Anthem, the online multiplayer shooter from BioWare and EA, will be shut down early next year.
“After careful consideration, we will be sunsetting Anthem on January 12, 2026,” EA announced on its blog. The game will remain playable until then, but it’s already been removed from digital storefronts and will no longer be accessible via the EA Play library on Aug. 15.
If you own the game already, you can no longer purchase in-game currency. Those who have in-game currency can spend it until Jan. 12.
Anthem launched in February 2019, which means it will close soon before its seventh anniversary. The game struggled at launch, receiving mixed reviews from critics and gamers alike. It ultimately failed to meet EA’s commercial expectations.
PCMag’s original review of Anthem said, “Anthem mimes shoot-and-loot games, but doesn’t do enough to stand apart from the competition. Plus, bugs and tedious level design mar a potentially entertaining title.” PCMag gave it a score of 2.5 out of 5.
A year after launch, BioWare announced plans to reinvent the gameplay loop. Then, in February 2021, BioWare announced it had stopped development work on the relaunch, and the game has remained in its current state ever since.
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“We deeply appreciate your dedication, passion and support over the years and we’d like to thank you for that,” EA says on its blog.
EA says no layoffs occurred because of the game’s shutdown. However, BioWare’s team experienced layoffs in January after the developer underwent a restructure. Some staff were moved elsewhere at EA, while others were dropped from the business.
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About James Peckham
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