option to sell the game on once bored / finished.
I'm confused: has anything actually changed between the latest version of EADM and Origin other than the name & logo? I don't know why everyone keeps talking about it as though it were a new thing.
EA say that Origin will bring lots of exclusive EA titles in coming months and social things etc, but EADM had all this before. As far as I can tell, they've just renamed it to make it look new.
But it probably has that new-fangled facebook integration and other social stuff. You know, like get a friend to buy a game and get a swastika for your avatar.
Get ready for the era of every publisher having to have their own stupid download service with their own goddam client that everyone will have to install for each publisher. I know for one that I simply cannot wait to have 14 different download manager clients in my systray.