Ex-BioWare Executive Reveals Anthem's Collapse

Last month, Electronic Arts confirmed that BioWare's Anthem will be shut down on January 12, 2026. Following a turbulent six-year lifespan, executive producer Mark Darrah has now provided a detailed account of the game's development and the missteps that occurred along the way.

In the first installment of a multi-part video series, Darrah dedicates an hour to explaining Anthem’s development timeline—from his perspective—from 2011 until he became executive producer in 2017. While he acknowledges his view isn't entirely exhaustive, since he wasn't directly involved throughout much of that period, his senior role at BioWare gave him unique insight into the project’s progression.

Although Darrah only served as executive producer for the final 16 months of development, he begins the video by taking responsibility for Anthem’s shortcomings:

“Parts of this presentation might appear as though I'm deflecting responsibility, but ultimately, the accountability for this game falls primarily on me,” he explains. “There is a private list of individuals I believe also share the blame—nearly all of whom are more senior than I am. The team worked incredibly hard, delivered exceptional elements, and even today, Anthem includes aspects that are truly remarkable.”

Darrah then outlines the first six years of development, citing numerous challenges Anthem encountered. He describes how EA executives at the time believed single-player games were declining in appeal, creating a difficult position for BioWare—a studio historically built around single-player experiences. According to Darrah, then-BioWare lead Casey Hudson's initial vision for Anthem was to merge BioWare's narrative expertise with a live service, always-online model. Hudson proposed an entirely new business model, which helped generate internal momentum among EA leadership. As Darrah recalls the sentiment: “What if a BioWare title could match the commercial success of FIFA?”

But early on, Anthem faced staffing issues. BioWare employees were shown an executive-level presentation detailing the live-service direction, which alienated many developers. Additionally, as Dragon Age: Inquisition wrapped up, team members were repeatedly reassigned to Mass Effect: Andromeda, leaving Anthem without the workforce Hudson had envisioned.

Another major challenge, Darrah notes, was the shifting vision for the game. While the initial goal was complete originality, he explains how hard it was to convey that vision without familiar reference points for developers or executives. Over time, Anthem began to resemble established titles like Destiny and Borderlands.

An early design document stated that Anthem would include six javelins. As Darrah put it, "That number was basically pulled out of thin air."

Secrecy also hampered progress. While Darrah recognizes the need to prevent leaks, he believes some internal transparency is beneficial. Early on, Hudson selectively shared aspects of the project across the studio, building enthusiasm and gathering input. But after Hudson's departure, the information flow stopped, and the project became extremely guarded. This made it easier to overlook issues and fostered groupthink within a small, insulated team.

Darrah shares a revealing story about setting overly specific expectations too early, as with the game’s original plan for six javelins:

An early design document declared Anthem would have six javelins. Where did that figure come from? It was essentially invented. To be more accurate, the reasoning went: we'll have light, medium, and heavy javelins, so let’s make two of each type. Unfortunately, this arbitrary number was presented to EA executives in early 2017 as a firm feature.

Shortly after that presentation, the team concluded six javelins weren't feasible, primarily because they couldn't meaningfully differentiate six distinct types, nor did they have enough time to design and polish six different gameplay archetypes. So the team had to backtrack, announcing only four javelins at launch. Despite the original six being completely unsupported, this revision created immense pressure and anxiety among executives.

I suspect this change from six to four javelins was among the triggers for the major project overhaul in 2017—an upheaval that ended with me taking over. Even though the initial target was arbitrary, reducing it was perceived as a sign the project was faltering.

Darrah adds that one canceled javelin was intended to be a tank-like, support-oriented paladin, while the other—a medium-class variant—was so vaguely defined he can’t even recall its concept.

Later in the video, Darrah mentions EA’s 2016 initiative pushing all major franchises toward becoming “billion-dollar brands.” Under that plan, Dragon Age would have needed a new release every two years. This mandate cemented Anthem’s identity as a live service title.

He also recalls three separate occasions where he advised leadership to delay Anthem’s launch, giving the team more time to refine the game, ship Andromeda first, and then transition that team over to complete Anthem. All three requests, he says, were denied.

You can view Darrah’s full video here. He confirms at least a second part—and possibly a third—is on the way.

Anthem launched in February 2019 to mixed reviews. Our review scored it 6.5/10, criticizing its repetitive grind, lack of polish and variety, and disjointed storytelling. The game failed to meet EA’s sales expectations, leading to the end of active development in 2021. EA will fully shut down Anthem on January 12, 2026.