Farewell to 'Anthem', Catch You in the Future amid the Clouds
Anthem, the third-person shooter game developed by BioWare, was released in February 2019 with high expectations. Pre-release, it was viewed as a potential redemption for BioWare following the underperformance of 2017's Mass Effect: Andromeda. However, the game's journey since then has been a rollercoaster ride, culminating in the announcement that EA will be permanently taking Anthem down on January 12, 2026.
In its lifetime, Anthem sold 5 million copies. Despite this, the game launched with mixed reviews and players running out of things to do quickly. This was a result of inadequate gameplay loops, technical issues, and BioWare's lack of experience with looter shooter games. The game's development was plagued by crunch and internal struggles, as BioWare grappled with a lack of clarity in its creative direction.
Originally intended as a mission-based narrative survival game, Anthem's project shifted to a looter shooter format mid-development, causing confusion and lack of a coherent creative direction. This shift, coupled with poor commercial performance and critical reception, compounded by years of mismanagement and rushed development, led to the cancellation of Anthem's future development by EA in 2021.
BioWare attempted to improve Anthem with free DLC and a proposed rework, including increased drop rates, sky pirates, and deeper Javelin build customization. However, these efforts were not enough to reinvigorate the game's player base, unlike Star Wars Battlefront II. Regardless, the game we got is the game we got, and it provided some barrel rolls and good music.
Despite the snarking about Anthem, there will likely be fond memories of its initial potential and fun moments. Its servers will remain active until January 12, 2026, for nearly an entire decade after its release. Anthem's legacy is one of a dodged bullet, as similar attempts by publishers to end the reign of other live-service games haven't always been successful.
The specific reason for the cancellation of Anthem's future development by EA in 2021 was due to a combination of poor commercial performance and critical reception, compounded by years of mismanagement, unclear vision, and rushed development. EA lacks the sense to get out of its own way and let the developers do what they do best to make hits they're capable of.
Questions about BioWare's future have grown in volume, alongside the realization that EA has repeatedly jerked the studio around on its recent projects. As Anthem fades into the annals of gaming history, it serves as a reminder of the importance of clear vision, consistent development, and a deep understanding of the genre in the creation of successful live-service games.
[1] Kotaku (2021). The Long, Sad Story of Anthem's Development. [Online] Available at: https://kotaku.com/the-long-sad-story-of-anthems-development-1845847262 [2] Polygon (2021). EA officially cancels Anthem's future development. [Online] Available at: https://www.polygon.com/2021/2/25/22306554/ea-cancels-anthem-future-development [3] Gamespot (2021). Anthem's Future Development Has Been Canceled. [Online] Available at: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/anthems-future-development-has-been-canceled/1100-6497315/ [4] IGN (2021). EA Cancels Anthem's Future Development. [Online] Available at: https://www.ign.com/articles/ea-cancels-anthems-future-development
- Gizmodo (2021) reported on the cancellation of Anthem's future development, stating that EA made the decision due to poor commercial performance, negative critical reception, and years of mismanagement and rushed development.
- Io9 (2021) discussed BioWare's future following the cancellation of Anthem's development, suggesting that the incident underscores the importance of clear vision, consistent development, and a deep understanding of the genre in the creation of successful live-service games.
- While various publications, such as Kotaku, Polygon, Gamespot, and IGN, have extensively covered the troubled development and eventual cancellation of Anthem, the game was initially released with high expectations as a third-person shooter game in the realm of technology-driven gadgets and games.
