Say Hello To EA's New Online Direct-To-Consumer Gaming Platform 'Origin'

Electronic Arts is today debuting Origin, a direct-to-consumer gaming platform, as first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

According to the placeholder website, expect Origin to go live around 9 AM Pacific time.

The platform will enable gamers to discover, buy and download more than 150 games from EA at its debut, with exclusive limited edition copies of EA games like Battlefield 3 and FIFA 12 to be added to the fray later on.

Other content from EA Partners such as Alice: Madness Returns and 38 Studios’ Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, as well as digital downloads of Star Wars: The Old Republic will be available exclusively on Origin later this year.

In addition, EA is today launching the Origin beta application, a desktop app that works much like Steam or iTunes, enabling users digitally download and play PC games straight from EA but also to find and connect with friends and see what they are playing.

Origin will also be available to gamers on the go, with the service on mobile devices giving gamers access to an Origin mobile profile where they can connect and play with friends in EA’s smartphone titles, including SCRABBLE and the upcoming mobile version of Battlefield 3.

In the future, EA says, mobile gamers will also be able to see what games their friends are playing, as well as compare high scores.

Update: in other news, EA this morning also revealed the games it will present at E3 at the Los Angeles Convention Center June 7-9.

This year’s E3 press briefing, GAMECHANGERS: EA 2011 Preview will feature news from big EA titles such as, Battlefield 3™, Need for Speed™ The Run, Madden NFL 12, FIFA Soccer 12, SSX™ and Mass Effect™ 3; and the highly anticipated new MMO, Star Wars™: The Old Republic™. The briefing will include news and announcements on new games and digital/online initiatives. The briefing can be viewed live exclusively on SPIKE TV Monday, June 6 at 3:30 PM ET/12:30 PM PT or at www.ea.com/e3.

EA Interactive will be hosting media demos throughout E3 for key EA mobile, Chillingo and Playfish titles at the JW Marriott located at 900 West Olympic Blvd. in Salon B.