Questions: Upcoming change to Game Extras + Removal of third-party games [ Edited ]

[Cantiras]

I have several questions regarding the impending change affecting game extras that I'm hoping an EA representative in the forums will either already have the answers to or can find out from someone else within EA. I apologize for the wordiness.

1) The following items are not included in the downloads at https://www.ea.com/games/ea-downloadable-extras or the list at https://www.ea.com/ea-pc-game-extras-change, but I'm assuming they will be affected by the impending change. Will these be added to https://www.ea.com/games/ea-downloadable-extras or otherwise remain accessible via the Origin client or EA app, or do I need to make backups?

• I. Crysis Editor (a.k.a. CryEngine Sandbox) for the original (2007) EA-published Crysis. The editor is currently available via the Extra Content tab on the Game Details page in the Origin library.
• II. Jade Empire: Avatars and Jade Empire: Artworks (not to be confused with Jade Empire: Artbook). These two items are currently available via the Extra Content tab on the Game Details page in the Origin library, and when installed are located in the game's Extras directory. (Edit: Has subsequently been added.)
  
• III. Mass Effect 2 Documentary. This three-part making-of Mass Effect 2 documentary is currently available via the Extra Content tab on the Game Details page in the Origin library, and when installed is located in the game's Bonus directory. (Edit: Has subsequently been added.)
• IV. Mass Effect Trilogy Art and bonus art for Mass Effect 3 (not to be confused with the Art of Mass Effect or Normandy Lithograph PDFs). I'm not sure if the bonus art is exclusive to the Digital Deluxe Edition or if it is available with the standard edition as well, but the Mass Effect Trilogy Art is currently available via the Extra Content tab on the Game Details page in the Origin library, and when installed these (bonus and trilogy art) JPEG image files are located in the game's Bonus directory. (Edit: Has subsequently been added.)
• V. Need for Speed Carbon Collector's Edition Bonus DVD for Need for Speed Carbon Collector's Edition. This video content is currently available via the Extra Content tab on the Game Details page in the Origin library. (Edit: Has subsequently been added.)

2) Will PDF manuals, reference cards, and guides/walkthroughs (for games which currently include them) also be removed as part of this change? E.g. PDFs as included with (located in the installation directories of) Crusader: No Remorse, Crusader: No Regret, Dungeon Keeper, Dungeon Keeper 2, Lands of Lore: The Throne of Chaos, Nox, Star Wars: Battlefront (2004), Star Wars: Battlefront II (2005), Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II, Syberia II, Syndicate (1993), Theme Hospital, Ultima Underworld, Ultima Underworld II, Ultima VIII, Wing Commander III, Wing Commander IV, etc.

3) I am seeking verification that this upcoming change in no way impacts any in-game extras (in-game limited edition or collector's edition content, expansion packs, weapons packs, resource packs, item packs, shortcut packs, battlepacks, currency packs, etc).

4) This change should not affect the game extras for EA-published games on other digital platforms (Steam, GOG) that don't require the Origin or EA app clients, correct? None of EA's games published on Steam prior to 2011 [e.g. Jade Empire, Crysis (2007), Dragon Age: Origins, Mass Effect 2] require the Origin client, and none of the relevant EA-published games on GOG require the Origin client.

5) Will this change affect the game extras for EA-published games on Steam that require the Origin client? E.g. Game extras for Crysis 3, Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Mass Effect 3, Mass Effect: Andromeda, The Sims 4, etc. on Steam.

6) The third-party titles Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning FATE Edition (which includes the game's official soundtrack), Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning Official Soundtrack (which is available as a separate purchase), and Biomutant Official Soundtrack are not mentioned on https://www.ea.com/ea-pc-game-extras-change. Are these affected?

7) What happens if you purchase a third-party game with game extras on Origin after June 13, 2022? Will the extras still be included by some means after June 13, 2022 (even if that means having to contact EA Help to get it)?

Edit for #7: I just read https://answers.ea.com/t5/General-Discussion/Upcoming-changes-to-our-PC-catalog/m-p/11481706. That answers that question.

8) Lastly, perhaps https://www.ea.com/games/ea-downloadable-extras could be consolidated with https://help.ea.com/help/faq/dlc-for-classic-games/? I.e. A single web page for downloads.

[Cantiras]

Will the upcoming removal of third-party games from sale on Origin.com impact achievements for any third-party games which currently have achievements? My expectation is that it wouldn't, since any purchased games will remain available in your Origin/EA app library, and common industry practice is for achievements to remain in place after a game is removed from sale.

1. Will earned achievements for third-party games remain on your profile after June 13, 2022?
2. If prior to June 13, 2022, you purchased a third-party game that features achievements, but you don't complete all the achievements before June 13, 2022, will you still be able to finish any remaining achievements thereafter?

[SpikedWallMan]

I also have a question in response to @EA_Kent's announcement about Downloadable Extras.

Will downloadable versions of the MP3/WAV versions of soundtracks for EA games (Dragon Age, Mass Effect, etc.) be posted on the Downloadable Extras page eventually? Right now the Downloadable Extras page only provides Spotify links to those soundtracks despite the page saying that "you can still download game extras directly to your device" in the page text.

Alternatively, if I should need to download my EA soundtracks again, do we have the option to email EA Support in order to get a download link? The announcement says that this option is offered for 3rd party games, but nothing is said about whether this option is available for EA games as well.

When I purchased the soundtracks for my EA games, I paid for the ability to play these soundtracks ad-free on any device that I want without the need for an internet connection or 3rd party subscription. So links to Spotify are hardly a suitable substitute for the soundtrack extras that we paid for.

[Cantiras]

@EA The additions to https://www.ea.com/games/ea-downloadable-extras haven't gone unnoticed. Thank you.

[SpikedWallMan]

Agreed.  Thank you EA.

Looking forward to seeing more added to this page in the future.  (Like the Mass Effect 1 soundtrack and the Mirror's Edge soundtrack complete with the original version of Still Alive that was included as an Origin extra.)

[Cantiras]

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@SpikedWallMan wrote:

...the Mirror's Edge soundtrack complete with the original version of Still Alive that was included as an Origin extra.)

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Is this the version of "Still Alive" you are trying to find? http://akamai.cdn.ea.com/eadownloads/u/f/eagames/mirrors_edge/bonus_music/STILL ALIVE (THE THEME FRO...

It was previously listed at https://help.ea.com/help/faq/dlc-for-classic-games/#mirrorsedge as "THE THEME FROM MIRROR'S EDGE" (as shown in the attached image), but it has since been removed from the tracklisting there due to the download link having been malformatted. Hopefully someone will add the correct download link (as provided above) back to the tracklist. The Armand Van Helden mix is also missing from that tracklist, but it might not be available.

Nettwerk Music Group released a free download of the soundtrack (including the Armand Van Helden mix) on its site as well. Not that there is any perceptible difference, but the tracks as released by Nettwerk are encoded at 192 kbps, whereas the tracks as released by EA are encoded at 160 kbps.

[tyl0413]

I used the like Origin the way it was, EA Desktop is a major step backwards in every way and now they're even removing functionality from Origin to make that crap look better, that's unacceptable.

[Win32KernelFile]

@tyl0413 Agreed, these days big shots at publisher seats LOVES to mess around with GUI,settings panel on software, literally everything they HAD TO change everything to major step backwards and what's worse they making Origin unusable to promote their crappy ea desktop program.

EA desktop still in alpha and doesn't even have third mouse button protection to avoid go back between pages.

If you have entered your password on ea desktop, do not press additional mouse buttons, it will go back where you entered email address and you will have to reenter your password. What a joke,

[Cantiras]

As I read it, both the removal of third-party games from sale on Origin and the removal of game extras from download via Origin were supposed to go into effect June 13.

I see that some game extras have been removed from download via Origin in accordance with the announcement, while some game extras thankfully haven't. E.g. Crysis Editor, Jade Empire: Artworks, Jade Empire: Avatars, Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning Official Soundtrack, Mass Effect 2 Digital Art Books, Mass Effect 2 Documentary, Mass Effect 2 Soundtrack, Mass Effect Trilogy Art (game extra for Mass Effect 3), The Final Hours of Mass Effect 3, Need for Speed Carbon Collector's Edition Bonus DVD, and possibly a small number of other game extras (e.g. such as these soundtracks and this art book), are still available for download via Origin. Also, third-party titles are still for sale on Origin.

1. Has the removal process of game extras concluded (for both EA and third-party titles)? If not, what is the new timeline for conclusion of the process? Will game extras that are still currently in my Origin library remain in my Origin library moving forwards?
2. I assume the removal of game extras from Origin was related to the transition from Origin to EA app, as EA app doesn't offer game extras and developers don't appear to be planning on adding that functionality. For game extras which I still currently have access to via Origin, am I correct in assuming that these will never be made available via EA app?
3. Has EA decided to continue selling third-party titles? If not, what is the new timeline for their removal from sale?
4. Why is The Final Hours of Titanfall still for sale on Origin when it has been removed from existing owners' libraries and is now available for free here? Though I'm not going to waste money to satisfy my curiosity, I'm tempted to see what will happen if I purchase it again (e.g. will it be added back to my library?), since Origin appears to no longer recognize my entitlement for The Final Hours of Titanfall now that it has been removed from my library as part of the June 13 change.

PS I still have a listing for Mass Effect 2 Digital Art Books on the Extra Content tab for Mass Effect 2 in my library, but now there no download button, just an error message (see attachment). I have cleared Origin's cache, it didn't resolve this issue. I also see this same error on https://www.origin.com/game-library/ when using in a native web browser (instead of using the Origin client's Qt WebEngine embedded browser). This issue didn't exist prior to June 13. Edit: This error has been resolved.

[tyl0413]

@Cantiras Don't remind them to ruin it further, also the ME2/3/DAO/2 DLCs might be bugged due to the BioWare Point removal, yesterday all DLC said price unavailable for me on ME2 but now they work fine including the Digital Art Book