Since the early 1980s, Electronic Arts has been a coveted name in the gamer community. They release many new games every year, and it’s almost guaranteed that at least two of them will reach the best sellers list. And to facilitate the evolution of 21st century gaming, a new EA digital distribution service has been created under the name Origin. This new website allows users to download games from EA using the Origin download manager.

The Origin website from EA allows users to select their platform from a list across the top of the screen. The PC section is the place to find games that users can buy online and download instantly. Under this section, a group of links to the side allows gamers to view various titles based on their ESRB rating and genre. Just below the top link, an animation focuses on a featured title with its cover art, screenshots, and brief overview. This area will also alert the user as to whether or not the game is downloadable and display its rating. This animation is included on each title’s page, along with a list of features, system requirements, and similar games.

The Origin Download Manager is used to download EA games. It allows users to download games and ensure that a license exists each time they are played. The download manager is free, though users will have to pay for the games that are purchased through it (although users may also browse and purchase games directly on the website). Downloaded games from EA will only work if the client is installed. The software has also been released on mobile phones, allowing users to download EA games onto their portable devices.

EA developed the Origin Store to provide gamers with a convenient method of accessing their website. Nearly every PC game is available for download, providing gamers with a quick method for accessing different titles. However, some problems have been reported with this download service. Some users became angry after seeing games labeled as being available for direct download (which typically implies that a client is not necessary) only to find out that they must download a client to their machine. Others have also completed the entire process of purchasing a game, only to be told right after the download completed that their registration code has been deactivated, with slow support from EA customer service.