Electronic Arts has updated its user figures for the Origin digital game distribution service, noting that over 30 million users are now registered, including 13 million on mobile devices.
EA's COO Peter Moore revealed the figure as part of the company's latest earnings call, up from 21 million registered users (including 9 million mobile users) in August.
In May, the platform had just over 12 million registered users, suggesting that its player base is ramping up at a considerable pace, no doubt in part thanks to the success of EA's mobile endeavours and console games that have Origin built in.
Discussing monetization on the platform, Moore noted that around 4.4 million of these 30 million registered users have actually purchased content via Origin, with the average sale totalling $64.
In comparison, Valve's Steam platform -- Origin's biggest competitor -- currently has over 50 million registered users worldwide. Steam users are able to purchase games for PC and Mac platforms, while Origin users cover PC, mobile and console games from EA and other select third-party publishers.
In related news how many active accounts are there? I figure 4.4 million is probably the true 'max' of origin users, which less are probably active, as 25.6 million probably only registered to get their EA games working.
Of course 'active' is probably easily skewed seeming I'm sure it flags the account as 'active' when it calls home to the EA servers when starting up games and such even though to the user there is little to no visibility of Origin.
...and those 4.4mil that purchased might have purchased in game without even thinking about Origin. The count for users that actively went to Origin to buy would be interesting to know, not forgetting that's inflated by the little buying frenzy of free games a few weeks back!
@Travis: Steam is happy to tell you exactly how many people are on Right Now, and how many were on in the last 48 hours. Little graph on the right side. 4,834,286 peak, 2,476,630 right now. They even break it down by game if you click. That gives you some idea about the ratio.
Of course EA's not going to be that transparent, so it's hard to compare. They claimed 5M per day a year ago.
I'm registered for this too, since I had to for some game (Mass Effect 2?). Just like I'm signed up for Ubisoft's U-thingie for Assassin's Creed 2. I never use either.
'Purchased Content' would include any of the DLCs. Though it could legitimately include some of their 50% off sales.
I think I have an Origin account, but I've never bought a game through Origin. By contrast, my Steam library is somewhere between 50 and 100 games, only one of which (Left 4 Dead) I did not actually buy through Steam.
Origin is so boxed in, it seems the only way you can publish a game to them is if it was successfully 'crowd funded'. Seems a strange criteria for game submissions.
SO just wondering, will I need to create an Origin account when I try to play the upcoming Free to Play version of Star Wars Old Republic? That alone could create another flood of accounts on their system.
I signed up for the present 'free trial' for The Old Republic recently. You had to create an account to play of course, but if it was an Origin one, it was completely inobvious. Doesn't mean they aren't 'counting' it though.
And one wonders how many hours the average Origin user logs a month. I assume that it only spikes when there is a new release to play-Steam -always- has new things to play.
Origin is crap, I'd rather just play EA games on consoles than deal with it.
I don't think the number of hours they log is relevant either. What matters is if people are consciously choosing to use Origin over other services. Are 30 million people using Origin because they like it better than Steam, GOG, etc. or are 30 million people using it because they bought an EA game and that game can't be played without an Origin account? Are people returning to Origin on purpose to buy new games? Those are more relevant questions to me.
This article is bananas. Origin is not "catching up to Steam". It's not *quite* apples and oranges, but it's not far from that either.
The overwhelming majority of Origin accounts come from users forced to opt in when they purchase a given game (ex: Mass Effect), not from users voluntarily signing up for the service, as is the case with Steam. Also: mobile.
So true ... I seriously doubt they are catching up - note they announce this a few months after TOR went free to play. But I bet that the same could be said for steam. Yes they have great sales but many folks were dragged in kicking and screaming because they had to use steam to play the half-life 2, initially and lots of other steam works games since.
Of course 'active' is probably easily skewed seeming I'm sure it flags the account as 'active' when it calls home to the EA servers when starting up games and such even though to the user there is little to no visibility of Origin.
Of course EA's not going to be that transparent, so it's hard to compare. They claimed 5M per day a year ago.
I haven't logged into it since then.
Origin is in this weird place, it's not quite good enough to be steam, but it's not bad enough to be GFWL. Let's see what EA can do with it.
You can always check steam stats too see how many active users are on steam daily.
'Purchased Content' would include any of the DLCs. Though it could legitimately include some of their 50% off sales.
Origin is crap, I'd rather just play EA games on consoles than deal with it.
The overwhelming majority of Origin accounts come from users forced to opt in when they purchase a given game (ex: Mass Effect), not from users voluntarily signing up for the service, as is the case with Steam. Also: mobile.