After years of public condemnation, EA have finally shut down their Origin launcher. It's being replaced with an apparently much faster service called the "EA App".
EA have finally ditched Origin. But, as with most publishers, they still insist on having their own launcher. Origin will therefore be replaced by something similar, but at least the alternative is sounding like an upgrade. Maybe one day they'll just admit Steam is better and stop trying? But we doubt it. Anyway, let's get to the details on why everyone hates Origin, and what EA are replacing it with.
Why Did Everyone Hate Origin?
Origin was one of the most unpopular things EA ever created, and that's seriously saying something when you look at how terrible their games are. People hated Origin for a number of reasons, but most importantly: it offered a fraction of what Steam did in terms of features, it was incredibly buggy and made playing games a hassle, and EA never seemed to support it with much staff (try getting a refund via Origin, and you'll know what we mean). Who would make yet another account for that kind of service?
And so, after all the years of hate, EA have finally begun the process of shutting down Origin.
Who needs EA when we have games like these to keep us satisfied?
What Will Replace Origin?
Origin will be replaced by a new app simply called the "EA App", which you can download here. Currently, the EA App is still in beta and is currently only available for Windows, but a version for Mac is expected to follow shorty. And before you ask, don't worry, the new EA App is completely free.
But what makes the EA App different to Origin? It's not just a redesign, there really are improvements, but don't expect anything revolutionary. The most important thing is that it's faster than it's predecessor, and easier to navigate (it basically just looks like the Battle.net launcher now). And you can now more easily connect the EA App with an Xbox, PlayStation or Steam account. And once you've linked your Steam account, if you buy an EA game on Steam you can access it from either launcher. These are all positive moves in the right direction for EA, but as we said, there's nothing revolutionary here.
What do you think about the new launcher, does the EA App sound promising? Or are you sticking exclusively with Steam from now on? We hate having to install dozens of launchers ourselves, and with Valve's one-stop-shop we can play games on the impressive new Steam Deck, even PlayStation exclusives!