Summary
- Years of mismanagement, unclear vision, and rushed development brought the shutdown of Anthem.
- It failed commercially and critically due to its poor gameplay loops, technical issues, and BioWare’s inexperience with looter shooter titles.
- Ultimately, EA abandoned the project and announced the server shutdown in January 2026, making it permanently unplayable.
Some things come to an end, yet unfortunately, it is too soon for Anthem. This multiplayer action-RPG from EA and BioWare will close its server on January 12, 2026, following poor commercial performance and reception. See below what you need to know about Anthem shutdown.
The Troubled Development History
Misstep builds up, leaving EA no room but to permanently stop the project. A series of preventable events affected the project since its initial development. After they released Mass Effect 3, they started to develop this looter shooter title.
However, the game failed to have a clear vision from the start. Instead, the only clear goal was to create a co-op action game different from the Mass Effect and Dragon Age franchises. It undergoes significant changes throughout the development cycle.
At first, they envisioned Anthem as a mission-based narrative survival game featuring robotic exosuits. Later on, it transformed into a looter shooter, which is a strange field for BioWare. With this shift in creative direction, there has been confusion throughout the development process.
Further, they encountered constant technical challenges with the Frostbite engine mandated by EA to all studios. They began to scrap several gameplay concepts due to the engine limitations. Moreover, the situation worsened when the project overseer left BioWare while in critical development phases.
Development Hell and Management Issues
Anthem was repeatedly unclear and reworked from 2014 to 2016, affecting other development areas. Their poor management decisions were evident as developers consistently moved between projects. Some Anthem developers were pulled to work on FIFA, while reassigning Dragon Age developers to Anthem. These decisions disrupted both projects’ development timelines.
What’s even worse is that Anthem was only developed a year prior to its release. Given that, it is clearly rushed compared to other game releases. The years of mismanagement, unclear vision, and resource issues contributed to its stagnant progress.
Yet, this result certainly left EA dissatisfied with the Christmas demo, forcing BioWare to create an entirely new trailer. Only the flying mechanics received positive feedback from the company. In addition, the developers were also pulled to assist with Mass Effect: Andromeda.
They were pulled multiple times from the project, dividing their attention towards Anthem development. Eventually, these factors led to the ultimate doom of this supposed competitive looter shooter project.
Poor Reception and Commercial Failure
Definitely, Anthem was off to a not-so-good start when it received a lukewarm reception after its launch in February 2019. Several critics pointed out multiple bugs in the game as well as the lackluster content it offers. At first, the “Iron Man simulator” concept and Javelin exosuits appeared promising and enjoyable.
However, these mechanics weren’t accompanied with engaging gameplay loops or meaningful content. As players spend more time playing the game, it feels more like a tech demo than a fully realized experience. It begins when Anthem experiences rapid player dropoff and negative word-of-mouth.
BioWare’s shortcomings began to appear as they struggled to compete with established titles like Warframe and Destiny 2. Ultimately, they failed to meet EA’s commercial expectations due to technical issues and server problems.
The Failed Anthem 2.0 Attempt
This did not go unrecognized by BioWare, announcing plans in February 2020 to rework on Anthem with “Anthem NEXT.” Initially, they plan to reinvent the core gameplay loop and address the fundamental issues in the original release. However, the plan seemed to fail as they discontinued it in February 2021.
The decision left no room for redemption for Anthem with this decision from the producers and developers. It serves as a nail in their coffin, leaving the game in its problematic state. It could have been a great redemption arc for the title if they had managed to complete the redesign.
The Final Shutdown Timeline
It is really shocking for many that EA ended up with a decision to shutdown Anthem years after the release. Now, players only have 180 days to experience the game before the servers go offline permanently. They already removed Anthem from digital storefronts alongside in-game currency purchases.
On August 15, 2025, gamers won’t longer see Anthem from EA Play, limiting access for subscription service users. The game will turn completely unplayable on January 12, 2026, to fans’ disappointment.
Conclusion
Anthem shutdown has definitely been surprising for many, especially the fans who genuinely enjoy the game. It was unfortunate seeing how things went south for Anthem despite years of development. With that, fans can enjoy its content while it lasts until January 12, 2026.
Writer’s Recommendations
Hi there, it’s Stal! If you loved that article, make sure to check out these other articles I’ve written just for you. See you there!
