Game Selection:

Winner: Steam

While it’s certainly something of an unfair comparison at this point (after all, Origin’s still very much the new kid on the block as far as digital distribution’s concerned), it’s still something a lot of people are judging Origin on. while Steam has a massive library comprised of thousand upon thousands of titles. Origin, while it’s certainly growing, has quite a ways to go before the platform can even think of challenging steam in terms of sheer variety.

Prices:

Winner: Steam

Sorry folks, but even if DeMartini was just shooting his mouth off (as he does all too often) about sales ‘cheapening intellectual property (EA’s offering deep discounts on many of it’s properties), I’m giving this one to Steam. After all, sales are something Steam’s known for, and we’ve yet to see Origin offer anything like Steam’s Summer Camp Sale. That’s not to say it isn’t something we might see in the future- but for the time being, Steam’s the better choice when it comes to getting games on the cheap.

Download Speed/Connectivity:

Winner: Origin

Believe it or not, Origin downloads are actually a touch faster than anything you might get over Steam. Maybe it’s a result of Steam’s larger user base putting more strain on their servers, or maybe EA simply has better servers- either way, there’s a good chance your downloads are going to be considerably faster over Origin- usually by several megabytes. Do note, however, that this depends on your network configuration as much as what client you’re using.

Usability:

Winner: Origin

Origin wins this one by a very small margin, simply because there’s not as much visual clutter on the platform as there is on Steam. their storefront, and their client, both feel more streamlined than the other platform, which sometimes can be overwhelming simply because of the sheer volume it confronts you with. As such, Origin is, believe it or not, a bit easier to use than Steam.

Memory Footprint:

Winner: Origin

Honestly, both clients can tend to be memory hogs, at times, and neither of the two clients is going to break your CPU when you’ve got it idling. The difference between the two is, at this point, fairly negligible. Still, I’ve noticed a few more memory glitches with Steam than I have with Origin…so I’m giving this one to EA’s client by a narrow margin.

Community:

Winner: Steam

Origin still seems to have trouble with friend lists and the social side of gaming (oddly enough.) Steam, meanwhile, has a thriving development and gaming community which is only strengthened further by the inclusion of the Steam Workshop and Steam Greenlight. Valve has historically gone out of its way to cater to the consumers, and as a result, those same consumers have formed a tight-knit, thriving network.

Parent Company

Winner: Steam

This one’s a no-brainer. EA needs to do some serious damage control, and take into very serious consideration what sort of image they’re presenting to gamers- because at the moment, it’s one fumble after another as PR is concerned. EA is the organization everybody loves to hate, and Valve is the one everybody loves. Is it any wonder so many people stick with Steam on sheer principle?

Final Score:

Steam: 4

Origin: 3

EA’s still got a lot of work to do, but if they keep going the way they’re going, they might design a platform that’s actually capable of being a legitimate competitor to Steam. Trouble is, who’s going to want to switch over? It’s the same reason so many social networks have tried and failed to challenge Facebook- everybody’s too entrenched.

Image Credits: [Itsthelingo]

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