Post-apocalyptic survival game The Day Before has been removed from Steam – an issue which developer Fntastic initially called a ‘bug’ caused by ‘minor technical difficulty’, then later claimed was a copyright complication. The confusion over this error and conflicting explanations has caused major panic amongst those who were previously interested in the game – who now believe the game may be a scam.
‘We are currently experiencing a minor technical difficulty with our game’s visibility on the Steam store page,’ an early message from developers read, per GamesRadar. ‘This is a known bug that has affected multiple titles in the past. Please note that Steam regularly conducts maintenance on Tuesdays and this issue will likely be resolved during that time.’
A subsequent post from Fntastic on Twitter outlined a different scenario.
‘Right before the release, Steam blocked our game page at the request of a private individual, because of the name The Day Before,’ Fntastic said. ‘As you know, our game was announced in January 2021. At the time of the announcement, The Day Before game trademark was available. After the announcement of the game, the above mentioned individual filled out an application before us to register the game trademark The Day Before in the United States.’
As a result, Fntastic has decided to delay the game to 10 November 2023 – several months after it was planned to launch. Should the copyright be the only issue, it’s unclear why a name change would warrant such a delay.
This isn’t the only roadblock that’s forced many to question the status of Fntastic and its game. In mid-2022, it was revealed that The Day Before was seemingly being made by a team of unpaid ‘volunteers’, with some only rewarded free game codes or participation certificates.
Read: ‘The Day Before’ is reportedly being made by unpaid volunteers
The furore around the game – its delisting, revelations around ‘volunteer’ employees, and the major delay – have now forced Fntastic to speak out again, in an attempt to reassure fans that the game is not a scam, and will release in November 2023.
‘We planned to move the game’s release before and plan to announce it with [publisher] Mytona in a 10-minute gameplay video,’ Fntastic recently told IGN. ‘And then you all know what happened. So to be on the safe side, to ensure there are no more transfers, we, along with the publisher, chose November 10. That is a safe date, given the trademark dispute.’
‘We’re very confident that this issue will be resolved since we have strong legal partners. The extra time will allow us to better prepare for the release and make the overall improvements for the game. It will become even more polished, optimised, and content-filled.’
‘For us and millions of people, The Day Before is a childhood dream come true. It’s a game with zombies and other people in a huge post-apocalyptic skyscraper city. We understand that some players, not seeing the whole picture, might have doubts about the game. Our whole focus has always been on the product itself … We only believe in the final product. No matter what anyone says, you’ll see for yourself on November 10 this year.’
The Day Before is currently targeting a PC release on 10 November 2023.
