Origin strikes Steam with "No Mass Effect 3 For You" Announcement -
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Mass Effect 3 Passes on Steam, Requires OriginPC gamers will have fewer options than they'd like when it comes to Mass Effect 3.Much like other recent Electronic Arts game releases on PC, Mass Effect 3 will not be available through Steam. And regardless of what format you decide to get the game in -- digital or physical -- Origin is a requirement for playing.
In a post on the BioWare forums by community man Chris Priestly, some frequently-asked questions regarding the PC version of Mass Effect 3 (launching on March 6 for PC and consoles) were addressed. Regarding a release on Steam, it's said that "during initial release" the digital version will be available through Origin and "a number of other 3rd party digital retailers," Steam not being among them.
The reason for this decision is the same we've heard since the middle of last year, when we learned Battlefield 3 would not be sold on Steam: "Steam has adopted a set of restrictive terms of service which limit how developers interact with customers to deliver patches and other downloadable content. We are intent on providing Mass Effect to players with the best possible experience no matter where they purchase or play their game, and are happy to partner with any download service that does not restrict our ability to connect directly with our consumers."
It's not as if Valve doesn't want EA games on Steam; quite the opposite, in fact, according to what Gabe Newell has said. The two have continued doing business together; many of EA's older games are available on Steam, including the first two Dead Space titles, which were featured in a sale over the weekend.
But while Priestly's "initial release" qualification makes it sound as if ME3 could eventually come to Steam -- and perhaps it will in the future -- the continuing absence of Battlefield 3 doesn't bode well for that possibility.
In what might be even more frustrating news to a certain segment of PC gamers, it was stated that Origin is "required" for ME3 on PC. BF3 also forced users to install the program regardless of their choice to purchase a physical or digital version. (Star Wars: The Old Republic requires users to create an Origin account even for physical versions; the digital version was only sold through Origin.)
EA relaunched the EA Store as Origin last June. In many ways it is similar to Steam, as it sells games, downloads patches, allows you to have a friends list, and so on. Many feel it's not right for EA to bundle the software with its games, but keep in mind this is exactly what Valve did with Half-Life 2 in order to get Steam on to users computers. Of course, it's worth mentioning that Steam wasn't regarded as a clone of an existing service in the way that Origin is today, but it was also a serious hassle early in its life that prevented many Half-Life 2 owners from being able to play the game at launch.
The BioWare post went on to clarify that Origin "is not spyware, and does not use or install spyware on user's machines." It also stated that there is a one-time authorization for the single-player game, with no limit to the number of times it can be installed. Only the multiplayer component requires a constant Internet connection to play.
While the inability to purchase the game through Steam, which I almost always find to be a deal-breaker, and the Origin requirement are unfortunate and may scare away some potential customers, it will be hard for those who have already chosen to invest a tremendous amount of time into their character to opt to play the game on a different platform or not at all.
Corrected information regarding The Old Republic's Origin requirement.