EA Origin Shutdown: Can I Still Access My Games?

Promo image for Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Credit: EA Games | fair use for promotional purposes

Promo image for Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Credit: EA Games | fair use for promotional purposes

Epic Games Store and Steam may be the dominating game launchers right now, but some studios require players to download their own launcher, like Blizzard with Battle Net and EA Games with Origin.

Unfortunately for Origin users, EA is shutting down the launcher, and everyone is asking questions about how they can access their library or what they can salvage from the shutdown.

EA Shutting Down Origins

According to EA's official help page, Origin will shut down in April. Players will need to update their software to the EA app to access their EA game library.

According to the official statement from EA, Origin is shutting down because Microsoft and Apple will no longer support 32-bit software. To ensure that the upgraded EA app works on your system, you must get the 64-bit version of Windows.

Origin, launched in 2011, allowed EA to sell its games directly to players. After 14 years online, though, it’s safe to say that the app has had a good run. Either way, EA is switching it out for a new (hopefully more intuitive) one.

What is Going to Get Transferred to the New EA App?

Promo image for Battlefield 2042
expand image
Credit: EA Games| fair use for promotional purposes

Upgrading to the EA app seems pretty straightforward. Players can log in with their Origin account, so no new accounts need to be created. The library from Origin will immediately transfer to the new app, and EA has kept all the stats from the original version, such as the hours played and in-game achievements.

When it comes to redownloading, upgrading the operating system on your PC doesn’t need players to re-download any of the games, but if someone is updating to a new piece of hardware that’s 64-bit compatible, players will have to transfer the downloaded data from the original PC.

As far as save data goes, EA confirms that players must enable cloud saves to ensure that their save files port over to the new app. Certain games don’t have access to the cloud, so players will have to transfer the data themselves manually.

Will Mods Work?

Gameplay still from Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
expand image
Credit: EA Games | fair use for promotional purposes

EA does not promise that mods will work similarly during the transition to the new EA app. Instead, it suggests that players contact their mod creators to address the shift from Origin to the new EA platform.

Though EA is doing its best to address any concerns that may arise, it offers a helpline for anyone with specific concerns about the transition.

EA Origin will shut down on April 17, so there’s still plenty of time to upgrade and prepare for the transition to the new app. If you have any specific questions or concerns, EA suggests you contact them here.