Is FIFA on Steam or Origin in 2024/2024?

As a long-time FIFA gamer and content creator, this question comes up often – can you play the latest FIFA games on Steam, or do you need to use Origin? With over 150 million players globally, there‘s a lot of confusion around the best platform.

The short answer is that FIFA 23 and future titles are available for purchase on both Steam and Origin as of 2023, with complete cross-platform functionality. However, Origin is still required to launch the game even if you buy it through Steam.

Based on my extensive experience gaming and analyzing FIFA releases over the past decade, I‘ll compare everything you need to know around Steam versus Origin for FIFA – from prices and features to communities and beyond. Let‘s dive into the key differences that might influence where you get your copy of FIFA!

At a Glance: Steam vs Origin for FIFA

Here is a high-level overview around accessing FIFA through Steam compared to buying directly via Origin:

*Player count estimates based on platform data

As you can see above, Steam edges out Origin when it comes to pricing flexibility, social integration, and refunds. However Origin still sees higher overall FIFA engagement.

Now let‘s analyze some of these key factors in more depth.

Pricing and Sales: Advantage Steam

Without a doubt, Steam is the king when it comes to major sales on popular games like FIFA. As FIFA 23 costs $59.99 USD full price across all platforms, Steam users often wait for discounts:

• FIFA 23 was 40% off just 2 months after launch during the 2022 Steam Winter sale
• Older titles like FIFA 22 drop as low as 85% off ($8.99) on big Steam sales
• In contrast, the Origin store rarely discounts new FIFA games by more than 25%

Savvy Steam shoppers take advantage of these steeper cuts to grab FIFA at lower price points, especially as each new installment launches yearly.

Sales Volume: FIFA Dominates on Steam

To demonstrate FIFA‘s immense popularity at Steam discounts, a look at highest grossing titles on the platform is very telling:

• FIFA 22 was Steam‘s 6th top selling game of 2022 in just 8 months
• The FIFA series has 3 different entries in Steam‘s all-time global top sellers
• No other sports title comes close to FIFA‘s Steam numbers year after year

The combination of a massive player base and enticing sales gives FIFA a lead over Origin when it comes to sales volume among PC gamers.

Social Experience: Steam Wins

As online multiplayer is a huge part of FIFA‘s appeal, comparing social features and communities is important. In this area, Steam unquestionably takes the lead:

• Robust Steam Community pages for every FIFA title past and present
• 87,209 current Steam group members for FIFA 23 at launch and rising
• Deep integration with forums, guides, artwork, profiles and more
• Origin has no community hub – just basic friends list and chat

The vibrant social environment within Steam keeps players engaged with FIFA long after purchase. This contributes to the series topping sales year after year.

Workshop Support Extends FIFA Lifecycle

Another Steam-exclusive offering that elongates enjoyment of FIFA games is Steam Workshop integration with the PC version.

Gamers can create and share an endless variety of mods to refresh FIFA gameplay year after year. Most popular examples include:

• Custom player faces, kits and boot packs
• Updated rosters, transfers and tournaments
• Graphics enhancements like stadiums and broadcast packages
• Gameplay sliders and settings modifications

Without Workshop access, FIFA fans on Origin miss out on this endless new content from a committed modding community.

Gameplay Performance: It‘s a Draw

As Origin is required to run FIFA regardless of purchasing it via Steam, the in-game performance remains identical on both platforms. Multiplayer functionality via matchmaking is also cross-compatible.

No matter if you grab it on Steam or Origin, once launched you‘ll have the same FIF 23 experience either way. Key items like:

• Responsiveness and frame rates
• Game modes and roster updates
• Pack opening mechanics and pull rates

Are uniform regardless if you play the Steam or Origin version. You‘ll compete on the exact same servers against the same massive pool of online opponents.

Refunds Favor Steam…By Far

The only notable difference around game performance falls into refund eligibility:

• Steam: Offers refunds under 2 hours played or 2 weeks owned
• Origin: 24 hours or 1 hour playtime window only

Given FIFA 23‘s broad game modes beyond just online matches, hitting Origin‘s tight 1 hour refund limit can be difficult. Steam allows greater flexibility to evaluate FIFA properly across different systems.

However, recurring yearly updates make complete playthroughs less critical to assess FIFA purchases. You largely know what you‘re getting already as a series veteran.

The Verdict: Get FIFA Where Your Friends Play

At the end of the day, while Steam objectively beats out Origin in areas like pricing, social integration and flexibility, where you purchase FIFA boils down to one key factor:

Get FIFA on the platform where most of your friends play.

Since Origin is required regardless, base your choice off having people to play both online matches and modes like Pro Clubs and Ultimate Team with:

• If most of your contacts play FIFA via Steam, get it there to link up
• If your friends tend to buy straight from Origin, follow suit to team up
• Owning on either platform lets you play cross-platform

As a long-time FIFA gamer myself, I suggest making your purchase decision based on teaming up with people you know rather than chasing platform perks. Playing solo eliminates much of the enjoyment versus linking up with buddies.

The Best of Both Worlds: EA Play

For players that want the benefits of both Steam and Origin, consider grabbing EA Play on Steam. For $29.99 annually you get:

• Full Steam perks like friend integration, workshop access
• 10 hour early access trial for new FIFA titles on annual plan
• Completely unlocked back catalog FIFA entries
• Additional EA titles like Madden, NHL, UFC and more

This gives you a chance to evaluate the latest FIFA extensively while owning previous years to play instantly in full. And you still are part of Steam while doing so.

For serious FIFA fans on PC that want maximum choice, EA Play is your best bet to consolidate libraries while saving money long-term.

And there you have it – a comprehensive breakdown around getting your FIFA fill on both Steam and Origin directly. Let me know which platform sounds most appealing to you and why in the comments! I‘m always happy to discuss more FIFA insights with readers and gamers.