DICE confirmed that we're going to have to install Origin to play BF3:

https://twitter.com/#!/zh1nt0/status/100892143303925760

One more interesting turn in the EA vs Steam argument, and in my opinion a negative one. I don't need another game service constantly running and doing god-knows-what on my system. Further, I don't like having my growing collection of digital versions of PC games split between two services.

This is, in a larger sense, what's wrong with the idea of free markets. People assume that competition and superior product is the only factor, and that left to its own devices a given entity will do the right thing. Instead we're hit with being served up something we don't want or need and not given much choice about it.

I still have one means of communication they'll listen to: maybe I don't want BF3 as much as I thought I did.

Ah crap. Didn't see the lengthy thread of the same topic below. Mods feel free to delete if need be.