What just happened? Remember the hype surrounding Anthem in the months leading up to its launch? BioWare and EA's open-world action RPG turned out to be disappointing in most people's eyes, and now, just seven months after it arrived, the game is available to EA Access and Origin Access subscribers.
Despite the massive advertising campaign leading up to and following the game's release, Anthem received mostly middling reviews and early price reductions. It seems even BioWare's reputation for making brilliant RPGs and the opportunity to use an Iron Man-style suit alongside friends wasn't enough to save Anthem from mediocrity.
BioWare pushed out hundreds of improvements to address Anthem's bugs, crashes, and performance issues. It was the best-selling game during its launch month of February, and earned over $100 million within four weeks of being released, but only $3.5 million of that was from the microtransactions EA hoped would support the game long into its life.
EA Access and Origin Access Basic subscribers will now be able to access the Standard Edition of Anthem, while those who subscribe to the PC-only Origin Access Premier get the Legion of Dawn Edition.
Moving to Origin Access so soon after launch might look bad for Anthem---the much-maligned Mass Effect: Andromeda also hit the service seven months after release back in 2017---but recent times have seen EA bring popular titles to the platform not long after their arrival, including Battlefield V. If the move helps add new Anthem players and leads to more in-game purchases, EA will see it as being a smart decision.