10 Failed Live Service Video Games With Shockingly Short Lifespans

5. Anthem (2019-2021)

Anthem is a little bit like Beetlejuice, we said the phrase “failed live service game” too many times and now it’s here right on schedule so let’s walk you through this trainwreck.

Anthem might not have the shortest lifespan of all the games on this list but given it was developed by BioWare and published by EA, who both have a track record of creating some of the greatest games ever made, there’s an argument here that it’s still the most embarrassing. Perhaps most obvious to players who dipped into this admittedly pretty world was the realisation that everything felt soulless. Characters were bland, gameplay was boring and grindy, and the story was uninspiring. While the game was technically passable it fell well short of critical and consumer expectations and the joy of buzzing about the game world couldn’t make up for its relentless repetition and brutal load times. Though BioWare did their best to patch some of the game’s issues quite quickly, it wasn’t enough to drag in new players or keep old ones engaged.

As a result, it was announced development was being abandoned in early 2021.