Electronic Arts (EA) has decided to shut down Bioware’s multiplayer action game Anthem after years of mediocre performance after its launch. The company announced Thursday that it will remove the game on January 12, 2026. Anthem is still playable until it goes offline, but EA is stopping selling the game’s in-game premium currency. BioWare’s first live service game, Anthem, launched on PC and consoles in 2019 but failed to attract a strong player base.
EA is shutting down Anthem
In an update posted on its website, EA said that Anthem’s servers will remain online until January 12, 2026, after which the game will no longer be playable. Since the game is an online game, players will not be able to log in and play.
“We have an important update to share regarding Anthem. After careful consideration, we will be discontinuing Anthem on January 12, 2026,” EA said in the update. “This means the game will still be playable online for the next 180+ days. Starting today, you can no longer purchase premium in-game currency, but you will still be able to use your remaining balance until the servers go offline.”
While Anthem is no longer available for purchase on the digital storefront, players who previously purchased the game will be able to install the game from the digital library and play until the servers come online. “Anthem” will also be removed from EA Play playlists on August 15, 2025. EA also confirmed that the closure of Anthem will not result in any layoffs at BioWare.
Anthem was released on PC, PS4, and Xbox One on February 22, 2019, marking a departure from BioWare’s portfolio of single-player RPGs. The multiplayer game struggled to find a stable player base before BioWare halted all future development of the game in 2021.
BioWare has since struggled to regain its solid position as the developer of critically acclaimed single-player franchises like Dragon Age and Mass Effect. The studio was hit by layoffs after sales of Dragon Age: Veiled Keeper failed to meet EA’s expectations. The developer’s headcount has reportedly shrunk to less than 100 people earlier this year after several employees were laid off or transferred to other EA teams.
The studio is currently developing the next Mass Effect under the leadership of veterans of the original trilogy, including Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, Parrish Wray, and others.
