Madden 19 on disk

[elguapo]

You have to log into Origin to play the game, but after you log into Origin, you can put it into "offline mode".

I travel quite a bit and there are times I layover in small towns with no cell service. If I wanted to play Madden to kill the time I wouldn't be able to play it because I couldn't log in to Orion? So why am I paying a license fee to play the game but I can't because I still need to ask permission from Orion?

[cdcool]

...the online mode autosave to the cloud after every play, a interesting feature

...until EA decides to shut down the server and make you sign up to the server that comes out with the new version of Madden.

I was under the impression that you can play this game offline. Doesn't that mean that you don't need a connection to Origin after you have the game installed? Or do you have to log into Origin every time that you want to play the game?
You should be able to sever the connection with the Origin servers if you don't play with the internet on, correct?

You need Origin, it sucks

[NickyJ]

There are a lot of people giving blanket opinions without actually saying how it works. Let's put this straight.

1. You need an Origin account. Origin in its most basic form is like a catalogue. It's a catalogue of games that you buy from, and instead of giving you a physical disk, it gives you a game key. It's like the old copy protection on the backs of disk cases showing game keys. You can have the disk and that's all well and nice, but you don't actually get to use the game without the CD key. Same goes for Origin.

2. You need an internet connection to (a) download the game, and (b) update the game. Updates I expect will carry on until the end of the season, since at the very least it updates rosters. It's still useful to have because it fixes bugs.

3. Once you have downloaded the game, you do NOT need to have any internet connection whatsoever. Updates are a benefit, not a necessity. You do NOT need to save your files online, you do NOT need internet for ANYTHING after downloading the game. (Someone's going to say "nooo, Origin says I can't play until I update." That is correct. And if you have no internet connection, there is no way for it know that there is an update. If you do have an internet connection, why do you NOT want bugs in the game to be fixed?)

4. You WILL need an internet connection and an account with Origin if you want to play online. Duh.

5. Origin deleting Madden 19 from its servers is not going to happen in even the next decade. Origin still stores old FIFA games that were made BEFORE Origin even existed. It also supports one off games that are 13 years old, and no sign of deleting them yet. So stop panicking. The only way it happens is if EA ceases to exist, in which case Hell is freezing over and there's probably more important things going on like Armageddon or nuclear winters.

[madden07eurocat]

There are a lot of people giving blanket opinions without actually saying how it works. Let's put this straight.

1. You need an Origin account. Origin in its most basic form is like a catalogue. It's a catalogue of games that you buy from, and instead of giving you a physical disk, it gives you a game key. It's like the old copy protection on the backs of disk cases showing game keys. You can have the disk and that's all well and nice, but you don't actually get to use the game without the CD key. Same goes for Origin.

2. You need an internet connection to (a) download the game, and (b) update the game. Updates I expect will carry on until the end of the season, since at the very least it updates rosters. It's still useful to have because it fixes bugs.

3. Once you have downloaded the game, you do NOT need to have any internet connection whatsoever. Updates are a benefit, not a necessity. You do NOT need to save your files online, you do NOT need internet for ANYTHING after downloading the game. (Someone's going to say "nooo, Origin says I can't play until I update." That is correct. And if you have no internet connection, there is no way for it know that there is an update. If you do have an internet connection, why do you NOT want bugs in the game to be fixed?)

4. You WILL need an internet connection and an account with Origin if you want to play online. Duh.

5. Origin deleting Madden 19 from its servers is not going to happen in even the next decade. Origin still stores old FIFA games that were made BEFORE Origin even existed. It also supports one off games that are 13 years old, and no sign of deleting them yet. So stop panicking. The only way it happens is if EA ceases to exist, in which case Hell is freezing over and there's probably more important things going on like Armageddon or nuclear winters.

Thank You very much for that explanation of how Origin works. That's how I thought the game would be played, either on or off-line.

[mginsburg]

So I downloaded Madden from Origin and any updates. Can I uninstall the Origin program and remove the service, which hogs bandwidth like crazy? I had Sim City from Origin and if I removed Origin, i couldn't play it.

[NickyJ]

You can't uninstall Origin and still play Madden, but the only reason Origin would be using bandwidth is because it's downloading games or downloading updates for them. If you have no interest in updating those games, Origin has a setting that disables automatic updates. I do that for modded games on Origin and it works perfectly.

You can also simply shut down Origin when you're not using it, and only start it when you want to play Madden. In that case, it would only be running when you're playing a game with it.

[GaryGrinch]

Can i buy Madden 19 for PC on a physical disk. I don't want to use Origin at all. Their online accounts drain bandwidth. I just want to buy it like I did with Madden 08. Thank you

This is the ONLY reason I will not be buying Madden 19. I want the disk, case/box and manual etc. just like Madden 08.

[RevanFan]

Can i buy Madden 19 for PC on a physical disk. I don't want to use Origin at all. Their online accounts drain bandwidth. I just want to buy it like I did with Madden 08. Thank you

This is the ONLY reason I will not be buying Madden 19. I want the disk, case/box and manual etc. just like Madden 08.

Personally, I don't understand that reasoning. PC gaming is doing away with discs, and while I personally am not a fan of that, there's no point to have a disc if the game will REQUIRE client software to run. All EA games REQUIRE Origin, so not having a disc version makes perfect sense. Same with any game that REQUIRES Steam.

If, for instance, there were a game that had a separate digital and physical edition, in which case the physical edition was not tied to any client such as Steam or Origin, then I'd love for that disc copy to exist. However, that's just not the way PC gaming is going.

[TeeNice]

If you own a PS4 or Xbox One, you have an option to purchase Madden 19 on DVD or digital dl from BestBuy for $29.99. The main reason the game is only a digital dl on pc is to minimize the game from being pirated.

[RevanFan]

If you own a PS4 or Xbox One, you have an option to purchase Madden 19 on DVD or digital dl from BestBuy for $29.99. The main reason the game is only a digital dl on pc is to minimize the game from being pirated.

I doubt that's really why. Pirates crack digital copies almost immediately. In fact, much DRM ends up getting cracked even before release. The game is digital only because all EA games are digital only on PC, and it's much cheaper to not distribute a disc, since most PC gamers don't use disc copies, and most don't even have disc drives anymore. I only do because a friend gave it to me for free. I almost never use it. My mom also has a disc drive that she never touches. Disc copies just wouldn't sell very much on PC, even if they were made. 'Tis the reality of modern PC gaming. The future is in the cloud, like it or not.