Where Did Origin Go?
The other day I was digging through a box of old games and came upon the voice add-on pack for Wing Commander 2 from Origin.  And it got me thinking: Just what has happened to Origin?  Five years ago Origin was one of the biggest game developers out there, with successful series such as Ultima, Wing Commander, Privateer, Crusader, and even innovative titles like CyberForge.  As of late, all we’ve seen from Origin has been the disappointing Ultima: Ascension and Ultima Online. 

It’s no secret that Origin has been going through changes over the past few years.  Today, we know that the company is busying working on Ultima Online 2: Origins as well as other online-only games that have yet to be announced.    While I can’t wait to hear what’s next up for this Texas-based developer, I can’t help but say I miss simple action games like Crusader and epic space titles such as Privateer 2.  The lack of product from Origin has left a void in the industry that has yet to be fully filled.

It’s possible that Origin has a number of unannounced games in the works that will bring that golden aura back to its name – I hope so, because Origin needs to get back to the place it was in the mid 1990s.