And in good news, GamersGate lists SC'13

[GrayAnderson 6]

Well, notwithstanding the fact that it may end up being Origin-ware, I'm at least heartened that the game lists on GamersGate (my preferred purchasing portal). At least I won't have to contend with Steam...though no clue what this means for having to have other 'ware on my computer.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

If EA has agreed to ship to GamersGate (also my preferred portal) life gets interesting. GG is a download site, so I expect only digital stuff from them. The question is, what happens when you go to register and activate the game?

[Tramwhet 53]

they will just email you a code which with you can activate the game on origin, and download it on

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

they will just email you a code which with you can activate the game on origin, and download it on

Source please.

[Tramwhet 53]

they will just email you a code which with you can activate the game on origin, and download it on

Source please.

i bought Battlefield 3 (origin game) on internet for cheaper, and what they done it was sending me a code for activate it on Origin, so i think it going to be the same.

[The_City_Builder 299]

they will just email you a code which with you can activate the game on origin, and download it on

Source please.

He's assuming that because they've done that with other EA games on GamersGate.

edit: beaten to it

  Edited April 8, 2012 by 1701adguru  

[~Dee~ 215]

Everyone is talking about downloading the game, are you saying EA won't be selling the game as a hard copy in stores?

I hope not, my internet connection is slow and if I have to download a game the size of Simcity it would take many hours.

Could someone confirm that please.

  Edited April 9, 2012 by ~Dee~  

[Tarkus 6,931]

Per the actual sale page on the Origin site, the "Limited Edition" pre-order is being offered as both a "PC Download" and a "PC Physical" (e.g. an actual box with an actual disc in it). EA has a large brick-and-mortar distribution base (unlike Monte Cristo), and they're already planning to produce a hard copy version, so it seems pretty much inevitable that hard copies will be on store shelves.

-Tarkus

  Edited April 9, 2012 by Tarkus  

[~Dee~ 215]

Per the actual sale page on the Origin site, the "Limited Edition" pre-order is being offered as both a "PC Download" and a "PC Physical" (e.g. an actual box with an actual disc in it). EA has a large brick-and-mortar distribution base (unlike Monte Cristo), and they're already planning to produce a hard copy version, so it seems pretty much inevitable that hard copies will be on store shelves.

-Tarkus

Glad to hear that, thank you so much.

I prefer a disc to a download.

[brynhyfryd 222]

Wether you buy a Digital Download or a Physical copy the result is the same. Once EA shut down the servers the game is dead.

If EA change their policy then I will buy the game, be it digital or physical.

  Edited April 9, 2012 by brynhyfryd  

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Look at purchasing this game as an investment and calculate the return. What is your time worth when you are running a leisure time activity? If the game lives five years and cost you eighty bucks, that's fourteen bucks a year, or around a dollar and a bit a month. Why should anyone want more than that for their entertainment buck?

We also don't know what freebies, if any, are going to come out after the release. Think of Lot Editor, BAT. Neither were charged for, and I wouldn't bet that the tool kit for this will be a freebie.

I think they will keep the servers running as long as there is any profit in it. That means game sales continue, DLC is chargeable, add-ons also. Expansion packs à la The Sims they could have galore. We don't know what the marketing plan is, and you won't ever find out. These things are company secrets.

[NBAFAN1 28]

GamersGate is a great service, but SC 2013 being sold there doesn't mean anything about not needing Origin. Look at Civ 5 for example. You can buy it from GG, but you still have to activate it on Steam. Now unlike Steam, which is actually pretty decent, Origin is complete crap.

  Edited April 11, 2012 by NBAFAN1  

[Jazzmaster 716]

GamersGate is a great service, but SC 2013 being sold there doesn't mean anything about not needing Origin. Look at Civ 5 for example. You can buy it from GG, but you still have to activate it on Steam. Now unlike Steam, which is actually pretty decent, Origin is complete crap.

Steam and Origin function essentially the exact same way. I would know because I've used both.

You may prefer one monopoly (Valve) to another (EA), but it doesn't mean that one form of digital distribution is better than the other.

[Frode789 70]

GamersGate is a great service, but SC 2013 being sold there doesn't mean anything about not needing Origin. Look at Civ 5 for example. You can buy it from GG, but you still have to activate it on Steam. Now unlike Steam, which is actually pretty decent, Origin is complete crap.

Both are crappy.

[brynhyfryd 222]

Its good that Gamers Gate will be selling the game however it will still require Origin.

Origin is a nasty piece of mallware that will give EA a nice chunk of your personal data for them to sell.

Also dont be shocked to find that one day you are banned from the service and no longer able to retrieve and play your paid for games, without any explanation given.

  Edited April 11, 2012 by brynhyfryd  

[Craig-Abcvs 1,595]

GamersGate is a great service, but SC 2013 being sold there doesn't mean anything about not needing Origin. Look at Civ 5 for example. You can buy it from GG, but you still have to activate it on Steam. Now unlike Steam, which is actually pretty decent, Origin is complete crap.

Both are crappy.

I have seen lots of comments that Steam and/or Origin are 'crap'... could someone please explain why they are 'crap'?

My boys have used Steam for several games, and have not had any problems... they are able to play in offline mode, they were easily able re-download all the games after a computer crash...

I have not used or had any experience with Origin, but if someone can give me some clear factual information why it is 'crap' then that would be most enlightening.

Or is this just the ... 'Oh it is EA... so therefore it is crap' mentality?

Its good that Gamers Gate will be selling the game however it will still require Origin.

Origin is a nasty piece of mallware that will give EA a nice chunk of your personal data for them to sell.

Also dont be shocked to find that one day you are banned from the service and no longer able to retrieve and play your paid for games, without any explanation given.

That is a pretty strong statement.

Could you please back this up with some kind of factual account? Have you had personal experience of this?

I am not interested in heresay, or gossip... facts please.

[brynhyfryd 222]

GamersGate is a great service, but SC 2013 being sold there doesn't mean anything about not needing Origin. Look at Civ 5 for example. You can buy it from GG, but you still have to activate it on Steam. Now unlike Steam, which is actually pretty decent, Origin is complete crap.

Both are crappy.

I have seen lots of comments that Steam and/or Origin are 'crap'... could someone please explain why they are 'crap'?

My boys have used Steam for several games, and have not had any problems... they are able to play in offline mode, they were easily able re-download all the games after a computer crash...

I have not used or had any experience with Origin, but if someone can give me some clear factual information why it is 'crap' then that would be most enlightening.

Or is this just the ... 'Oh it is EA... so therefore it is crap' mentality?

Its good that Gamers Gate will be selling the game however it will still require Origin.

Origin is a nasty piece of mallware that will give EA a nice chunk of your personal data for them to sell.

Also dont be shocked to find that one day you are banned from the service and no longer able to retrieve and play your paid for games, without any explanation given.

That is a pretty strong statement.

Could you please back this up with some kind of factual account? Have you had personal experience of this?

I am not interested in heresay, or gossip... facts please.

Here you go, just a few examples. Just google it. I have also seen this happen first hand. Its also one of the reasons i refuse to buy the new simcity and BF3. I recomend all to do some research on this matter and make up their own mind.

http://www.rockpaper...update-edition/

http://www.gamingbus...rum-violations/

http://www.escapistm...m-Origin?page=1

http://www.cinemable...tion-36996.html

http://www.cinemable...e-PC-36690.html

As for STEAM. Great service and zero problems. Been buying games from them for years.

  Edited April 11, 2012 by brynhyfryd  

[jacksunny 741]

^From reading those articles, it sounds like EA bans people because they break forum rules. To me this is perfectly reasonable. You break rules, you pay the price.

It also sounds like Origin scans your computer to get information about it, so it can install a version of the software better suited for your computer.

[Mootilda 76]

^From reading those articles, it sounds like EA bans people because they break forum rules. To me this is perfectly reasonable. You break rules, you pay the price.

It's reasonable to ban people from the forums when they break forum rules. It's unreasonable to stop them from playing the game, or using downloaded content that they paid for, or played for.

It also sounds like Origin scans your computer to get information about it, so it can install a version of the software better suited for your computer.

Exactly how do my medical conditions and sexual preference help EA to install the correct version of the game?

A link in the last article:

http://pc.systemlink.me/2011/10/origin-knows-if-youre-gay-or-have.html

  Edited April 12, 2012 by Mootilda  

[jacksunny 741]

Exactly how do my medical conditions and sexual preference help EA to install the correct version of the game?

A link in the last article:

http://pc.systemlink...ay-or-have.html

Didn't see that. That's going a bit too far.

[ziroi 14]

Your article is a little misleading. Origin does not open the files, it does not say that. However Origin searches through your harddrive and checks what 3d party software is installed and uses this information for marketing purposes. For example if the find you have photoshop installed they know you are interested in graphics design and show accoring advertisement...It is not proven they open the files however the file attributes are checked to see if the software is in use or just rests on your harddrive.

This is a quoted comment from the original whistleblower on that same page. Does anyone use Origin to confirm whether this is an optional "checkbox"? A lot of software provides you the option to opt-out of this kind of data-mining.

Also:

There is also the possibility that, using your firewall and a separate userid for the SimCity game (only) you can defeat them no matter what they do. Just don't give the account Admin permission. Windows has lots of security if you use it.

This. Create a new account for Origin and SimCity and don't give it admin rights.

[Ocram's Razr 963]

GamersGate seems good and my Marzem.O user account on my PC should have no personal information to give out.