3) Is Origin required for the retail versions of the game?
Origin is required for the PC versions of Mass Effect 3, both physical and digital.
4) Will ME3 be available on Steam?
During initial release Mass Effect 3 will be available on Origin and a number of other 3rd party digital retailers, but not on Steam at this time. Steam has adopted a set of restrictive terms of service which limit how developers interact with customers to deliver patches and other downloadable content. We are intent on providing Mass Effect to players with the best possible experience no matter where they purchase or play their game, and are happy to partner with any download service that does not restrict our ability to connect directly with our consumers.
5) Is there an opt in or opt out clause for data collection?
Users will be allowed to opt-out of Mass Effect 3 data collection from inside the game.
6) I’ve seen reports that Origin is spyware. Is this true?
Origin is not spyware, and does not use or install spyware on user’s machines. In order to allow Origin to install games and their patches for everyone to use, Origin implements a permission change that results in Windows, not Origin, reviewing the filenames in the ProgramData/Origin folder. This is an ordinary Windows function, not an information-gathering process.
netnerd85 wrote on Jan 16, 2012, 01:04:Japanese, canadians, s.koreans, singapore and most people living in the eu do. There's no difference between owning a digital copy and a physical copy in any of those nations. Might be a few more too. But charging for the client would be illegal in all of them as well, since you'd be locked out of something you already own.
You don't own your digital games though, you own the physical copy and no one, no company can ever take your games away from your house. Steam could suddenly start charging a fee for the Steam Client and the way they are heading, they probably will. Gabe LOVES mico-transactions, the SINGLE most EVIL thing EVER.