BioWare's Anthem Is About to Go Dark for Good
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
BioWare's online action RPG Anthem is shutting down its servers permanently on January 12, 2026, rendering the game completely unplayable and sparking renewed discussions around digital game preservation.
Time is officially running out for anyone looking to suit up one last time in BioWare's ill-fated sci-fi experiment. According to reporting by Austin Manchester over at Polygon, Anthem servers are scheduled to shut down permanently on January 12, 2026. Because the game relies entirely on an always online infrastructure, turning off the servers means the title will become completely unplayable, adding yet another casualty to the ongoing industry conversation around digital preservation and the Stop Killing Games initiative.
For players hoping to satisfy a sudden wave of morbid curiosity, actually getting your hands on the game right now is easier said than done. Electronic Arts pulled the game from digital storefronts back in July when the sunsetting announcement was first made. Anyone without the title already sitting in their library will need to track down a physical disc at a local secondhand shop before the servers go dark in a couple of weeks.
Looking back, Anthem represents a fascinating misfire for a studio historically celebrated for rich, single-player storytelling. The ambitious mix of looter shooter mechanics and high mobility mech flight launched to a mixed reception in 2019, and plans for a massive overhaul under the banner of Anthem Next were ultimately scrapped in 2021. As BioWare pivots its focus back toward the future of the Mass Effect franchise, this final server shutdown closes the book on one of the most talked about pivots of the previous console generation.
Tags: Anthem, BioWare, Electronic Arts, Gaming News, Game Preservation
Original article: Polygon