EA’s Origin App launched in 2011 to let PC gamers browse and buy EA’s games directly through its digital store, bypassing Steam. The most prominent early requirement was Origin’s mandatory use for Mass Effect 3 in 2012. Still, it never gained widespread adoption.

Due to its awkward interface and annoying login issues, many PC players avoided Origin whenever they could. Yet EA stuck with it—until now, replacing Origin with the similarly clunky EA app.

This transition comes with significant drawbacks. If you own Titanfall on Origin but can’t access your account, tough luck: without formally switching your account to EA, you’ll lose access to games you’ve already paid for.

Meanwhile, users on 32-bit systems are being left behind—the EA app supports only 64-bit operating systems. That said, Steam also ended 32-bit support in early 2024, with only a tiny number of users still on such systems.

It’s highly unlikely anyone who bought a new PC or laptop, or built a custom gaming rig in the past five years is still using a 32-bit OS. Microsoft did offer Windows 10 in 32-bit form until 2020, but if you’re on Windows 11, you’re fine—64-bit support has existed since Windows Vista’s release nearly two decades ago.

A simple way to check is to look at your system’s RAM: a 32-bit OS can’t use more than 4GB. If your system has more than that, you’re probably safe. But if you accidentally installed a 32-bit version of Windows, you’ll need to back up your data, wipe your drive, and reinstall a 64-bit version of the OS.

While dropping 32-bit support isn’t shocking in 2024, it raises concerns about digital ownership—losing access to games you’ve owned for years because of hardware changes. Steam isn’t immune either; Valve has also phased out 32-bit support, leaving players unable to upgrade stranded.

Invasive DRM like Denuvo is becoming more common in PC games, often requiring deep kernel access or imposing arbitrary install limits—even after purchase.

One way to preserve your legitimately bought game library is to use GOG, operated by CD Projekt. Every game on GOG is DRM-free, meaning once you download a title, you can play and own it indefinitely on any compatible hardware.

Still, this open model creates opportunities for piracy. Yet that hasn’t stopped new titles from arriving on the platform—upcoming RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is “coming soon” to GOG.