Fntastic Studio Announces Closure Following The Day Before’s Removal From Steam
Mytona Offers Refunds Without Playtime Restrictions Amid The Day Before’s Removal
The highly anticipated survival MMO, The Day Before, faced a swift and turbulent journey on Steam, culminating in its removal from the platform. Initially hailed as Steam’s most wished-for open-world survival game, it plunged into the realm of negative reviews almost immediately after its early access release. Players found the actual gameplay experience drastically different from advertised claims, labeling it more akin to an extraction shooter reminiscent of Escape from Tarkov rather than the promised expansive MMO. Moreover, plagued by numerous game-breaking glitches, a desolate and incomplete game world devoid of engaging elements, and inconsistent online features, disillusionment grew rapidly among the player base. Within a mere five days of its launch, The Day Before vanished from Steam, signaling the closure of Fntastic, the studio responsible for the game. The studio’s announcement about its closure came amidst financial failure, leaving no possibility for future game patches or transformations due to lack of funding.
In a heartfelt blog post, Fntastic acknowledged the financial struggle, expressing the inability to sustain operations further. The promise to utilize earnings to settle debts now remains unfulfilled. The game, initially propelled by its $40 price tag, faced severe backlash over accusations of utilizing stolen or repurposed assets and deploying misleading gameplay trailers. Despite an initial surge of 38,000 concurrent players on launch day, the player base swiftly dwindled, with no resurgence over the weekend, indicating the vast gap between trailer promises and the actual gaming experience. Presently, The Day Before registers a mere 749 concurrent players, possibly comprising a handful documenting their experiences before the imminent server shutdown, symbolizing the downfall of a highly anticipated game.
Fntastic, amidst uncertainty about its future trajectory, has pledged to maintain the operational status of The Day Before and their previous multiplayer game, Propnight, ensuring continued gameplay for existing players. As the disappointed player community seeks recourse through refunds, publisher Mytona steps up by offering reimbursements, even for playtimes surpassing Steam’s customary two-hour threshold. To initiate the refund process, players can access Steam’s Help section, undergoing a questionnaire detailing the reasons for reimbursement. Addressing accusations of deception, Fntastic declared it would not profit from game sales, acknowledging an overestimation of its game development capabilities. However, the studio’s immature retort on Twitter, citing inexperience with a dismissive, “Shit happens,” further fueled the community’s frustration. Amidst the turmoil, hopes loom for a satirical exposé reminiscent of ‘Crowbcat’s videos, shedding light on this colossal gaming debacle.
The abrupt disappearance of Fntastic’s CEO’s Twitter account and subsequent deletion of the studio’s YouTube channel appears almost like a bid to erase the company’s digital footprint entirely. The Day Before, now removed from Steam, stands marred by an “Overwhelmingly Negative” rating, reeling under a barrage of 18,000 scathing reviews, at one point ranking among the platform’s ten worst-reviewed games.
The journey leading to the game’s launch was riddled with its share of challenges. The Day Before encountered numerous delays, including one a mere month before its scheduled release, faced a trademark dispute, and weathered allegations of exploiting unpaid labor. Fntastic refuted these claims, asserting that all contributions were from ‘volunteers.’
