EA Luring Kickstarter Games To Origin

A announced it will waive distribution fees on Origin for crowd-funded games for 90 days. The program is only available to projects that are fully-funded, complete and ready-to-publish.

“The public support for crowd-funding creative game ideas coming from small developers today is nothing short of phenomenal,” said David DeMartini, Senior Vice President of Origin at EA. “It’s also incredibly healthy for the gaming industry.

"Gamers around the world deserve a chance to play every great new game, and by waiving distribution fees on Origin we can help make that a reality for successfully crowd-funded developers.”

One of the confirmed projects appearing on Origin is Wasteland 2 from inXile Entertainment. “I have had a long relationship with EA and it is great to see them recognize and support the crowd-funded games model,” said Brian Fargo, CEO, inXile Entertainment.

“Having Origin waive their distribution fees for 90 days for fan funded games is a major economic bonus for small developers. We look forward to bringing Wasteland 2 to the Origin audience.”

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inXile + EA? I predicted this would happen.

I fail to see what the problem is. I know EA and hate them as much as anyone else but the kickstater games get a good deal and get access to more buyers.

Remember in business even enemies become friends were money is involved. Just look at Gamestop and Steam.

As long as they keep any DRM solutions and computer snooping applications out I suppose I don't mind. But this is EA so the pound of flesh will be paid one way or the other.

Couchpotato said:

I fail to see what the problem is. I know EA and hate them as much as anyone else but the kickstater games get a good deal and get access to more buyers.

Remember in business even enemies become friends were money is involved. Just look at Gamestop and Steam.

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No problem per se… However, I'm left to wonder if the DRM free promise is strictly for those who donated to KS or pre-ordered?

I have yet to use origin, however I haven't really heard too many good things about that service either… What are it's pros and cons, and do they adversely affect or help Wasteland 2?

MasterKromm said:

No problem per se… However, I'm left to wonder if the DRM free promise is strictly for those who donated to KS or pre-ordered?

I have yet to use origin, however I haven't really heard too many good things about that service either… What are it's pros and cons, and do they adversely affect or help Wasteland 2?

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EA likes to say Origin is doing well, but it's really just a middling Steam clone at best. People mostly use it because they have to to play BF3 and Mass Effect 3 and whatnot. The biggest advantage for Wasteland 2 is a bit of shared press with EA. I doubt they would have bothered pushing for Origin if EA didn't do this deal.

everything inXile has promised they are contractually obligated to fulfill - especially because they took money for it.

the tin foil hat I'm wearing thinks this was in the works before they even did the kickstart. Still, its just a distribution deal.

I don't see this as a problem as long as this doesn't morph into an Origin exclusivity deal; of course that would run into the issues of promises made to kick-starter and paypal preoders for a lot of these games.

If EA ends up buying the successful kickstarts we're seing starting, I'll curse them to hell, I'll even sacrifice a chicken! (ok, I'll go to KFC and eat a 6 piece meal, that's about the same thing)

It's easy to see through this scheme : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embrace,_extend_and_extinguish

darkling said:

EA likes to say Origin is doing well, but it's really just a middling Steam clone at best. People mostly use it because they have to to play BF3 and Mass Effect 3 and whatnot.

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That's how Steam started too, though. Origin's growth is stronger than Steam's was, who knows where it'll be in a year's time.

Im guessing future kickstarters will have an easier time reaching their stated goals by explicitly stating they intend to avoid all things EA.

I don't see the problem. Origin is just another digital distributor. It's normal for self-publishing indie studios to try to get on as many of these as possible.

This has no influence on the promises made during the Kickstarter campaign.

Gorath said:

I don't see the problem.

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When EA does something nice, they're still EVIL.

When the teddybears like Blizzard or Valve do something questionable, they're still nice.

That's consumers for you.

Maybe because, through bitter experience, players don't think EA is capable of being nice?

Brother None said:

When EA does something nice, they're still EVIL.

When the teddybears like Blizzard or Valve do something questionable, they're still nice.

That's consumers for you.

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No it's called double standards and I can't understand how some people think. I see it all the time really don't try being rational it won't work on the internet.

BS, I'm an equal opportunity hater. I dislike steam just as much as I dislike origin. I prefer a DRM free game that can be played w/o running steam or origin. Ultimately, if I have to go DD, I'm picking GoG whenever possible.

My only concern was with prior KS promises, most specifically DRM free(oh and any possible exclusivity deal/s)… Since that seems to be a non-issue, Fargo and co should go after every feasible distribution channel to reach as many consumers as they possibly can.

Brother None said:

When EA does something nice, they're still EVIL.

When the teddybears like Blizzard or Valve do something questionable, they're still nice.

That's consumers for you.

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It makes sense to me. If the person that keeps kicking your sandcastles one day comes and tells you that he's going to help you build one you don't just think that the world just suddenly became a better place, you think that it's probably a trap and that you should be careful. If a person that treats you well one day comes and yells at you, you think you just caught him on a bad day.

I know that companies don't actually work like that and that any kind of 'personality' on their part is just an illusion. But is it unfair or petty for people to think like that? Maybe it is. Should people just get over it and enjoy the good thing they are offered? Maybe they should. People don't work like that either however. One of the reasons that crowdfunding was successful was because people wanted to bypass the likes of EA. And that kind of reaction was one that EA has worked hard to build - this minority's dissatisfaction is part of the fruits of their labour. After all isn't the same consumer mentality that worked so well for EA and made them what they are? And isn't therefore the same mentality that made Wasteland 2 a success in the first place?


(For the record I don't care one way or the other, if developers think this deal benefits them then they should go for it. I've reserved my copy anyway. I just don't think people's reaction is unjustified.)

"Good" or "evil" are no suitable categories here. EA does it because they see a business opportunity. And that's fine.

Indies should get their product in front of as big an audience as possible. Origin is one more distribution channel.

Origin has the advantage that indies will probably release their games there on day one to take full advantage of the free 90 day period. Other distributors, except for Steam, will have to wait.

The problem i have with it is that no company in existence has destroyed more developers, games and franchises then EA so when a crowd funded project goes and supports the very people responsible for kickstarter being nessesary in the first place i tend to get miffed.
The idea of EA profiting from indie developers in any way leaves a bad taste in my mouth.