EA has announced it will shut down the servers for multiplayer game Anthem on 12 January 2026, with all remaining players forced to abandon ship on that date. As of today, premium in-game currency has been pulled from the game’s shop, and no further purchases will be allowed. Notably, the game will also be removed from EA Play on 15 August 2025, so anyone accessing the game via subscription, rather than ownership, will no longer be able to pop in.
As Anthem is an always-online, multiplayer focussed game, its shut down in 2026 will render the entire game unplayable. That’s despite the experience largely being playable solo, with story elements keeping the flow for those players who prefer a lone wolf experience. Every slice of lore and world building will simply be cut off, and Anthem will enter the annals of disappeared games.
Per EA, the decision to shut down the servers has been made with ‘careful consideration.’
‘We deeply appreciate your dedication, passion and support over the years and we’d like to thank you for that,’ the publisher said.
Read: Microsoft initiates sweeping Xbox layoffs, cancels several games
The announcement draws the long and sad story of Anthem to a very muted close, bringing one final disappointment for dedicated players.
Anthem was a notable failure for BioWare and EA on launch, with lukewarm reviews and feedback from players leading to a slow start, and subsequent failure to adapt. While it reportedly sold million of copies in its lifetime, criticism surrounded its gameplay grind and lack of excitement, leading to an eventual exodus of players.
EA and BioWare subsequently pledged to revamp the game, with ‘Anthem NEXT‘ entering development at one point, but a year on from this announcement, work on the project was stopped. Anthem was essentially abandoned, and many thought that was the end of the story.
With one final, definitive decision, Anthem will now officially depart. Per EA, the change will not impact the studio internally, as development work had already ceased. It will certainly have an impact on any dedicated Anthem players, however, who will need to wave goodbye in January 2026.
For now, the game will remain live and playable for those who wish to spend the remainder of 2025 jumping into missions. You can learn more about the changes on the EA website.
