EA is shutting down Bioware's Anthem next year, rendering it unplayable forever

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Another online game on the chopping block

(Image credit: BioWare/EA)
  • EA is taking Anthem offline permanently in January
  • The online-only game will be taken off EA Play next month
  • Premium currency is also unavailable to purchase as of now

Bioware's third-person shooter Anthem is the latest in a long line of online-only games to receive a death sentence, as publisher EA will be taking the game offline next year.

As reported by IGN, Anthem will effectively cease to exist on January 12, 2026, when the game's server will be taken offline. Anthem requires an online connection to play, meaning this will render the game permanently unplayable.

As of right now, EA has removed the ability to purchase premium currency in the game, and it's scheduled to be delisted from EA Play next month, on August 15. Players who already own the game - or who purchased it before that August date - will still get to play it before its closure in January.

While EA insists its decision to shelve Anthem didn't incur any job cuts, the company did lay off an unspecified number of Bioware staff back in January, including several veteran Dragon Age series developers. This was, apparently, a decision made in order to refocus efforts on the upcoming Mass Effect game.

Anthem was never the stone-cold success EA perhaps wanted it to be, with much critique levied at its bland story and repetitive gameplay. But as an always-online PvE shooter outside of the MMORPG space, it was arguably one of the first of its kind when it launched back in 2019. Though it's fair to say it was already being overlooked in favor of popular multiplayer games like Destiny 2, Overwatch, and, of course, Fortnite.

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Rhys Wood
Rhys Wood
Hardware Editor

Rhys is TRG's Hardware Editor, and has been part of the TechRadar team for more than two years. Particularly passionate about high-quality third-party controllers and headsets, as well as the latest and greatest in fight sticks and VR, Rhys strives to provide easy-to-read, informative coverage on gaming hardware of all kinds. As for the games themselves, Rhys is especially keen on fighting and racing games, as well as soulslikes and RPGs.

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