User:Lost Labyrinth/Origin

Origin (formerly known as EA Download Manager or EADM) is the digital distribution service developed by EA. Origin is used to download and install digital versions of purchased games as well as their updates. Origin is the chief competitor to Valve's Steam content distribution service. Origin has been a mandatory requirement for all EA titles released since 2011.

History
The service was initially launched as EA Downloader in 2005 and was used to distribute Battlefield 2 expansion packs. The service was re-branded as EA Download Manager in 2007 and purchases from the EA Store were downloaded via the EADM client.

The EA Store and EADM client were merged together and re-branded as Origin in June 2011

Comparisons and differences between Origin and Steam

 * Both services supply The Sims 3 and all of its expansion packs.
 * Both services distribute games from third-party developers.
 * Origin supplies exclusive content for EA games which isn't available via Steam or retail.
 * Origin requires a separate download and install for each expansion pack, Steam downloads and installs them all together.
 * Steam installs expansion packs and stuff packs as DLC and requires the content to be launched from the base game whereas with Origin, you would launch from the latest released or installed expansion/stuff pack.

Windows 7 and Windows Vista Sims 3 Launcher Crash
When The Sims 3 Late Night came out on Oct 26, 2010 (29 Oct 2010 in Europe), many Windows 7 and Vista users reported that The Sims 3 Launcher would crash after they closed it. EADM was the cause of this and the latest version of it resolved the problem. The glitch is not present on The Sims 3 Fast Lane or earlier The Sims 3 games but the same problem will occur if running updates released on or after Oct 26, 2010.

In The Sims 3 Outdoor Living, the same problem occurred when using the Latest EADM Version (This was fixed on April 29, 2011 with version 8.0.3.427).

This glitch doesn't occur on The Sims Medieval or on Windows XP & Mac OS X.

3rd Party Games
Version 8.3.7.3619 of Origin adds the ability to purchase and download third-party games.