Electronic Arts (EA) has announced the impending closure of BioWare’s multiplayer action game, Anthem, which struggled since its launch. The game is set to go offline on January 12, 2026. Players can continue to access the game until that date, but EA is discontinuing sales of in-game premium currency immediately. Anthem, launched on PC and consoles in 2019, was BioWare’s inaugural live service title and failed to build a substantial player base.
EA to Close Anthem Servers
In an official statement shared on its website, EA confirmed the details surrounding Anthem’s discontinuation. The company noted that the servers will remain operational until January 12, 2026, after which the online-only game will be entirely inaccessible.
“We have an important update to share regarding Anthem. After careful consideration, we will be sunsetting Anthem on January 12, 2026,” reads the announcement. “This means that the game will still be playable online for the next 180+ days. As of today, you can no longer purchase in-game premium currency, but you can still use your remaining balance until the servers go offline.”
Although Anthem is no longer available for purchase on digital platforms, players who have already acquired the game can still download and play it from their digital libraries until the servers shut down. Furthermore, EA has indicated that Anthem will be removed from the EA Play subscription service on August 15, 2025. The decision to close the game will not lead to layoffs at BioWare, EA assures.
Anthem debuted on February 22, 2019, for PC, PS4, and Xbox One, representing a significant shift from BioWare’s well-known single-player role-playing games. Despite its promise, the title failed to secure a reliable player base and saw BioWare halt all future development in 2021.
Since then, BioWare has faced challenges in reestablishing its reputation as a creator of celebrated single-player series like Dragon Age and Mass Effect. The studio encountered significant staffing reductions following the underperformance of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, leading to a workforce of fewer than 100 employees after various layoffs and internal reassignments earlier this year.
Currently, BioWare is focused on developing the next installment of the Mass Effect series, helmed by key figures from the original trilogy, including Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, Parrish Ley, and others.
