The Day Before Devs Are Back With a New Game And Kickstarter
Just when you thought Fntastic’s The Day Before fiasco was the final nail in the coffin, the beleaguered developer has re-emerged, Kickstarter hat in hand. Their new project? Escape Factory, a multiplayer co-op platformer where four to eight players navigate deadly obstacle courses in a factory filled with traps, monsters, and physics-based mayhem.
“You play as life-weary workers trying to escape the vicious cycle of deadly factories from which there's no easy way out. Legend has it that only one great and mysterious individual has ever escaped. Team up with 4-8 players for pure multiplayer co-op physics-based fun challenges.”
For those unfamiliar with Fntastic’s tumultuous history, the studio once soared to great heights with The Day Before, an MMO survival shooter that became Steam’s most-wishlisted game. But that dream quickly turned into a nightmare, as delays, a trademark dispute, and a disastrously underwhelming launch sent the game spiraling into chaos. Players demanded refunds, and Fntastic—known for relying on volunteers rather than paid staff—faced widespread criticism for its handling of the situation.
Now, Fntastic is looking to turn things around with Escape Factory, calling the game part of their “plan for recovery.” The Kickstarter campaign, which launched yesterday, aims to raise a modest $15,567, and surprisingly, they’ve already crossed the $11,000 mark. But it seems old wounds don’t heal easily. The comments section is filled with skepticism from backers, many of whom haven’t forgotten the debacle of The Day Before.
Fntastic, for its part, is promising to do better this time. “Our mission is to create games that will be loved for decades,” the studio writes in their Kickstarter pitch.
“Everyone deserves a second chance. We deeply apologize to everyone for The Day Before and take full responsibility for what happened,” the studio tweeted. “Check out our plan, Fntastic 2.0, where we share how we’ll fix our past mistakes and are preparing to return better.”
They’ve also pledged to be more transparent and are no longer relying on volunteers. Yet, as of this writing, some of the original team members are still working “on a goodwill basis”—an odd phrasing that has raised more than a few eyebrows.
Will Escape Factory be the comeback Fntastic desperately needs? Or is it another disaster waiting to happen? Only time—and Kickstarter backers—will tell. For those curious, there’s already a demo on Steam for you to judge for yourself.
Check out the campaign and demo, but tread carefully—Fntastic’s reputation may be as tricky to navigate as their obstacle courses.
