Mass Effect 3 isn't launching on Steam, requires Origin
Mass Effect 3 is yet another entry in EA's stable of PC games that can't be purchased via Steam. At least it can't be purchased "initially," that is, according to BioWare community manager Chris Priestly, who posted a variety of FAQ answers on the EA division's forums late last week. "During initial release, Mass Effect 3 will be available on Origin and a number of other 3rd party digital retailers, but not on Steam at this time," he said.
Unsurprisingly, this also means that all PC versions of Mass Effect 3 will require EA's Origin service to launch the game -- regardless of where you buy it -- just like Battlefield 3 before it. And despite EA's wording, which implies the game may end up on Steam at some point after launch, we're doubtful that's around the corner.
Alongside the confirmation that ME3 won't end up on Steam, Priestly goes on to list the issues his company sees with launching on Steam ("restrictive terms of service," BioWare claims). Given Steam's ubiquity across the PC gaming landscape, not to mention the vast majority of its clients not complaining about said terms of service, we're gonna go ahead and wager that the terms aren't being altered anytime soon.
