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Is Origin Sneaking Steam’s Pie?

Is Origin Sneaking Steam’s Pie?

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Alongside its release, EA’s new digital distribution platform, Origin, has brought with it a storm of controversy. Popular and recent EA titles, most famously Crysis 2, have been removed from digital distribution juggernaut Steam’s store, temporarily removed from sale or, in the case of EA’s newest releases, delayed or simply never offered to begin with.

Adding another layer to this outwardly confusing interplay, it has now been discovered that certain EA titles can be downloaded through Origin by using their Steam code on EA’s new service. Such titles include Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Mass Effect 2, Dead Space 2 and Alice: Madness Returns. Dragon Age 2 was not only playable through Origin, but retained its Steam community features. Older titles, such as the original Mass Effect, have been confirmed not to port over.



Just who benefits from this attempt at bridging the gap? Is it Valve, whose service can no longer be claimed to prevent EA from updating its games as it wishes? Is it EA, who can justify Origin as a hub for not only titles you’ve purchased through it, but those purchased beforehand?

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