Origin’s ‘Aim’ is To Be Better Than Steam

By Landon Robinson | 23 June 2012 | 40 Comments

“I didn’t expect to be able to out-feature Steam within the first 12 months. But I’m quite optimistic we will differentiate ourselves as a service. We’ve built the foundation and now we are starting to add value to the service off of that foundation.”

These are the words of Electronic Art’s Senior Vice President of Global ecommerce, David DeMartini during an interview discussion with MCV about EA’s digital distribution platform Origin going up against Valve’s long-running service, Steam.

DeMartini went on to compare the Origin vs. Steam debate to a situation he feels is similar, Facebook vs. MySpace:

“If MySpace had stayed the one answer in social networking and no one switched to Facebook, then we’d all be stuck on MySpace right now and we wouldn’t have had the Facebook phenomenon.”

“There are better mousetraps that ultimately get built out of this innovation and the only way you get to the innovation is to have other people try and do a better version of what someone has previously done.

And that’s what we’re attempting to do on Origin.”

And as Joystiq so cleverly pointed out, you’d be dumb to expect giant markdown sales on digital games on Origin like Steam so frequently does. Why? Because this very man recently criticized the very practice, saying that big and cheap digital sales “cheapen intellectual property.”

[via MCV]

40 Comments

Posted by Eleglas on 23 June 12 at 6:07pm

I doubt Steam has anything to worry about. I use Steam almost everyday, the most I used Origin for is to download Star Wars: The Old Republic… that’s it.
- Posted by MedicOnDuty on 25 June 12 at 4:45pm
  
  Same here. I only use Origin for Battlefield 3 and FIFA 12; everything else is either on or off Steam.
Posted by DarthSIlon on 23 June 12 at 7:41pm

I use steam every day and i have 125 games on it. I can’t see myself switching to origin any time soon or ever. And EA would never do a 75% of EA games sale.
- Posted by amer187 on 23 January 13 at 4:49am
  
  whell origin has samo nice prices now you should check it out
Posted by SAk on 23 June 12 at 8:03pm

Steam Summer Sale Upercut incoming.
Posted by johnxfire on 23 June 12 at 8:18pm

I lol’d.
Posted by BothersomeOne on 23 June 12 at 8:23pm

Origin thinks it’s Facebook and that Steam is Myspace, but what they don’t realize is that Origin is ooVoo and Steam is Skype.
Posted by Prince Adam on 23 June 12 at 9:53pm

Origin = EA only.
Steam = GAAAAABBBBBBEEENNNNNNN
I think it’s clear who wins.
Oh, Steam also provides non-Valve games.
Posted by Ralmidaz on 24 June 12 at 3:39am

Origin “Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning” $70
Steam “Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning” $40
The internet is a service that allows all businesses to be globally competitive.
But it means that they need to offer their products at globally competitive prices.
throw in Steam sales/events and their multi-studio list of available products against Origins EA exclusivity and their is absolutely no way that Origin will ever be a threat to steam, no matter what features it offers.
Posted by Videogameget on 24 June 12 at 3:56am

Valve did something under the radar, It seems if you decode the message of pyro on the tf2 blog it reveals a morse code, saying monday. So monday will be released the meet pyro video?

Oh ya! and this http://blog.dota2.com/2012/06/did-you-see-that-kill/. Happy Trolling from Valve again!
Posted by NINJA_CHOP_957 on 24 June 12 at 8:30am

EA makes me laugh. I seriously doubt that the most hated online distribution service will ever be better than Steam. GGAAAAAABBBBEEEEEEEN.
Posted by FasteningMean on 24 June 12 at 11:36am

Wow this is hilarious the company that clearly lost the trust of their fanbase with things like Origin and the Mass Effect 3 ending expect to compete with the company that is loved by many and have never dissapointed its own fanbase ever since they release Half-Life
i think its clear who won here
- Posted by soulprovider on 24 June 12 at 7:01pm
  
  lets not forget that origin is now part of all EA games no matter whether your using XBOX or PS3 hmm i’m expecting a usage fee shortly and a boatload of microtransaction through that service.
- Posted by BothersomeOne on 24 June 12 at 7:03pm
  
  Incorrect: We all have one complaint. Half Life 3 isn’t out yet. But that is a minuscule complaint amongst the mounds of praise we storm upon Steam.
- Posted by Jake on 26 June 12 at 9:41am
  
  How was ME3 bad for EA it was one of their highest selling games of all time and is addictingly fun. And Bioware just released a free dlc that extends the ending. Your Orgins point is valid, but come on dude get your head out of your ass and stop hating on Mass Effect!
Posted by ElectroRage on 25 June 12 at 12:06pm

I really doubt it, origin will never be better the steam for one reason and the reason is that EA is greedy, they wont do big sales like steam does they sale theyre games for 50 euro when it should be 50$ i will always prefer steam and origin will fall its just a matter of time…
Posted by Lucas on 25 June 12 at 12:22pm

I bet Gaben laughed so hard at this he cried, and used his money to wipe off the tears.
Posted by Leivve on 25 June 12 at 12:41pm

EA’s mind: We’re EA once we provide the same thing as Steam everyone will rush to be a part of us.

Everyone’s mind: Wow EA are idiots if they think they can pull us away from the all-mighty Steam.
Posted by Galo on 25 June 12 at 12:44pm

I think a better analogy is that steam is WoW and Origin is Warhammer online
Posted by Rowanda on 25 June 12 at 1:13pm

I want Gaben to ride a horse into EA hq in a full suit of armour and demand satisfaction. The horse should have armour too. And lazers.
- Posted by DarthPrince on 25 June 12 at 5:33pm
  
  And SHARKS!
Posted by Dolphin on 25 June 12 at 2:30pm

But that’s the thing, Steam isn’t the “one answer” that’s why we have Direct2Drive, GOG, etc. they do have the little things that Steam doesn’t, while tipping their hat to it through non-bullshit business practices. EA’s trying to fight Valve and their countless allies, but so long as there are poor people, and so long as EA remains the worst company in America, it’s a fight they’re never going to win.
Posted by VaporWare on 25 June 12 at 3:29pm

EA has been working pretty hard at distancing themselves from PC gamers in recent years, it seems. Which is why EA origin will continue to flop in the PC market.
Posted by Bytorcus on 25 June 12 at 3:30pm

to quote ForceStrategy “Unless Origin gives me all of my Steam Games on their service, GTFO”

Even then they will have to bend over backwards to pull me away from my social circles on Steam.
Posted by Clive_117 on 25 June 12 at 3:56pm

Good luck at that EA, if you are only going to sell your own games, you can piss off.
Posted by Aeph on 25 June 12 at 4:06pm

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Posted by Kevinet on 25 June 12 at 4:06pm

Are they trying to debut as a comedian agency?
‘Cause I laughed so hard.
Posted by Aeph on 25 June 12 at 4:07pm

The only reason anyone uses origin at all is because they force you to if you wanna play EA games.
Posted by smr on 25 June 12 at 4:11pm

If by some miracle Origin managed to spend billions to get the one-up, all Steam has to do is put in a ‘pizza button’ and GAME OVER, EA.
Posted by TheLaughiingMan on 25 June 12 at 4:57pm

Whether ballsy or stupid, when trying to be competitive in a market like this, one does not openly declare that they will undoubtedly be more expensive than their competitor and expect to win.
Posted by Duderino on 25 June 12 at 9:41pm

To quote the Mr. Jefferson episode of South Park, EA… “that’s ignorant.”
Posted by Duderino on 25 June 12 at 9:46pm

I have about 90 games registered on Steam and I’m not even that much of a PC/Mac gamer (much thanks to the Humble Bundles), aside from PC exclusives and classics. Lets see what I have on Origin… Battlefield 3 beta. Yeah EA you’re definitely on to something there.
Posted by Undying Zombie on 25 June 12 at 11:03pm

How could EA expect ANYONE to take them seriously on this?

For some reason I just get this odd image in my head where.
EA + “I haz a hat!” ( shows the hat where someone’s shoe should be )
Steam = “Hah, you really think you can fight my army of hats?” As Gabe releases a flood of people wearing hats, and not just one or two hats either..
- Posted by ZackaryOkami on 26 June 12 at 8:18am
  
  A hat in their ass? yeah, a shoe should be there alright
Posted by cartenman on 26 June 12 at 12:03pm

Business Mistake #1 – You don’t tell a customer how good your product is. The customer knows your product. They know your flaws, they don’t forget, and above all else, if you can’t make a saving for the customer, they will not give two shits how good your say your product is.

I used Steam almost everyday, and Origin once in awhile to check on updates for BF3 and Star Wars. Go figure.
Posted by amet on 05 July 12 at 11:29am

i would be better if EA games on steam..i dont want to play seperately..plus origin games so EXPENSIVE than steam..steam got 50-70% deal..i think steam do a great job than origin..
Posted by Skeptical Steve on 24 July 12 at 8:56am

Lol MySpace didn’t fail because Facebook was better, MySpace failed when it was sold an became bloatware, no one wants constant advertising. Seems like someone doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

TL;DR
Senior Vice President Baka >_>
Posted by Denis C. on 10 August 12 at 10:47am

ORIGIN is a big pile of shit… they had an update for fifa 12 which I HAD 2 use and when everything was done all my save games were deleted… I never had that with Steam, so now if I see it’s a game supported by Origin I never buy it again!! FUCK YOU, ORIGIN!!!!!!
- Posted by Mark on 10 August 12 at 1:22pm
  
  EA is like a honeybadger, in the sense that they don’t care, everyone boasts about hating on EA and stuff, and every time a major franchise gets a new release, everyone flocks to it, and the worst part is that I’m a hypocrite for pointing that out, because I loathe Origin and bought The Run and BF3 anyway.
  
  So, they don’t really care what people say about Origin as long as the sales holds.
Posted by chris on 27 October 12 at 4:42am

how about EA is call of duty and steam is battlefiled.