Followers are saying farewell to Anthem, BioWare’s failed live-service blockbuster, as its servers are switched off and the sport disappears eternally — formally, no less than.
Anthem writer EA introduced final 12 months that the jetpack-fuelled shooter had simply months to dwell, and cautioned that the server shutdown would render the sport fully unplayable, with its world, characters and lore not out there as soon as the plug was pulled. Now, as at the present time has neared, new and returning gamers have loaded up the sport for one final flight, and to push for the sport’s platinum trophy whereas they nonetheless can.
Others, in the meantime, have begun a small push to maintain Anthem alive through customized non-public servers — although the trouble has been hampered considerably by the sport’s lack of attain.
“I missed the server closure announcement final 12 months, and simply realized about it a pair days in the past,” wrote one belated fan, CyberpwnPiper. “I had by no means performed it so I made a decision to take the sport for a spin earlier than it is too late, and the sport is sort of good. I am simply taking part in casually and I am nonetheless a noob after about 4 hours in, however there is a stable basis right here. There are good bones. The visuals are implausible, the fight and motion are enjoyable, and the javelin flight is phenomenal (and distinctive).”
Upon launch, after a prolonged and troubled improvement, BioWare acquired reward for Anthem’s Javelin mechsuit fight and notably its flight mechanic, which allow you to zoom across the recreation’s open world like Iron Man alongside a staff of buddies. However gamers and critics alike had been much less bought on Anthem’s threadbare try at storytelling, particularly when in comparison with the studio’s beloved Dragon Age and Mass Impact video games. Lastly, and maybe most significantly, Anthem by no means satisfied gamers of BioWare’s resolution to pivot in the direction of an online-only live-service, in an obvious try to recapture the gang that had flocked to Bungie’s Future.
Nonetheless, gamers are persevering with to search out causes to get pleasure from a dip into Anthem’s world, even whether it is simply to fulfill their curiosity earlier than the sport goes for good. “I really want I performed it when it was launched,” wrote BRB1993. “I knew the top was coming and I wished to get the possibility to say, ‘I used to be there’. I can actually say that it scratched that very same itch that Future does. The gunplay, the totally different Javelins (Colossus FTW!), the differing alternative of skills, the flying, the story (nonetheless cannot imagine Owen did what he did!), the differing fashion of enemies, there’s an excessive amount of to listing!” Added CyberpwnPiper: “I want I had began taking part in sooner to no less than end many of the story quests and expertise totally different Javelin fits.”
Some returning gamers have in the meantime set themselves the problem of unlocking Anthem’s full listing of achievements/trophies, which can change into unobtainable eternally when the sport’s servers go offline. It has been a race towards time — although many have accomplished the feat over the previous week as EA’s clock runs down.
“It is a bittersweet feeling getting this platinum,” mentioned AbsolutelyNotAClone. “I did not assume I might push away all different video games and throw one other work week’s value of hours into it. However rattling, I missed this recreation, and can miss it much more. I really feel ashamed, I really feel unhappy, however I really feel so a lot better that I pushed for this platinum.” Fellow fan Rymus, in the meantime, mentioned they’d simply hit Anthem’s full Gamerscore on Xbox. “From the VIP weekend to the top this recreation will at all times be one among my faves regardless of the failings,” they wrote. “Studying the sport was shutting down I wished to provide it the dignity it deserved. My ranger with the VIP decal [has] been my primary from the start.”
When precisely will Anthem’s servers go offline?
EA’s official Anthem shutdown FAQ states that “recreation servers will likely be out there till January 12, 2026 at which period the sport will not be playable.” Nonetheless, this web page additionally mentions that EA will “put together to sundown the sport’s dwell servers on January 13, 2025.” The precise second EA will pull the plug is unknown.
“I wasn’t certain if I’d make it,” wrote Seeby4, who additionally unlocked Anthem’s platinum trophy. “Sooo many collectibles. I used to be getting burned on the market following a YouTube information however I locked in over the past 4 days and obtained it performed! I didn’t have practically as many hours as I do know a variety of others did, however man, I’m gonna miss this recreation a lot.”
“I lastly obtained it performed on time!” wrote KingExile96. “I want they would not shut down. I want they might simply promote or give the sport to a different firm, I need it to get one other probability! It is obtained its potential. It was demanding getting the trophies nevertheless it was so enjoyable on the identical, roaming round, combating bosses doing parts combo, man… I am gonna miss this recreation a lot. Anthem will likely be in my coronary heart 🫶🤘”
Whereas there’s little probability Anthem will ever be formally revived or handed off to a different developer, some followers nonetheless hope the sport will change into playable as soon as once more through customized PC servers. A number of Discord teams have been set as much as discover the opportunity of making Anthem playable in future, the biggest of which is The Fort’s Forge — a group that has been asking gamers to seize information of the sport’s communications with EA servers, so these can then be backwards engineered.
This course of has been sluggish, with only a handful of gamers serving to out final 12 months, however progress has now reached a degree the place a superb quantity of information has been obtained. Nonetheless, there isn’t any suggestion the sport will likely be revived at any level within the close to future, and it stays to be seen whether or not EA itself steps in to dam the undertaking’s progress. IGN has contacted the staff behind the trouble for extra.
However whereas a handful of followers work on one potential future for the sport, many others at the moment are merely taking the possibility to say goodbye. Dozens have recorded screenshots of their characters through one reddit thread for posterity, whereas others are merely reminiscing and sharing their because of BioWare and to their fellow gamers who served as the sport’s Freelancers.
“I loved it until the top and I’ve a variety of good recollections,” wrote RobRagiel, who posted a video of their closing flight round Anthem’s world. “It was an honor, Freelancers. For the Legion of Daybreak!”
“I had performed the sport since launch and I beloved it,” concluded Exceptional-Set-3340. “I want this recreation had extra time. See ya’ll within the sky’s until the solar units one final time.”
Tom Phillips is IGN’s Information Editor. You’ll be able to attain Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or discover him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
