Battlefield 3 - Shelf moments before I've even played it

I had forgotten how much I hate PC games for this type of crap.

So I pre-ordered Battlefield 3. It finally arrived (3 days late - thanks Amazon/Royal Mail), and I started the inevitable and interminable installation.

I have to install 'Origin' first (EA's equivalent of Steam). Sucky number 1.
Then, I have to install an update that's required for Battlefield 3. I PRE-ORDERED THIS GAME!!! How come it needs an update already?! Sucky number 2.

At that point I'd created an Origin ID, logged in to it and all it can say is 'No Games Detected'. Sucky number 3.

So having followed the install instructions to the letter, I now have Origin installed which I did NOT want, but no Battlefield which I DID want. ULTIMATE SUCKAGE.

And then, guess who didn't think to check that it supports Windows XP? >_<

So a few days later, I install Windows 7. Problem solved? No.

I had to try the install 4 times before Origin would recognise that I actually had the disk in the drive.

Every previous time, it would just start downloading the game. All 11GB of it.

Now, I sit, one week after release date, watching the installation progress bar on the game I pre-ordered, hoping that it will actually work once all this crap is sorted. Several times already I've considered just getting my money back.

Well done EA. What a beautiful customer experience you've produced.



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