I'll be frank and admit that the best memories I have of college are those afternoons when I had no courses and could play Ultima IV-VIII from Origin. The technical achievements of those games, the epic duel between the Avatar and the Guardian, the revolutionary virtue system and the wonderful music probably had a bigger impact on me than any book I have read during those years. I just couldn't believe that the series was coming to an end with the disappointing Ascension. I still think the fall of Origin is one of the most sad events in the history of computer gaming.

For those who are interested, the latest issue of The Escapist has an interesting story on Origin, from the humble beginnings to the downfall. The author mentions that Trip Hawkins, back when he was still at Electronic Arts in the late 80s, filed a frivolous lawsuit against Origin, forcing a costly settlement. "This is just business," explained Trip to the Origin executives. "This is the way we're going to win." Read it all here.