‘The Day Before‘, once a highly anticipated open-world, survival MMO game, has faced an unprecedented journey filled with controversy and confusion, leading to its current status as one of Steam’s worst-reviewed games. This tumultuous path has been marked by a bizarre statement from Fntastic, the game’s developer, alleging a hate campaign and misinformation surrounding the game’s release and development.
The game, which launched on December 7, 2023, was initially promised to deliver an immersive, massively multiplayer online experience. However, it fell drastically short of these expectations, emerging instead as an extraction shooter plagued with numerous issues. Critics and players were quick to notice the vast differences between the game’s trailers and the actual gameplay, with missing features such as parkour being notably absent.
The Alleged Hate Campaign and Aftermath
In a peculiar turn of events, Fntastic took to social media to address what it called a “hate campaign” against the game. The developer suggested that negative bias, fueled by certain bloggers profiting from spreading hate, significantly influenced public perception. Despite efforts to address initial bugs and improve reviews post-launch, the game’s popularity declined sharply. By December 11, it had become one of Steam’s ten worst-reviewed games.
Fntastic’s statement also mentioned an unexpected black market demand for the game, with prices reportedly exceeding $200. Additionally, there were claims of fan petitions for the continuation of the game’s development and the emergence of player-created mods. Despite its alleged shutdown, Fntastic encouraged fans to follow their social media for future updates, adding to the confusion regarding the developer’s status.
Accusations and Legal Troubles
https://twitter.com/FntasticHQ/status/1750076648798785989
The journey of ‘The Day Before’ was further complicated by accusations of ripping off other popular games and a trademark dispute. These issues, combined with multiple delays and a final, disastrous launch, culminated in forced refunds for all customers.
Despite the game’s troubled release and the developer’s claimed shutdown, there are reports of Fntastic’s CEOs already working on a new game. This revelation adds another layer to the ongoing saga of ‘The Day Before’, leaving the gaming community questioning what the future holds for both the game and its developer.
