On January 12, 2026, EA will officially shut down the servers for Anthem, rendering the game completely unplayable. This marks the end of a turbulent journey for one of BioWare’s most ambitious and controversial projects, a live service sci-fi RPG that promised dynamic combat, co-op exploration, and a new era for the studio. Instead, it became a cautionary tale.
What Anthem Was Supposed to Be
Anthem launched in February 2019 as BioWare’s answer to Destiny a shared-world shooter where players piloted Customisable exosuits called Javelins. The game featured four suit types, each with unique abilities, and emphasized vertical mobility, flight, and team-based combat. Players explored a lush alien world, completed missions, and looted gear in hopes of building the ultimate loadout.
The core fantasy, often described as an “Iron Man simulator”, was compelling. Flying through storms, dodging enemy fire, and unleashing elemental attacks felt powerful. But beneath the surface, cracks formed quickly.
Sales vs. Reality
Despite a strong launch week, Anthem failed to meet EA’s expectations. It sold around 2 million copies in its first week and reached approximately 5 million lifetime sales. But the player base collapsed. By late 2025, monthly active users had dropped to under 800, with fewer than 200 players online daily.
These numbers are stark, especially compared to EA’s other franchises like Star Wars Battlefront, which sold over 14 million copies in its first year.
Why Anthem Failed
Several factors contributed to Anthem’s downfall. Development was rushed, with reports suggesting the game was built in just 15 months. Major systems were still in flux weeks before launch, and the final product felt unfinished. Players quickly ran out of things to do. The loot system lacked depth, and promised expansions never materialized. Technical issues were rampant. Crashes, bugs, and long load times plagued the experience from day one.
BioWare also struggled to adapt to the live service model. Known for deep single-player RPGs, the studio’s attempt to “do storytelling like FIFA” lacked the narrative weight fans expected. A planned overhaul, dubbed Anthem 2.0, was scrapped in 2021, leaving the game in limbo until EA quietly announced its final shutdown.
What This Means for Players
With servers going offline, Anthem becomes a digital ghost, a game people paid for that can no longer be played. This raises ethical questions about ownership, preservation, and the future of online-only titles.
EA’s decision may be financially justified, but for players who invested time and money, it feels like abandonment. And for developers, Anthem stands as a reminder that ambition without clarity, and live service without support, can sink even the most promising projects.
What Do You Think?
Did you play Anthem? Were you one of the few who stuck with it, or did you bounce early?
Now that EA is shutting the servers down for good, we want to hear from you. Do you think it’s fair for companies to shut down games people paid for? Should players expect lifetime access to online-only titles? Or is this just the reality of live service gaming?
Drop your thoughts in the comments. Let’s talk about what this means for the future of game preservation, ownership, and trust between studios and players.