BioWare’s ambitious looter shooter, Anthem, may have boasted intriguing aesthetics and showcased competent action RPG elements, but ultimately, it became a significant disappointment for both the developers and the publisher, EA. The fate of Anthem has been uncertain for a while, particularly after plans for a reboot were scrapped. Now, the final closure date has been announced: the game will officially shut down on January 12, 2026.
In a recent blog post, EA confirmed that once the servers go offline, Anthem will no longer be playable. This announcement aligns with the long-standing knowledge among players that the game would eventually face this fate. Players hoping for an offline mode akin to the one recently implemented for Redfall will be disappointed, as there are no plans for such an update. Additionally, Anthem will be delisted from EA Play starting August 15, 2025, giving fans a limited window to access the game before its removal.
The development of Anthem has been described as a harrowing experience, as reported by former Kotaku writer Jason Schreier. The game was ensnared in a cycle of production limbo, with numerous features remaining undefined until the last moment. As Schreier noted in 2019, “it wasn’t even clear what kind of game Anthem was until that E3 demo in June of 2017.” This lack of direction ultimately contributed to the game’s struggles after its release.
Upon its release, Anthem was plagued by numerous bugs and a gameplay loop that many players found unrewarding. The game felt like a hollow imitation of popular shooters such as Warframe and Destiny. Despite some players hoping for a No Man’s Sky-style revival, EA ultimately decided to cancel the ambitious 2.0 project that was intended to breathe new life into the struggling title. In the aftermath, copies of Anthem became so inexpensive that they were available for just a penny at local GameStop outlets.
Although Anthem has not received any new content updates for a long time and has been considered “dead” by many, a dedicated segment of the community continues to engage with the game. These fans have been trying to extract every last bit of enjoyment from the title, with achievements and rare loot now becoming a precious commodity as the shutdown date approaches. With the clock ticking, players are racing against time to secure any remaining achievements or memorable loot before the servers are permanently taken offline.
The impending shutdown of Anthem serves as a poignant reminder of the challenges faced by developers in the evolving landscape of live-service games. As the community prepares for the final days of gameplay, the legacy of BioWare’s ambitious project will be forever marked by both its potential and its shortcomings.
