Summary
The Day Beforeis a title that had high expectations prior to release, being billed as an ambitious project that would put its development studio Fntastic firmly on the map of the gaming industry. Originally announced in 2021 as an expansive survival MMO set in a zombie-ravaged dystopian future, it is clear to see why the premise of the game originally drew so much attention from prospective players.
After many delays and trademark disputes,The Day Beforewas recently released in a state that was completely unreflective of what it originally promised to be. Playing more like a basic extraction shooter set on a small and underwhelming map, paying customers were immediately disappointed and felt lied to. While there was a brief glimmer of hope in the way of post-launch support to salvage the title, a recent announcement by Fntastic has caused widespread outrage, rightfully drawing attention from every corner of the industry.
Fntastic’s Bizarre Shutdown Leaves Paying Players in the Dark
The controversy surroundingThe Day Beforewas already uncomfortably big in the days following its December 7 release, but no one could expect thatFntastic would announce its closure as a studioless than a week after the game’s launch. This news came in a quiet social media post from the studio, which cites the poor sales figures ofThe Day Beforeas the reason behind its shocking shutdown.
Fntastic labeledThe Day Beforeas a financial failure just four days after the game was released, stating how all income received from the title is being used to pay off pre-existing debts that the company owes to its partners. Of course, this infuriated the many players who purchased the game, with the studio’s shutdown ending any concept ofpost-launch support for The Day Beforeand leaving it in a perpetual state of buggy early access.
Fntastic’s Social Media Conduct Has Made Things That Much Worse
Since then,Fntastic has begun completely removing itself from the internet, withThe Day Beforebeing de-listed from Steam and things like promotional trailers for the game being taken down from YouTube. This has led to long-term followers of the project feeling completely alienated and potentially scammed, though Fntastic has attempted to make amends following the predictably intense backlash to its shutdown announcement.
In more recent social media posts, Fntastic claims that it is attempting to negotiate a complete refund policy with Steam for everyone who purchasedThe Day Before, with the studio also stating how it will “receive nothing fromThe Day Beforesales” financially. While the studio is not directly profiting fromthe disastrous launch ofThe Day Before, it seems as if it has used the sales revenue of the project to pay off its debts before shutting down all support for the game, with outrage persisting as a result.
It is unclear what kind of profits Fntastic has made from The Day Before, with its contradictory statements on debt payment and refunds creating even more confusion for paying customers.
Further response from Fntastic to fan frustration has made matters even worse, with a recent reply to a disgruntled player simply stating “This was our first big experience. Sh*t happens.” Players have also noticed that Fntastic appears to have already re-branded, with Steam listings for some of its previous games now naming the studio as Eight Points instead of Fntastic. Killing all support for such a high-profile game just four days after launch is arguably one of the largest gaming controversies of the year, andthe continued actions of Fntasticmake it no wonder that fans are so upset with the studio.
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.
