EA's Steam-challenging Origin digital distribution service will begin selling third-party titles from the likes of Warner Bros Interactive and THQ in November, according to Gamasutra . The service, which EA claims has over six million subscribers, is required to play obscure indie game Battlefield 3 on the PC.
Joining Battlefield 3 are Warner Bros' Batman: Arkham City and THQ's Saints Row: The Third , both of which are the very definition of “eagerly awaited.” These will join some “top new releases” from the publishers, but there's no word on what these are. EA hasn't disclosed if Warner Bros or THQ's back catalogues will show up on the service.
Valve and EA have a strange relationship at the moment, with Crysis 2 being pulled from Steam (albeit for unrelated reasons APPARENTLY), and Battlefield 3 bypassing Valve's service - but showing up on other download sites. The two have previously enjoyed a mutually-beneficial relationship; Steam sells EA's titles, and EA distributes boxed copies of Valve games.
But it looks like the friction between the two is increasing, with Battlefield 3 potentially being to Origin what Half-Life 2 was to Steam. Add Warner Bros and THQ's games to the mix, and EA's proposition begins to look a bit more attractive. What would it take for you to drop Steam and join EA?
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