The question of how people will be able to buy Battlefield 3 has been contentious for weeks, with many gamers hoping to sidestep the entire conversation about online accounts and digital storefronts by purchasing a retail copy of the game. (You know, the version of the game with a box and a disc and everything.) That won't be possible, though, as Global Battlefield Community Manager Daniel Matros has confirmed that retail copies of the game will also require EA's Origin.

It's becoming increasingly clear that if you want to play Battlefield 3, you're going to need an Origin account. Get used to it. Go ahead and download the client and learn your way around the service. If you're a Battlefield fan, you'll be spending a good amount of time there.

You'll also be using the Battlelog system to launch the game from your browser, search for servers, and organize games. That's right, you'll be using multiple services to play this game, and it looks as if they'll all be required. I'm sure this will lead to much wailing and gnashing of teeth in our comments, but I'm equally sure it will do little to hurt sales.