The Day Before Developer Is Attempting to Make a Comeback

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The Day Before Developer Is Attempting to Make a Comeback

Key Takeaways

  • The Day Before developer Fntastic is attempting a comeback with a new game called Escape Factory.
  • The Day Before was heavily criticized for technical glitches and false marketing claims, leading to server shutdown.
  • Fntastic promises to fund Escape Factory’s development via Kickstarter, with refunds if the target isn’t met.

As a seasoned gamer with a heart full of memories and a wallet scarred by disappointments, I find myself standing at a crossroads, gazing at Fntastic’s latest offering – Escape Factory. The bitter taste of The Day Before still lingers in my gaming memory, a cautionary tale about false promises and unfulfilled potential.

The infamous game developer known for the contentious shooter title, “The Day Before,” is attempting a return just under a year since its servers were closed following criticism and uproar. First unveiled in 2021, “The Day Before” was hyped as a survival MMO set in a zombie-ravaged post-apocalyptic landscape, sparking high anticipation. However, even from its initial trailer, skepticism arose among gamers who accused the developer Fntastic of mimicking numerous other games, including “Red Dead Redemption 2,” “The Last of Us,” and “The Division.

As a gamer, I was truly looking forward to diving into The Day Before, given all the hype surrounding it. But upon its release in December 2023, I found myself grappling with technical issues and a game that didn’t live up to the MMO promise made in the trailers. To make matters worse, when the community voiced our concerns, a developer from The Day Before team asserted that the game had never been an MMO. This statement left the community feeling deceived, as we believed the publisher Mytona was at fault for any misleading marketing.

Approximately a month and a half after its debut, the servers for the game “The Day Before” were deactivated, and refunds were given to everyone who had purchased it, regardless of how much they had played. Contrary to reports suggesting that the company had ceased operations, developer Fntastic appears to be working on a new project, unveiling a trailer for a game titled “Escape Factory” on September 27. At the same time, the company took to social media, acknowledging that rebuilding trust will be challenging. The development of “Escape Factory” will be crowdfunded through Kickstarter, and Fntastic guarantees that all contributions will be returned if the fundraising goal isn’t met. Additionally, the developer has made it clear that “all funds will be used for development, not profit.

This last sentence is particularly noteworthy because Fntastic was of course accused of using The Day Before as a money grab meant to fill its coffers before pulling the plug and disappearing. However, buyers were refunded and it’s unclear how much, or how little, cash the company may have actually ended up with. Understandably, comments on the Escape Factory trailer and replies to the Twitter post are overwhelmingly negative. It’s dubious how many people will choose to participate in the company’s new initiative, which according to its official website, is to “build Fntastic 2.0 together.”

Developer Fntastic Asks for a Second Chance

The trailer for Escape Factory doesn’t provide details about its storyline, as it was primarily used to address issues with The Day Before, express plans to rectify past mistakes, and share links to the company’s reparation initiatives. Fntastic states, “Everyone deserves a second chance,” leaving the final decision to the gaming community. Based on the one-minute trailer, Escape Factory appears to be an engaging physics-based cooperative game for 4-8 players, with a demo available for download on Steam.

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2024-09-27 12:43