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

EA's Origin app, launched in 2011 as a rival to Steam, failed to gain widespread traction due to a poor user experience and frustrating login procedures. Now, EA is replacing Origin with the EA app, a move that unfortunately comes with some significant drawbacks.

Users who haven't migrated their accounts from Origin to the new EA app risk losing access to their purchased games. This transition also leaves behind users of 32-bit operating systems, as the EA app only supports 64-bit systems. While this mirrors Steam's decision to drop 32-bit support (in early 2024), it highlights concerns about digital ownership.

The vast majority of modern PC users are unlikely to be affected by the 32-bit limitation, as 64-bit support has been prevalent since Windows Vista. A simple RAM check (32-bit systems are limited to 4GB) can confirm your system's architecture. However, those with 32-bit Windows installations will need a complete system reinstall to upgrade.

This situation underscores the vulnerabilities of digital game ownership. Losing access to purchased games due to platform changes or hardware limitations is a frustrating reality, shared by both EA and Steam users. This issue is further complicated by increasingly invasive digital rights management (DRM) solutions like Denuvo, which often require extensive system access.

A potential solution is to utilize platforms like GOG, which offers DRM-free games. GOG games can be played on any compatible hardware, ensuring long-term access to your digital library. While this approach opens the door to potential piracy, it hasn't prevented new titles, such as the upcoming Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, from being released on the platform.