Gab Hernandez 
Steam is issuing refunds for The Day Before mere days after release, resulting in backlash that has fans calling the game a scam.
The Day Before was touted as a post-apocalyptic open-world MMO survival game set in a zombie apocalypse. The developers even promised cross-compatibility for this massive MMO between PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PS5. The game was an incredibly ambitious product from a fledgling developer.
Unfortunately, The Day Before flew too close to the sun, or perhaps just crashed during takeoff. Just a few days after The Day Before came out, its developer is shutting down and the game’s future is bleak.
Is The Day Before a scam?
Nothing official confirms The Day Before was a scam. However, the development of the game was rife with controversy including a trademark dispute, admissions of relying heavily on unpaid “volunteer” developers, and allegations of plagiarism in regard to its trailers. Regardless, the game is universally regarded as a disaster.
The biggest reason for people thinking it’s a scam is the sudden collapse of The Day Before’s studio, Fntastic. Citing The Day Before’s financial failure, Fntastic announced on December 11 that it would be closing its doors, effective immediately. MMO games typically require time before they can be officially dubbed a success or failure, making the immediate closure raise eyebrows.
The future of The Day Before remains in limbo. While Fntastic claimed the servers would remain operational, it’s unclear how long that will be the case. The game dropped with a thud, receiving overwhelmingly negative reviews. The game was rife with performance issues and other problems, which are unlikely to be fixed now that Fntastic is out of business. The Day Before publisher Mytona stated that it is working with Valve on refunding players and apologized for the state of the game.
Is Steam offering full refunds for The Day Before?
Yes, Steam is issuing full refunds to anyone who purchased The Day Before, including those who wouldn’t normally be eligible for one, further fueling the idea that the game was a scam.
The Day Before was released in Early Access on December 7, 2023. The widespread controversy generated by The Day Before has set social media aflame. Despite the initial hype, players were met with a contender for Worst Game of the Year.
The Day Before was plagued not by a zombie virus, but by performance issues, barebones content, and unfulfilled promises. The game was made unpurchasable by Steam as a result. Steam even made it so that players who passed the 2-hour refund window could still get full refunds.
