The Day Before developer Fntastic came out of the woodwork to announce its return.
The Day Before was released in December 2023, after a rocky road to release that included delays, the developer being forced to claim that its game was not a scam, and criticism for its use of unpaid volunteers. It even became embroiled in a strange trademark dispute with a calendar app also called The Day Before.
In the end, The Day Before didn't last long. Its debut was a disaster and the studio closed just days after the game's release, with players receiving refunds for the product. And to be honest, I thought that was it. But I was wrong, because the studio is back… and they want your money again.
“Everyone deserves a second chance. We deeply apologize to everyone for The Day Before and take full responsibility for what happened,” Fntastic wrote in a post on social media platform X, announcing their return.
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Fntastic has a new mission as part of its comeback effort: “To create games that will be loved for decades.” Meanwhile, the company's vision is now to “become one of the most beloved gaming companies by creating fantastic, innovative and emotionally engaging experiences.”
The studio has also revealed its next game: a physics-based multiplayer cooperative escape game for 4-8 players called Escape Factory, which appears to be a far cry from what The Day Before initially showed off (see images below).
“You play as life-weary workers trying to escape the vicious cycle of deadly factories from which there is no easy way out. Legend has it that only one great and mysterious individual has ever escaped,” reads the Escape blurb. Factory.
The developer has created a kickstarter campaign as part of its Fntastic 2.0 push, which at the time of writing has £309 pledged out of a target of £11,623, with 15 backers. If anyone decides to support this comeback by pledging $12,000, they will get an “unforgettable dinner” with the founders of Fntastic.
“However, if we are unable to reach our initial funding goal, we will not be able to launch Escape Factory or return as Fntastic,” he wrote. “Your support is crucial to helping us make this vision a reality.”
I don't know about you, but I'm skeptical about this whole thing.
In January of this year, a report on the development of The Day Before alleged employees and “volunteers” of Fntastic were subjected to mistreatment. This followed a social media post blaming The Day Before saga on a “hate campaign”, which was quickly removed.