In a turn of events that shocked the gaming community, Fntastic, the developers behind the much-anticipated zombie-survival game “The Day Before,” announced their closure just four days after the game’s launch on Steam. This announcement came as a surprise, especially given the game’s status as the most wishlisted title on Steam and its long-awaited arrival following multiple delays.
“The Day Before” had been slated for release last year but experienced several postponements, finally making its debut on December 7th. Its launch, however, was far from smooth. The game was embroiled in controversy, ranging from issues like unpaid development staff to trademark disputes and allegations that the game was a scam.
Upon release, “The Day Before” faced a barrage of criticism. Thousands of negative reviews flooded in, with players expressing disappointment over the game not being the open-world MMO they had anticipated.
Instead, it resembled an extraction shooter with zombies. Critiques also pointed out the lack of development polish, missing features, poor gameplay, and unsatisfactory loot system – elements that were previously highlighted as significant aspects of the game.
Financial Troubles Leading to Closure
The financial failure of “The Day Before” was a critical factor in Fntastic’s closure. The studio revealed that the game’s lack of success left them without the necessary funds to continue its development.
Despite plans to keep the game in Early Access for six to eight months to fix bugs, make improvements, and add content, these ambitions fell through due to the financial constraints.
Fntastic’s statement highlighted the dire situation: “All income received is being used to pay off debts to our partners. We really wanted to release new patches to reveal the full potential of the game, but unfortunately, we don’t have the funding to continue the work.”
Uncertain Future for Fntastic’s Games
Official statement. #fntastic #thedaybefore #propnight pic.twitter.com/AKcRHeIaIW
— Fntastic (@FntasticHQ) December 11, 2023
The studio assured that servers for “The Day Before” and their previous game “Propnight” would remain operational for the time being. However, the future of these games remains uncertain. Fntastic’s closure not only marks the end of “The Day Before” but also casts a shadow over the studio’s other projects.
Fntastic’s journey in the gaming industry began with their 2017 debut, “The Wild Eight,” a co-op survival game reminiscent of “Don’t Starve,” which raised nearly $60,000 on Kickstarter.
Following this, the studio developed other titles like “Dead Dozen” and “Radiant One.” The abrupt end of Fntastic, a studio that once showed promise, underscores the volatile nature of game development and the high stakes involved in launching a successful game.
