For those of you who have an overwhelming hatred of EA's Origin digital ditribution service, I'll give the good news first: you'll be able to download the publisher's upcoming SimCity revamp on a variety of non-Origin download services. Now the bad news: you'll still need to be connected to the Internet through an Origin account to actually play the game.

The news comes via Joystiq, which confirmed the distribution information from an EA representative during a preview event for the upcoming title, due sometime in 2013.

While the requirement for an "always-on," Origin-linked Internet connection might just seem like an Ubisoft-style attempt to protect the game from piracy, lead designer Stone Lebrande told Joystiq that the persistent connection was necessary for in-game features that focus on how one city impacts both its regional neighbors and other metropolises worldwide through a simulated global economy.

A complete list of digital distribution options for SimCity has not been finalized, according to the report.