After 14 years, EA will retire its controversial Origin game distribution app for Windows, the company announced.
Folks still using it will be directed to install the newer EA app, which launched in 2022.
It also announced plans to retire the Origin name and app in favor of a more simply branded “EA” app, which launched in 2022.
Since there is no 32-bit version of Windows 11, that effectively ends OS support for 32-bit Windows applications as we previously knew it.
(The Origin app is 32-bit, and the newer EA app is 64-bit.)
EA said it will discontinue its contentious Origin game distribution app for Windows after 14 years. Origin will cease operations on April 17, 2025. Users will be urged to update to the more recent EA app, which was released in 2022.
Origin’s 2011 launch caused a stir among gamers because EA, which by this time was not a well-liked company, started removing games like Crysis 2 from the well-liked Steam platform in an attempt to get players to use its own launcher.
To be honest, from EA’s perspective, everything made sense. Valve had comparatively few services or tools to offer for a publisher of that size, but it was still stealing a significant portion of game sales sales. What would prevent EA from requesting a refund?
However, the shift was difficult because, from the perspective of the customer, it didn’t make as much sense. Gamers held Valve and Steam in high regard and mistrusted EA. Old customs and social ties are hard to break, and Origin lacked features that players enjoyed on Steam. Additionally, it felt like a slap in the face to some that EA used Origin, a long-dead brand name associated with vintage role-playing games and other games from the 1980s and 1990s, for something of this nature.
Ultimately, beginning in 2019, EA returned its games to Steam. In addition, it revealed plans to discontinue the Origin app and name in favor of the more straightforwardly named “EA” app, which debuted in 2022.
The company stopped releasing games on Origin and tried to move its users to the new app, but older games were still available on Origin. The app will be fully retired on April 17.
Microsoft’s intention to stop supporting the 32-bit version of Windows 10 in October of this year was cited by EA as a motivating factor. Windows 11’s lack of a 32-bit version essentially puts an end to OS support for 32-bit Windows apps as we knew them. The more recent EA app is 64-bit, while the Origin app is 32-bit. Pulling the plug seems like the best course of action right now.