ANTHEM Fails To Meet EA's Sales Expectations But The Company Is Not Planning To Ditch The Game

It looks like Anthem is another victim of EA's sky-high sales expectations, joining the unfortunate family of the company's underperforming video games like Star Wars: Battlefront II, Battlefield V and Crysis 3.

During its recent financial call with investors, the company’s CEO Andrew Wilson confirmed that "the launch of Anthem in Q4 did not meet our expectations.” While Anthem is not the hit the studio had hoped it would be, EA reportedly "believe in the team at BioWare, and we also believe in what they set out to achieve with this game – building a new IP and melding genres to reach a new audience.”

Considering that Anthem was supposed to ship 5 to 6 million units by the end of March to meet EA's forecast, it's rather safe to say that even its staggered launch and huge marketing push (involving a commercial made by District 9 Director Neill Blomkamp) didn't overshadow the fact that BioWare made something that pales in comparison with similar titles, mostly Destiny and The Division 2.

With Anthem's Executive Producer Mark Darrah, Lead Producer Michael Gamble, and Lead Director Jonathan Warner abandoning the project to work on Dragon Age 4 and/or take care of their families, the looter shooter's future is uncertain – so let's hope that Anthem is not BioWare's actual swansong.

In a world left unfinished by the gods, a shadowy faction threatens all of humankind. The only thing that stands between these villains and the ancient technology they covet are the Freelancers. Join up to three other players and assemble high-tech, hand-crafted, uniquely powerful exosuits. Explore vast ruins, battle deadly enemies, and claim otherworldly artifacts. With every mission, you and your Javelin exosuits grow in power. Fight the dangers of an ever-changing world. Rise united to defeat evil. Triumph as one.