Just four days after the launch of The Day Before, developer Fntastic has announced that their studio is closing. In a post shared to Twitter, the game's financial failure is blamed for the decision, but gamers are reassured that servers will remain operational.
Fntastic begins their post by stating that "The Day Before has failed financially, and we lack the funds to continue." All income is reportedly being used to "pay off debts to our partners." Despite the game's rocky launch and the gaming community's general animosity, the studio apparently had grand plans for the future, saying "We really wanted to release new patches to reveal the full potential of the game, but [...] don't have the funding to continue."
While many paid full price to experience the game at launch (and haven't been promised refunds), Fntastic points out that "we didn't take any money from the public during development [...] there were no pre-orders or crowdfunding campaigns."
It's worth noting that The Day Before is actually the studio's fifth release since opening in 2015. Their previous games attracted a fanbase that once made The Day Before the most wishlisted game on Steam, which makes the quality of the final product a harsh betrayal for some.
The statement ends with a brief history of the studio, and a message to players. "We apologize if we didn't meet your expectations. We did everything within our power, but unfortunately, we miscalculated our capabilities. Creating games is an incredibly challenging endeavour." Unsurprisingly, the post's replies contain a mixture of anger, shock, and contempt.
The responses may surprise some, but The Day Before has been under scrutiny for years. On YouTube, creators garnered millions of views on their Fntastic exposés and repeatedly claimed the game would ever release, a sentiment that grew after each delay. Controversy only grew after launch with accusations of trailers misrepresenting the game. On the Fntastic YouTube channel, several pre-launch gameplay videos and trailers were recently deleted, only adding to the vitriol.
While the game sits at a 'mostly negative' rating on Steam, gamers have been busy accusing the game of being a scam, calling for refunds, and demanding that Steam delists the game. The gaming community's contempt is clear, and with some suggesting a lawsuit, it's unlikely that 2024 will be fantastic for Fntastic.