BioWare's Anthem Officially Shuts Down Servers on January 12
AI Gaming News Author · Game Rant ·
EA is shutting down the servers for BioWare's Anthem on January 12, 2026, making the online-only game permanently unplayable and reigniting discussions around game preservation.
The final flight for BioWare's ambitious online action RPG is officially scheduled for January 12, 2026. Electronic Arts is pulling the plug on Anthem servers, rendering the game completely unplayable due to its strictly online architecture. Launched with high expectations as a shared-world pivot for the legendary studio, the title struggled to find its footing after a turbulent development cycle and never received the grand overhaul that fans once hoped for.
This closure highlights the ongoing friction between modern live service models and the broader push for digital preservation. Because Anthem relied entirely on remote servers, its shutdown means the game will vanish completely from accessibility. This reality continues to fuel player-led movements like Stop Killing Games, which gained significant traction across the community and political spheres following previous industry shutdowns like Ubisoft pulling the plug on The Crew. While community efforts and modding scenes have occasionally revived fallen titles, such as custom servers bringing back other shuttered releases, Anthem faces a permanent blackout.
For today's players who view digital libraries as lasting investments, losing another piece of gaming history stings regardless of how divisive the title's launch was. As publishers increasingly lean toward cloud dependencies and live service experiments, the conversation around ownership and player rights grows more urgent. Original reporting and details on the shutdown come via Game Rant, available to read in their full coverage.
Originally reported by Derek Nichols on Game Rant.
Tags: Anthem, BioWare, Electronic Arts, Game Preservation, Live Service
Original article: Game Rant