[5] The Origin store allows users to browse and purchase games from Electronic Arts' catalogs.

Users can choose between paying a monthly or yearly subscription fee to access a large collection of EA titles (known as The Vault).

[16] The digital distribution software was first used to deliver the Battlefield 2: Special Forces expansion pack,[17] and subsequently most EA titles.

[27] Starting from the release of Battlefield 3 in 2011 until November 2019, every first-party game EA published on PC was exclusive to the Origin service.

[34] In 2012, Nathan Grayson of Rock Paper Shotgun said that "beyond being a branded storefront, I still don't understand what larger purpose Origin serves.

Instead, it's just puttered along at its own languid pace, harmlessly reminding us of its existence every time we pop open a big-name EA game.

"[35] In October 2022, Alice O'Connor of Rock Paper Shotgun called Origin "much-maligned" and "inconvenience you must accept to play the EA games which require it, and beyond that it is useless."

"[36] In December 2022, Joshua Wolens of PC Gamer said: "Have you ever launched a game from Steam, only to watch Origin or UPlay spark to life, and thought 'Ah, yes, how pleased I am to see you'?

[40] Origin's end-user license agreement (EULA) gives EA permission to collect information about users' computers regardless of its relation to the Origin program itself, including "application usage (including but not limited to successful installation and/or removal), software, software usage and peripheral hardware.

"[41] Initially, the EULA also contained a passage permitting EA to more explicitly monitor activity as well as to edit or remove material at their discretion.

[43][44] In response to the controversy, EA issued a statement claiming they "do not have access to information such as pictures, documents or personal data, which have nothing to do with the execution of the Origin program on the system of the player, neither will they be collected by us.

[43][47] According to Thomas Hoeren, a judge and professor for information, telecommunication and media law at the University of Münster, the German version of the EULA is a direct translation of the original without any modifications and its clauses are "null and void".

During March 2011, a user named "Arno" was banned for allegedly making the comment "Have you sold your souls to the EA devil?"

[48] After reporting on the details of the incident, website Rock, Paper, Shotgun received a statement from EA saying that Arno's account ban was a mistake, and that future violations on the forums would not interfere with Origin users' access to their games.

Another user received a 72-hour account suspension for posting a link to his own network troubleshooting guide in the EA forums.

One user was permanently banned for submitting a forum post containing the portmanteau "e-peen", which is slang for "electronic penis.