Survival MMOThe Day Beforewas shaping up to be a major release for open-world fans. Announced in 2021, early trailers for the game helped it quickly acquire a significant fanbase. However, developer Fntastic followed up with progressively worrisome updates forThe Day Before, such as a mid-development switch to Unreal Engine 5, a call for full-time and part-time volunteers, and repeated delays for the game’s release date. Themost recent delay forThe Day Beforeconfirms a November 2023 release, but additionally indicates that it launches simultaneously on consoles and PC. Following a long line of negative updates,The Day Before’s announcement of a day-and-date" release is a smart decision and provides a fresh source of anticipation for fans.
The Day Beforedazzled players with early footage. The game promised an immersive multiplayer open-world where players fought and scavenged to survive in a post-pandemic apocalypse. Originally slated for a 2022 release on Steam, the game was delayed to March 2023, then again until November. Its troubled development and lack of gameplay footage had some fans believing that the game may never release at all. However, its most recent update confirming a same-day release on both PC and console is evidence that Fntastic has indeed been working to compensate players for the wait.
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The Day Before Was the Most Wishlisted Game on Steam
MMO games are relatively common in the modern gaming landscape, with titles offering a range of gameplay and graphical quality. WhenThe Day Beforewas announced, it promised gamers both. The title’s unique concept and amazing visuals ledThe Day Beforeto become the most wishlisted game on Steam. Somefans positively compared early gameplay ofThe Day BeforetoThe Last of Us, as both offered heavy movement mechanics and a dark tale of survival in a post-apocalyptic society.
When Fntastic caused controversy with their delay and volunteer announcements,The Day Beforedropped to the second most wishlisted game on Steambehind BlueTwelve Studio’sStray. The most recent controversy, however, dealtThe Day Beforeits worst blow. On July 22, 2025, Fntastic announced that they would be delaying the game, due to a trademark issue that saw the game delisted from Steam entirely. The developer claims that a private individual used the game’s delay to submit a trademark application for the game’s title before they could submit their own. This announcement was received very poorly by some players, with some doubting the title would ever be released.
The Day Before’s Announcement of Day-and-Date Release is a Smart Decision
Previous delays forThe Day Beforesaw its release on PC moved to a later date. Given this month’s announcement of yet another delay, amidst trademark issues,fans have started to question whetherThe Day Beforeis even real. However, one huge overlooked detail was the delay’s confirmation that the game will launch day-and-date on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. This marked the first time a console release date had been given for the title, making its inclusion in the delay announcement a smart move by Fntastic. By offering this update, the developer both confirmed that work has been done on the title and gave console fans their first taste of anticipation.
The Day Beforehas been struggling to prove that any real work is being done on the game itself. Following multiple cinematic trailers and technical updates, some fans argue thatflawless gameplay isThe Day Before’s last chance to prove itself. The most recent delay announcement failed to provide this, but it did offer other information that indicated the game is making significant progress. Day-and-date release on consoles was the first positive news for the title in quite some time. By confirming that the game will be playable on both console and PC in November 2023, Fntastic may be ready to hit the ground running once the trademark issue is settled.
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Announcement of a day-and-date release on consoles also generates anticipation in a group that has, til now, been standing on the sidelines.Players have been questioning whether the game would release on consolessince its reveal. With no confirmed release for their platforms, console fans were mere spectators to the repeated delays experienced by PC gamers, enjoying the cinematic trailers with no real skin in the game. Unexpectedly included in the day-and-date release, console gamers finally get a taste of true anticipation. With a day-and-date release for PS5 and Xbox, console gamers are part of the MMO’s official launch and placed on equal footing in the game’s survival-oriented world. Barring further delays, console fans may see a much-improved version ofThe Day Beforelaunch on their first confirmed release date, an experience that could provide a positive boost to early feedback.
The Day Beforehas experienced a rough road to release, but things are looking up for the title. Fntastic’s decision to release the game simultaneously on consoles and PC displays a focus on delivering on expectations and rebuilding anticipation. In fact,Fntastic released 10 minutes of gameplay footage forThe Day Beforejust this week, marking another big update for the game. It’s too early to indicate how this new gameplay will be received by fans. However, good or bad, it appearsThe Day Beforeis doing its diligence to prove it is still a game worth anticipating.
The Day Beforewill release for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on Jul 04, 2025.
