BioWare’s Anthem was intended to be a groundbreaking looter-shooter, blending the speed of Diablo with the structured progression of Destiny. Instead, it became a cautionary tale about the perils of overambition and inconsistent design.
The game’s flight mechanics, initially hailed as its most engaging feature, quickly exposed their flaws. Enemies adapted by using ranged attacks, and co-op sessions often descended into chaos when experienced players pulled newcomers through levels at high speeds. This imbalance was not just a gameplay issue; it reflected deeper problems with how Anthem’s systems were designed to scale.
A robust endgame, the lifeblood of modern live-service games, was notably absent from Anthem. Competitors thrived on continuous content updates and retention hooks, but BioWare struggled to materialize these elements effectively. The team briefly considered removing flight mechanics before E3 2017, only to reintroduce them—a decision that may have compounded the game’s issues by reinforcing its identity around a flawed mechanic.
Staffing shortages and logistical challenges further complicated Anthem’s development. BioWare Austin, which had more experience with live-service projects, was brought in late to the process, contributing to the cancellation of Anthem Next, a planned expansion that was scrapped in February 2021. A proposed 9-month public beta could have mitigated some of these problems, but the team’s focus was already stretched thin.
The conversation around Anthem’s failure often shifts blame toward Electronic Arts’ perceived mismanagement. While EA undoubtedly shares responsibility, there is also a valid argument that BioWare’s own evolution should not be dismissed so easily. The studio had already transitioned from 2D RPGs with Neverwinter Nights to action games with the Mass Effect series, proving its ability to adapt. Was Anthem too ambitious? Absolutely. Could anyone have foreseen its struggles at launch? That remains uncertain.
BioWare’s current state is precarious, with Dragon Age: The Veilguard also underperforming financially. However, there is a silver lining: the studio is now a single-project entity, fully focused on the next Mass Effect game—a stark contrast to its past juggling of multiple titles. Whether this singular focus will translate into success remains an open question.
For now, Anthem stands as both a reminder of what can go wrong in live-service development and a testament to BioWare’s willingness to take risks—even if the payoff was elusive. The studio’s future hinges on whether it can learn from these missteps without losing its innovative spirit.
