Key Highlights:
- EA is shutting down FIFA 23 and Madden NFL 22 before the end of 2025.
- Anthem will go offline permanently on 12 January 2026, ending all access to the game.
- Over 15 EA games have already been shut down in 2025, with more possibly to follow.
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Electronic Arts is set to sunset multiple titles before 2025 ends, including FIFA 23 and Madden NFL 22, while Anthem – BioWare’s ill-fated online looter-shooter will shut down entirely in early 2026.
These closures continue an aggressive internal schedule by EA to phase out ageing or underperforming titles and centralise resources toward current-gen live services.
EA Confirms Shutdown Dates for Key Sports Titles
By the end of the year, FIFA 23 and Madden NFL 22 will lose all online functionality.
EA has confirmed the servers for Madden NFL 22 will go offline on 20 October 2025, followed by FIFA 23 on 12 December 2025. While offline modes will remain accessible, all multiplayer services, Ultimate Team features, and online achievements will become permanently unavailable.
The shutdown of FIFA 23 carries additional significance as it was the final entry in EA’s long-running FIFA-branded football franchise before the series was rebranded as EA Sports FC.
For many players, the loss represents the symbolic end of a legacy that began with FIFA International Soccer in 1993 on the SEGA Megadrive/Genesis.
These two titles join a growing list of discontinued EA games this year, including UFC 3, NCAA 14, The Simpsons: Tapped Out, and several mobile entries, all removed from servers as part of EA’s service lifecycle management strategy.
Anthem’s Permanent Closure Confirmed for January 2026
Looking ahead, Electronic Arts has confirmed that Anthem will be fully decommissioned on 12 January 2026. Unlike sports games with local features, Anthem is a purely online title and once servers are shut down, the game will cease to function entirely.
Originally launched in 2019 as a shared-world sci-fi action game, Anthem was BioWare’s attempt to pivot toward the live-service model.
Despite strong initial sales, critical reception was lukewarm, and a lack of meaningful post-launch content saw its player base collapse rapidly.
BioWare had planned a major overhaul, informally dubbed Anthem Next, but this reboot was cancelled in 2021. Since then, the game has received no major updates. EA is now winding it down completely.
In preparation, Anthem’s in-game currency purchases have been disabled. Players with remaining coins can spend them until January.
Meanwhile, Anthem will be delisted from EA Play and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on 15 August 2025, leaving a limited window for subscribers to experience the game before its permanent removal.
EA’s 2025 Shutdown Timeline
Here is a confirmed list of EA games scheduled to shut down or already shut down in 2025:
| Game | Shutdown Date |
|---|---|
| Rory McIlroy PGA Tour | January 16 |
| The Simpsons: Tapped Out | January 24 |
| Blood & Glory: Immortals | January 29 |
| Contract Killer: Sniper | January 29 |
| Deer Hunter Classic | January 29 |
| Dino Hunter: Deadly Shores | January 29 |
| Eternity Warriors 4 | January 29 |
| Frontline Commando 2 | January 29 |
| Frontline Commando: D-Day | January 29 |
| UFC 3 | February 17 |
| EA Sports UFC Mobile 2 | March 13 |
| NCAA 14 | March 13 |
| Madden NFL 21 | June 30 |
| Madden NFL 22 | October 20 |
| FIFA 23 | December 12 |
| Anthem | January 12, 2026 |
EA updates its server shutdown list regularly, meaning additional titles may be added before 2025 concludes.
While no layoffs are expected at BioWare as a result of Anthem’s termination, the studio’s recent track record of Mass Effect: Andromeda, Anthem, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard has raised concerns about its long-term direction.
With a new Mass Effect game in development, BioWare appears poised to refocus on its narrative RPG roots. For now, players interested in experiencing Anthem before its closure should do so before mid-August, while sports fans may want to wrap up online content for FIFA 23 and Madden 22 before they follow suit.
EA’s shift reflects a broader industry trend: consolidation, live-service prioritisation, and faster product lifecycle turnover.