Anthem Could Be Reborn In The Near Future!
Okay, I have to admit I crossed my fingers for this. On January 12, 2026, Anthem’s servers were officially shut down, making the game inaccessible to everyone who had purchased it. I am not going to go into detail about the kind of cases usually addressed by the Stop Killing Games movement, but I did dedicate a full article to it just a few days ago, which you can read right here. The point is that at the time I expressed my dissatisfaction because from my point of view, and I emphasize the personal nature of that opinion, Anthem always had potential that perhaps was not used in the right way.
Well then, just a few days ago, on January 17, just five days after the game’s servers were shut down, the user And799 uploaded a video to his YouTube channel showing that, despite the shutdown of the official servers, Anthem can continue to function through the use of private servers. In the video, which is informative in nature, this player offered a small glimpse of a completely independent project to revive the game, thanks to a community-driven initiative, showing how two different clients were able to connect to each other and synchronize properly, proving that with the right knowledge and tools, Anthem can stay alive and maintain continuity among its most devoted fans.
“It’s Alive!..”
If any initiative of this kind was to be expected, we already knew in advance that it would not be led by EA, nor by BioWare, nor by any large company. In fact, it was the gaming community that stepped up and took action, not specifically me, of course, but a player passionate enough about Anthem’s wasted potential, and with the necessary knowledge (not my case either) to try to do something about it. This is precisely one of the two major implications of this development: as in many cases, the responsibility of preserving video games once again falls into the hands of the community itself, since their own creators have not only washed their hands of the matter, but have clearly expressed their lack of interest in doing anything about it.
The other major implication of this is that it proves that yes, keeping the game alive or even giving it offline features so that it could at least continue to be played solo was not only possible, but did not require a complex technical challenge, which once again emphasizes the stance of those responsible. Clearly, we are facing yet another case in which the community protects the legacy of a video game that, while not perfect, had value both artistically and as an audiovisual work.
As I have already discussed extensively in my previous article regarding the server shutdown, Anthem’s development was as long as it was troubled, and the final product did not meet the expectations players had placed in the same studio that once delivered such iconic franchises as Mass Effect or Dragon Age. The GaaS format did not quite fit well with this title which, while it was visually impressive and initially engaging in terms of gameplay, failed to maintain momentum in mission and mechanics development, nor did it offer a sufficiently immersive narrative. For that reason, despite the big plans that existed on paper for Anthem, it was eventually abandoned, and the shutdown of its servers put an end to this drama that could have been corrected in time, but as I said before, apparently did not matter enough to those responsible.
My point of view, and I do not represent MLG here, but surely many gamers share it, is that a work like Anthem deserves to be preserved for future generations. What is more, without having the necessary knowledge to contribute, my humble opinion is that with a few changes, it could undoubtedly become a fun game with an active and consistent community. Of course, there is still a long way to go before it reaches a “playable” state and becomes accessible to all original owners, at least on PC. But even so, the major progress shown by And799 is relevant enough to look to the future with optimism, since the game will not completely fall into oblivion.
So…
I have said it and I repeat it: once again it is us, the community, who deal with and solve (or try to solve) the lack of interest from large companies when it comes to preservation. If you stop by And799’s YouTube channel, you will see several users asking how they can contribute, so if your intention is to support that cause, you will surely find a way. As for me, I will say goodbye for now, although I will obviously be keeping an eye on the development of this project, not without first inviting you to stop by the comments and tell us what you think about this interesting “resurrection” initiative. You know freelancer, we’ll be reading you! 🙂
Info & Images Source: Meristation, And799 YouTube Channel, Reddit, MLG
