EA Is Permanently Shutting Down a Major Online Game This January

Anthem’s journey is officially coming to an end. EA has confirmed that the online servers for BioWare’s co-op action RPG will be permanently shut down on January 12, 2026, rendering the game completely unplayable. As an online-only title, Anthem will effectively vanish once the servers go dark.

The shutdown marks the conclusion of one of the most high-profile live-service experiments of the last decade and has reignited discussions around game preservation in an increasingly online-focused industry.

🚀 Anthem’s Final Shutdown Date

EA has confirmed that Anthem’s servers will be taken offline on January 12, 2026. Once this happens:

The game will no longer be accessible in any form
There is no offline or single-player mode to fall back on
All progression, content, and exploration will be permanently unavailable

For players who hoped to revisit the game or experience it in an offline capacity, the shutdown represents a complete and irreversible end.

🧠 A Bold Experiment That Fell Short

Anthem was envisioned as a major new IP for BioWare, blending third-person shooter combat with online co-op and an open-world structure. Players piloted powerful exosuits known as Javelins, taking flight across large environments while completing missions with others online.

While the core flight mechanics and combat were widely praised, the overall experience struggled to meet expectations:

Technical issues at launch hurt player confidence
Mission variety was limited and repetitive
Endgame content lacked depth and longevity

Despite post-launch updates and seasonal content attempts, the game was never able to recover the momentum EA and BioWare had hoped for.

🔧 The Cancelled Reboot and Final Decision

Following Anthem’s underwhelming performance, EA approved a smaller-scale reboot effort, placing a reduced team in charge of reimagining the game’s systems and structure. Progress updates were sparse, and enthusiasm gradually faded.

Eventually, EA announced that all development work on Anthem had been discontinued. While servers continued to operate for a time, it was later confirmed in mid-2025 that the shutdown date had been finalized for early 2026.

That announcement sealed the game’s fate.

🏛️ What Anthem’s Shutdown Means for Game Preservation

Anthem’s closure has once again spotlighted concerns around digital ownership and preservation. Online-only games face a unique risk: once servers are shut down, the game effectively ceases to exist.

Movements advocating for preservation and consumer rights have grown louder in recent years, especially as more live-service titles face delisting or shutdowns. Anthem’s fate is now being cited as another example of what can be lost when games rely entirely on online infrastructure.

🧩 Final Thoughts

Anthem will be remembered as a game full of unrealized potential. Its fluid flight mechanics and combat systems hinted at something special, even if the overall experience never fully came together. As January 12 approaches, players only have a short window left to revisit the world of Anthem one last time.

Whether EA ever revisits the IP in a new form remains unknown, but the legacy of Anthem continues to influence discussions about live-service games, preservation, and the future of always-online experiences.