Summary

  • Former Fntastic claims that The Day Before was never the MMO that was promised.
  • The game launched in Steam Early Access on December 7 and was promptly bombarded by negative reviews after the fans realized it's not an MMO but a limited extraction shooter.
  • Fntastic announced it's closing down four days after the disastrous launch. The game's publisher, Mytona, is currently approving refunds to anyone who requests one.

The Day Before never resembled anything like the massive multiplayer online (MMO) game that was promised, a former Fntastic developer revealed. This bit of insight into the controversial project arrives shortly after The Day Before developer decided to delete itself from the internet in the aftermath of the game's widely lambasted launch.

Following numerous delays and controversies, Fntastic's fifth and final game was released in early access on December 7. It then quickly came to light that The Day Before is not an open-world MMO as advertised. Instead, Fntastic delivered a limited extraction shooter akin to Escape from Tarkov, just with a smaller map, clunkier combat, and no progression mechanics, according to many player reviews criticizing the game. Skills and survival elements previously promised by the Singapore-based company were also nowhere to be found.

The Day Before Refunds
The Day Before Publisher Giving Refunds Regardless of Play Time

With The Day Before pulled from Steam, its publisher apologizes for the ensuing controversy and commits to opening up refunds.

By 

And while some fans subsequently speculated that Fntastic scaled back the scope of the game after realizing it cannot deliver on its promises, it would appear that's not the case. Specifically, DualShockers reports that The Day Before was never an MMO, citing an ex-Fntastic staffer who worked on the game. The unnamed source is quoted as saying that "no one from [their] team knows why they called it an MMO." Since Fntastic claimed that it doesn't have a marketing department as late as February 2023, "they" presumably refers to Mytona, the game's publisher.

The Day Before Steam Listing Still Claims It's an MMO

The Day Before MMO claim Steam
A screenshot of The Day Before Steam listing with the word "MMO" highlighted in its description.

Be that as it may, the game's Steam page still advertises it as an MMO as of December 12. Its listing might not receive any more updates, as The Day Before developer announced it's closing down just four days following the game's early access release. The post-apocalyptic shooter is currently one of the worst-rated games on Valve's storefront, with countless reviews accusing it of false advertising. The PS5 and Xbox Series X/S ports of The Day Before have already been canceled.

No one from our team knows why they called it an MMO.

DualShockers' source also offered some insight into the game's numerous delays, claiming that huge portions of The Day Before had to be redone multiple times because Fntastic founders, Aisen and Eduard Gotovtsev, were constantly making massive changes to the project. Even so, at no point during development was The Day Before an MMO, having instead been envisioned as a combination of Escape from Tarkov, DayZ, and Rust, as per the same source.

Although the developers are said to have repeatedly tried offering feedback to the founders, the Gotovtsevs were reportedly unreceptive to such attempts at dialogue. "Anyone who complained too much was kicked off the team," the former Fntastic staffer said. The project was in development for five years prior to its catastrophically received early access release. The subsequent studio closure announcement saw Fntastic state that it's using any remaining income to settle outstanding debts. The Day Before publisher Mytona is still approving Steam refunds to anyone who requests one, regardless of their total playing time.

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The Day Before game tag page cover art

The Day Before
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Open-World
Zombie
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Systems
PC-1
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Top Critic Avg: 12 /100
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Released
December 7, 2023
Developer(s)
Fntastic
Publisher(s)
MYTONA
Engine
Unreal Engine 5
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
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The Day Before offers players a uniquely reimagined journey into post-apocalyptic open-world MMO survival set in the present day on the US East Coast following a deadly pandemic.


SURVIVE AT ALL COSTS
Fight other players for survival. Survive against the deadly infected. Collect valuable loot.


DISCOVER THE NEW POST-PANDEMIC WORLD
Explore the beautiful and richly detailed New Fortune City. Enter tall skyscrapers, business centers, massive malls, grand stadiums, and more. Uncover distant surroundings of New Fortune City on stunningly detailed vehicles.


REBUILD SOCIETY
Join the Woodberry survivor colony on its mission to rebuild society. Trade items in Woodberry and save your wealth in a personal storage room. Build your own home in the safe zone.

Platform(s)
PC
Genre(s)
Open-World, Zombie