ORIGIN - A Step too Far?

Jac · Aug 27, 2011, 01:14 PM

As a long time Battlefield player I was awaiting the release of BF3 with some anticipation. So it saddens me to see that EA seems to think this is the perfect excuse to enforce a piece of their adware on PC gamers. Battlefield 3 will 'require' Origin to be installed and running before you can play the game.

In the past I have always ignored stuff like Steam , EA Link and any other similar junk but with the upcoming release of the BF3 beta I thought I'd install Origin to see exactly what it was. As I expected it has no other purpose than to pipe EA ad revenue directly down my broadband connection. In the last few days people reading through the Origin EULA have noticed that EA reserve the right to collect information about your system, hardware, software (not limited to games) and send all this information back to EA where it could be sold to interested parties. So it might be loosely classed as spyware.

I really cant stand all the bloatware crap that corporations feel the need to clutter up my PC with. This includes Steam, GFWL & now Origin.

I'd be interested to know how other gamers and/or PC users feel about this situation and if there is anything that consumers can do about it.

CJLMTLCA · Aug 27, 2011, 02:35 PM

It's unfortunate, but, i did feel the same way about Steam and now i don't mind it at all. I launch Steam, i can browse/buy from the store, update/play my games and once the game is launched, i'm inside the game world and the client is just one more window, among others, i have open in the background.

As for collecting info, go ahead be my guest. You want to know what CPU/GPU/RAM i have? Have at it. Just don't scan my porn collection. When i start seeing ill effects of that, like getting visits from salesman at my door, "Uh hello sir, we recently saw your info on Origin and would like to offer you this...", then maybe i'll change my tune.

BlueMak · Aug 27, 2011, 06:32 PM

I will tell you what I decided to do and doing it for a while now. With more and more DRM shoved down our throats and the usual "excellent" quality of ports, I stopped buying PC games which are also released on other platforms, if the game in question has DRM. I'm just sick of it and their practises. The last game I bought was Dungeon Siege III, I paid almost double the price for the PS3 than I would for the PC, but I did it. I plan to continue doing this. I don't know about BF3 since I will wait for a great offer first, but if the single player game is good and long enough, I will get it for the PS3.

Vote with your wallet/bank account.

Neshi · Aug 28, 2011, 02:02 AM

first you have to have the priviledge of having multiple platforms to play on before you can 'vote with your wallet'. Some people, like me, only have the PC. There is no choice there for us.

BlueMak · Aug 28, 2011, 02:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neshi

first you have to have the priviledge of having multiple platforms to play on before you can 'vote with your wallet'. Some people, like me, only have the PC. There is no choice there for us.

You can always NOT buy it. Buy something else. Right? Or do you have to buy it?

BlueMak · Aug 28, 2011, 02:50 AM

I don't know how accurate the guy in this video is, but if he is, no way there is no way I am going to buy BF3 on the PC.
Battlefield 3 may Violate Your Privacy - YouTube

The video is basically what Jac said, in longer form.

Jac · Aug 28, 2011, 09:15 AM

I have decided that I will not buy BF3 until the enforced Origin install is removed. I've noticed many corporations use this tactic - they enforce some piece of software on users that they know will upset them. Then they scale it back slightly and the furore dies down yet they are still enforcing software on you that is unnecessary.

It's likely that EA will release some PR nonsense stating that this is all a misunderstanding and that the software will only collect relevant data and that users will be anonymous blah blah blah. Fact is they are still sticking adware/spyware on users PCs for their own benefit.

Neshi · Aug 28, 2011, 10:21 AM

just saying that if you want to play the game and have only one platform, you have no choice and have to put up with it. If you wanna play...
you can always not play, of course.

mkk · Aug 28, 2011, 10:37 AM

Let's see how it plays out come release, but I'm still glad it's not Steam when it comes to the software side.

Aug 27, 2011, 01:14 PM	#1
Jac HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: England Posts: 761 Rep Power: 51 System Specs	ORIGIN - A Step too Far? As a long time Battlefield player I was awaiting the release of BF3 with some anticipation. So it saddens me to see that EA seems to think this is the perfect excuse to enforce a piece of their adware on PC gamers. Battlefield 3 will 'require' Origin to be installed and running before you can play the game. In the past I have always ignored stuff like Steam , EA Link and any other similar junk but with the upcoming release of the BF3 beta I thought I'd install Origin to see exactly what it was. As I expected it has no other purpose than to pipe EA ad revenue directly down my broadband connection. In the last few days people reading through the Origin EULA have noticed that EA reserve the right to collect information about your system, hardware, software (not limited to games) and send all this information back to EA where it could be sold to interested parties. So it might be loosely classed as spyware. I really cant stand all the bloatware crap that corporations feel the need to clutter up my PC with. This includes Steam, GFWL & now Origin. I'd be interested to know how other gamers and/or PC users feel about this situation and if there is anything that consumers can do about it.

Aug 27, 2011, 02:35 PM	#2
CJLMTLCA 14X Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 633 Rep Power: 63 System Specs	Re: ORIGIN - A Step too Far? It's unfortunate, but, i did feel the same way about Steam and now i don't mind it at all. I launch Steam, i can browse/buy from the store, update/play my games and once the game is launched, i'm inside the game world and the client is just one more window, among others, i have open in the background. As for collecting info, go ahead be my guest. You want to know what CPU/GPU/RAM i have? Have at it. Just don't scan my porn collection. When i start seeing ill effects of that, like getting visits from salesman at my door, "Uh hello sir, we recently saw your info on Origin and would like to offer you this...", then maybe i'll change my tune. __________________

Aug 27, 2011, 06:32 PM	#3
BlueMak HH's Asteroids' Dominator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Hellas->Macedonia->Thessaloniki Posts: 13,465 Rep Power: 349 System Specs	Re: ORIGIN - A Step too Far? I will tell you what I decided to do and doing it for a while now. With more and more DRM shoved down our throats and the usual "excellent" quality of ports, I stopped buying PC games which are also released on other platforms, if the game in question has DRM. I'm just sick of it and their practises. The last game I bought was Dungeon Siege III, I paid almost double the price for the PS3 than I would for the PC, but I did it. I plan to continue doing this. I don't know about BF3 since I will wait for a great offer first, but if the single player game is good and long enough, I will get it for the PS3. Vote with your wallet/bank account. __________________ The people who are regarded as moral luminaries are those who forego ordinary pleasures themselves and find compensation in interfering with the pleasures of others(Bertrand Russell)"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil,You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them." - Lt. Gen. James N. Mattis This is slavery, not to speak one's thought. [Euripides-The Phoenician Women (c.411-409 B.C.)] http://www.macedonia.info/FALLACIESANDFACTS.htm *Sic semper tyrannis.*

Aug 28, 2011, 02:02 AM	#4
Neshi S.N.A.F.U. Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Wellington, NZ Posts: 3,377 Rep Power: 177 System Specs	Re: ORIGIN - A Step too Far? first you have to have the priviledge of having multiple platforms to play on before you can 'vote with your wallet'. Some people, like me, only have the PC. There is no choice there for us. __________________ If one does not attach himself to people and desire, never shall his heart be broken. But then, does he ever truly live? Life is just too damn short for if's and maybe's

Aug 28, 2011, 02:50 AM	#6
BlueMak HH's Asteroids' Dominator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Hellas->Macedonia->Thessaloniki Posts: 13,465 Rep Power: 349 System Specs	Re: ORIGIN - A Step too Far? I don't know how accurate the guy in this video is, but if he is, no way there is no way I am going to buy BF3 on the PC. Battlefield 3 may Violate Your Privacy - YouTube The video is basically what Jac said, in longer form. __________________ The people who are regarded as moral luminaries are those who forego ordinary pleasures themselves and find compensation in interfering with the pleasures of others(Bertrand Russell)"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil,You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them." - Lt. Gen. James N. Mattis This is slavery, not to speak one's thought. [Euripides-The Phoenician Women (c.411-409 B.C.)] http://www.macedonia.info/FALLACIESANDFACTS.htm *Sic semper tyrannis.*

Aug 28, 2011, 09:15 AM	Thread Starter #7
Jac HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: England Posts: 761 Rep Power: 51 System Specs	Re: ORIGIN - A Step too Far? I have decided that I will not buy BF3 until the enforced Origin install is removed. I've noticed many corporations use this tactic - they enforce some piece of software on users that they know will upset them. Then they scale it back slightly and the furore dies down yet they are still enforcing software on you that is unnecessary. It's likely that EA will release some PR nonsense stating that this is all a misunderstanding and that the software will only collect relevant data and that users will be anonymous blah blah blah. Fact is they are still sticking adware/spyware on users PCs for their own benefit.

Aug 28, 2011, 10:21 AM	#8
Neshi S.N.A.F.U. Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Wellington, NZ Posts: 3,377 Rep Power: 177 System Specs	Re: ORIGIN - A Step too Far? just saying that if you want to play the game and have only one platform, you have no choice and have to put up with it. If you wanna play... you can always not play, of course. __________________ If one does not attach himself to people and desire, never shall his heart be broken. But then, does he ever truly live? Life is just too damn short for if's and maybe's

Aug 28, 2011, 10:37 AM	#9
mkk Cthulhu/Dagon 2012 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Gefle, Sweden Posts: 4,490 Rep Power: 132 System Specs	Re: ORIGIN - A Step too Far? Let's see how it plays out come release, but I'm still glad it's not Steam when it comes to the software side.