EA Is Dealing the Final Blow to Origin, and Taking Some Users With It

EA's Origin app, launched in 2011, aimed to rival Steam as a digital storefront for EA's PC games. The mandatory Origin requirement for *Mass Effect 3* in 2012 highlighted its ambition, but Origin's clunky user experience and frustrating logins hindered its widespread adoption. Despite this, EA persevered, only to now replace Origin with the equally criticized EA app.

This transition comes with significant caveats. Players who exclusively used Origin and haven't migrated their accounts risk losing access to purchased games. Furthermore, the EA app only supports 64-bit operating systems, leaving 32-bit users behind. While Steam also dropped 32-bit support in early 2024, this decision raises concerns about digital ownership.

It's highly unlikely that recent PC owners use 32-bit systems; however, Microsoft sold 32-bit Windows 10 versions until 2020. Windows 11 users are unaffected, as 64-bit support dates back to Windows Vista (nearly 20 years ago). A simple RAM check can determine your system type: 32-bit systems are limited to 4GB of RAM. If you have more, you're likely safe. However, a 32-bit Windows installation requires a complete system wipe and 64-bit OS reinstall.

The discontinuation of 32-bit support, while unsurprising in 2024, highlights the fragility of digital ownership. Losing access to years of purchased games due to hardware changes is frustrating. Steam, too, faces this issue with its 32-bit support removal.

Invasive digital rights management (DRM) solutions like Denuvo are also prevalent, often requiring deep system access or imposing arbitrary installation limits despite legitimate purchases.

GOG, run by CD Projekt, offers a solution. Its DRM-free approach ensures that downloaded games remain playable on any compatible hardware, indefinitely. While this opens the door to piracy, it hasn't prevented new releases, with *Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2* soon to join GOG's catalog.