I can't seem to get a straight answer. I don't really want to install Origin but I want to finish the fight...wait thats not right. Does anyone know if I buy a box copy if I can install it and play it without Origin??

You have to install Origin if you play it on PC, doesn't matter where you get it from.

sad panda. I bought Dead Rising 2 on steam awhile ago and went to play it last night. I had to have games for windows running in the back ground for it to even start. Such a waste.

Origin isn't perfect but it is MUCH less intrusive than Games for Windows Live.

It's annoying but it's honestly not that big of a deal. Just one more icon to ignore in the system tray. It's certainly not worth missing out on ME3 over anyway

You don't even have to run Origin after you install the game. Uncheck the "boot on startup" box when you install it. I never run it and yet I can play my copies of Dragon Age, Mass Effect 2 and Dragon age 2 with no problems.

its kinda like steam that you can play in offline mode?

DA/DA2/ME2 are pre-origin games. BF3 for example always launches Origin.

Origin is fine. I actually like it better than Steam in some ways, and it's always better to have competition than a single platform.

@DeadDorf said:

Origin is fine. I actually like it better than Steam in some ways, and it's always better to have competition than a single platform.

You know, normally I'd agree with you about healthy competition and everything.

But it's such a hassle to have to juggle multiple platforms, I'd much rather just stick to one, but it's impossible if you want to play everything.

Origin isn't terrible, and in some ways I'm glad it exists. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw ME2 and other games which I had bought elsewhere were collected into one library for download.

@Kidavenger: If I had Mass Effect 1 and 2 out of the box not connected to Origin on PC, will my save carry over?

@demontium: Yes, you can import a save from any PC version of Mass Effect 2 into Mass Effect 3.

I've already played through it once on the PS3 but I'm boycotting it on the PC until it comes to Steam. I know it'll probably never happen and I hate to be a douche about this but I have ME2 (and all my other PC games) on Steam and I really don't want to download another program that does the same thing only with fewer games.

I'll probably cave soon though. I've been itching to replay it and I'd like that to be on the PC.

@ike7779 said:

I've already played through it once on the PS3 but I'm boycotting it on the PC until it comes to Steam. I know it'll probably never happen and I hate to be a douche about this but I have ME2 (and all my other PC games) on Steam and I really don't want to download another program that does the same thing only with fewer games.

I'll probably cave soon though. I've been itching to replay it and I'd like that to be on the PC.

It will happen. Crysis 2 came back on STEAM with a GOTY. Just wait for a GOTY.

@Vigorousjammer said:

@DeadDorf said:

Origin is fine. I actually like it better than Steam in some ways, and it's always better to have competition than a single platform.

You know, normally I'd agree with you about healthy competition and everything.

But it's such a hassle to have to juggle multiple platforms, I'd much rather just stick to one, but it's impossible if you want to play everything.

Monopoly logic doesn't really apply to entertainment mediums. It would be like suggesting we should still have HD-DVD along with Blu-Ray, because "competition is good."

Coming next year from EA, you have install Origin just to press the power button on your PC. And Origin, coming so to XBLA.

@TheHBK said:

Coming next year from EA, you have install Origin just to press the power button on your PC. And Origin, coming so to XBLA.

You joke, but Origin already exists on XBL. Most games require you to enter your Origin ID to use DLC, play multiplayer, get bonuses, anything. EA runs their own servers and randomly shuts them down after about a year to get you to buy new games. Basically if they were aiming at making a "service" that only served up inconvenience, they did a bang-up job.