The tumultuous journey of "The Day Before," once one of Steam's most anticipated games of 2023, has taken an unexpected turn. It was originally pitched as an open-world MMO, similar to World of Warcraft and OSRS, albeit with a post-apocalyptic skin. Fntastic, the developer behind this game, recently announced that they are shutting down their operations. This announcement comes less than a week after the studio faced accusations of deceiving players by significantly altering the nature of the game from what was initially advertised.
On December 11, Fntastic released a statement on Twitter announcing the closure of their studio. They cited the financial failure of "The Day Before" as the primary reason, stating that all revenue is being used to settle debts with partners. Despite their efforts over five years in developing the game, they didn't raise funds through Early Access, pre-orders, or crowdfunding. The future of "The Day Before" and other online games from the studio remains uncertain, although the servers will remain active for now.
The statement from Fntastic expressed regret for not meeting player expectations, acknowledging the immense challenge of game development and admitting to an overestimation of their capabilities.
Simultaneously, the studio appears to be distancing itself from responsibility for the issues plaguing "The Day Before." The game, which was one of the most wished-for on Steam earlier in the year, drew significant attention upon release. It attracted over 400,000 viewers on Twitch and 30,000 concurrent PC players on its first day. However, players quickly realized that the game, built on the Unreal Engine and impressive in trailers, diverged from its original concept as a zombie survival MMO. Instead, it turned out to be a buggy extraction shooter with sparse content. The game, priced at $40, faced harsh criticism in numerous Steam reviews, with players labeling it a "scam" and citing server problems and flawed levels. Many sought refunds.
The game's launch, which led to a predominantly negative rating, followed months of controversy. This included allegations of exploiting volunteer labor, misleading trailers, asset flips, a legal dispute leading to a temporary removal from Steam, and several delays. These issues fueled speculation about the game's legitimacy.
Last week, Fntastic defended its integrity against such speculation, criticizing doubters and expressing commitment to improving the game post-launch. However, just four days after this statement, the studio announced its closure, marking an abrupt end to its promise of continued development and support for the game.