Summary
Fntastic’sThe Day Beforelaunched last week, and while some were holding out hope for the controversial title, the game has proven itself to be one of the roughest launches of the year. Although it seemed like the developers were working tofix some ofThe Day Before’s issues, a surprising tweet confirmed that Fntastic would be shuttering its doors, just four days after the release of its highly anticipated title. AlthoughThe Day Beforelooks to be finished, there was one path Fntastic could have taken to redeem it.
There’s no question thatThe Day Beforewas not the success that Fntastic was hoping for. Its launch followed two years of anticipation, anticipation that was characterized by waves of wide-eyed optimism followed by confusion, disappointment, and even dread, as would-be fans witnessed bizarre approaches to PR and marketing, alongside countless delays. It’s finally here, and players have not been kind to it, withThe Day Before’s Steam reviewaverage hitting “Overwhelmingly Negative” shortly after it went live. There have been reports of mass refund requests for the game as well, with many customers calling it a “scam” and accusing Fntastic of false advertising. Ultimately, Fntastic opted, perhaps unwisely, to shut down on December 11, dashing any hopes players may have had for the game’s improvement.
Why the Day Before Should Have Gone Free-to-Play
Put mildly,The Day Beforewas a bit of a PR disaster. Any goodwill that gaming audiences may have had for the game ahead of its release was seemingly been washed away by a flood of intense post-release criticism. Looking past the game’s myriad technical issues and dubious game design elements, the fact thatThe Day Beforeisn’t an MMO, despite being explicitly marketed as one, tanked its reputation. FromNo Man’s SkytoCyberpunk 2077, the gaming community has seen plenty of redemption stories, butThe Day Before’s apparent false advertising would likely have been too difficult for Fntastic to come back from.
Now that Fntastic has admitted failure and is shutting down, it’s worth wondering whatThe Day Beforecould have looked like as a free-to-play title. It’s nearly impossible to find a good word spoken or written about the game, making it highly unlikely that new customers would have been willing to shell out $40 for it. However, if the game went free-to-play, it could have quelled some of theanger withinThe Day Before’s communities, while removing any financial risk for gamers interested in trying it out. This may have been the best solution for Fntastic, asThe Day Beforesimply wasn’t offering enough value to prospective buyers.
FromNo Man’s SkytoCyberpunk 2077, the gaming community has seen plenty of redemption stories, butThe Day Before’s apparent false advertising would likely have been too difficult for Fntastic to come back from.
The Day Before Would Have Still Needed Work After Going Free-to-Play
PivotingThe Day Beforeto a free-to-play model with optional in-game purchases could have helped its profitability and reputation, but it’s important to note that Fntastic would still have had a lot more work to do. Bug fixes, performance enhancements, and major improvements to the game’s servers would have been necessary, while regular content updates and expansions could have helped boostThe Day Before’s player countover time. Essentially, the game would have needed a leap in quality comparable to something likeCyberpunk 2077, while also being free—something that Fntastic perhaps wasn’t cut out for.
The Day Beforemay never have had a shot at true success, as its legacy was instantly marred by empty promises, shallow gameplay, and a general lack of polish. Fntastic could have earned back a bit of its capital and reputation, while supporting its arguments against scam accusations, if it had stood byThe Day Before,pivoting it to a free-to-play model and making it at least passable. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like that will happen.
The Day Before
WHERE TO PLAY
The Day Before offers players a uniquely reimagined journey into post-apocalyptic open-world MMO survival set in the present day on the US East Coast following a deadly pandemic.SURVIVE AT ALL COSTSFight other players for survival. Survive against the deadly infected. Collect valuable loot.DISCOVER THE NEW POST-PANDEMIC WORLDExplore the beautiful and richly detailed New Fortune City. Enter tall skyscrapers, business centers, massive malls, grand stadiums, and more. Uncover distant surroundings of New Fortune City on stunningly detailed vehicles.REBUILD SOCIETYJoin the Woodberry survivor colony on its mission to rebuild society. Trade items in Woodberry and save your wealth in a personal storage room. Build your own home in the safe zone.
