I solved the issue
Its the in-game origins (the shift F1 access while in game).
You have to disable it via Origins app.
Click on the game in the app, hit settings, game properties, and disable in game Origins.
What it is : When you launch the game, when origins does its little "hit shift f1 to for access i game", it locks up.
I have no issues playing at the moment, and still have a working friends list in game.
Yay stupid programming.
