In a devastating turn of events, Fntastic, the developers of the highly anticipated zombie-survival shooter, The Day Before, have announced their closure less than a week after its disastrous launch on PC. This article delves into the unfortunate series of events that led to the demise of the game and the challenges faced by its developers.
A Controversial Release
The Day Before finally made its way to Early Access on Steam after multiple delays. However, the initial excitement surrounding the game quickly turned into disappointment and frustration. The delay, which pushed the release from the previous year to December 7th, was met with accusations of unpaid development staff and even a trademark dispute. These controversies cast a shadow of doubt over the game’s legitimacy from the start.
One of the primary criticisms of The Day Before stemmed from players’ expectations. Many had anticipated an open-world MMO experience, but what they received was an extraction shooter with zombies. This discrepancy led to an onslaught of negative reviews flooding the game’s Steam page shortly after its release. Players expressed their dissatisfaction with the lack of development polish, missing features, poor gameplay, and underwhelming loot system.
The Financial Failure
The negative reception of The Day Before took a toll on its financial success. Fntastic announced their closure merely four days after the game’s launch, citing the financial failure of the project as the reason behind their inability to continue developing the game. The studio had originally planned for the game to stay in Early Access for six to eight months, during which they intended to address bugs, improve gameplay, and add extra content. However, the lack of funding forced them to abandon these plans.
Accusations of The Day Before being a scam further compounded the developers’ troubles. While Fntastic clarified that they did everything within their power to meet expectations, they admitted to miscalculating their capabilities. Creating a game, especially one as ambitious as The Day Before, is an incredibly challenging endeavor. Unfortunately, it seems that Fntastic underestimated the resources and skills required to bring their vision to life.
With the closure of Fntastic, the future of The Day Before and their previous game, Propnight, hangs in the balance. The studio assured players that the servers for both games would remain operational for the time being, but the future beyond that remains uncertain. This unfortunate turn of events has left both players and employees caught up in a messy saga.
It is important to acknowledge the efforts and achievements of Fntastic before the incident surrounding The Day Before. The studio first gained attention with their 2017 debut, a co-op survival game called The Wild Eight, which amassed close to $60,000 on Kickstarter. Subsequently, they embarked on the development of games such as Dead Dozen and Radiant One. While Fntastic’s previous endeavors demonstrated promise, it is clear that they faced insurmountable challenges with The Day Before.
The closure of Fntastic following the disastrous launch of The Day Before serves as a cautionary tale for aspiring game developers. It highlights the importance of proper planning, resource management, and realistic expectations. The downfall of The Day Before not only impacted the players who eagerly awaited its release but also the talented individuals behind its creation. May this unfortunate incident serve as a catalyst for learning and improvement, both within the gaming industry and for aspiring developers.
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