Following the unfortunate news that Battlefield 3 will not be available on Steam, EA has added more for fans to be disappointed with, announcing that Battlefield 3 will require the Origin client to run in the background while you play, even if one purchases the title at retail.  No word has yet been given on whether or not Origin will still be required if one purchases Battlefield 3 digitally from another online retailer, though given EA's persistence on pushing Origin into the spotlight it is likely that it will be a requirement no matter what.

The forced use of Origin will definitely be a problem to those who wanted to purchase a retail title in order to avoid the Origin client, which many feel will just be a hassle to use. This decision could spur higher sales of the console versions as PS3 and Xbox 360 gamers need not worry about using the Origin client to log in.

EA's digital service has received flak from both fans and developers alike, and this move will most likely ignite a flame among many. While Origin does bring more competition to the industry and while we understand it's Battlelog features, many gamers are more than comfortable with Steam already, and everyone would rather use one service than be forced to install and run two or more on their PCs.

One of the biggest problems this can present is that Origin (and Steam as well) both require power to run which can end up slowing down games. Gamers who prefer to game without a client like Steam or Origin running will now have to dedicate some resources to make sure the client and the game can run properly.

Battlefield 3 Requires Origin 2

EA is certainly causing a lot of unnecessary trouble for themselves with the controversy surrounding Battlefield 3, not a good way to as we near the game's release and after generating such positive buzz previously. From the inclusion of an Online Pass to the forced use of the Origin Client, EA aren't really portraying themselves in a positive light to PC Gamers, who are no doubt still upset about the decision to not release Battlefield 3 on Steam. The only way that EA could make things worse for themselves is if they require the upcoming Battlefield 3 novel to use the Origin client, they'll find a way.

Will you still be picking up Battlefield 3 on the PC despite the inclusion of the Origin client?

Battlefield 3 will release for October 25th for the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC.

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Source: BF3 Blog