EA launches Origin game network that will work across PC and mobile platforms

When it comes to gaming on iOS devices, you have the popular Open Feint and Apple’s very own Game Center, which allows you to add friends to your list, see what games they’re playing, compare achievements and even play multiplayer games with them in some instances, i.e. Fruit Ninja, Doodle Jump and MetalStorm.

Electronic Arts (EA) had announced a month ago that they were planning to launch their own service, much like Valve’s Steam, which would basically cut out the middleman and sell their games directly to their customers, and would encompass both mobile and PC games. Today at EA’s Summer Showcase event, more was revealed.

Much like Steam, games can be purchased and downloaded digitally, but it also includes a social network of sorts, similar to Open Feint and Game Center, that would allow you to find friends and play games with them. Origin is not just limited to games on the PC, but also on Android and iOS devices.

One of Origin’s features is the ability to allow EA games to be directly launched from their store instead of having to go back to the home screen to launch the game. Cloud-saving is another interesting feature of Origin, whereby a game saved on the PC, Android or iOS can technically be continued on either platform. The service would also allow for cross-platform multiplayer gaming, and Scrabble would be one of the EA games capable of doing that.

It sounds like a pretty interesting move by EA, although we’re not sure how Apple will feel about a third-party app store that would cut into their profits.

Tyler Lee
Categories: Gaming
Tags: Android, electronic arts, iOS, origin, Steam (Valve), Valve