10 Biggest Scams In Gaming History
1. The Day Before
The phrase "worst video game ever" is thrown around with such flippancy, it's hard to take it seriously. Having said that, The Day Before makes a solid case for worst game of the decade.
Fntastic's co-founders, Eduard and Aysen Gotovtsev, promised the MMO zombie shooter would be groundbreaking when it was revealed in 2021, offering open-ended gameplay, unique mechanics, and realism unseen in the genre.
The expectations for The Day Before were overwhelming, to the point where it became Steam's most wishlisted game. But due to repeated delays, asset-flipping allegations, unpaid labour rumours, and online gameplay videos being pulled, it wasn't long before the authenticity of the project was challenged. (For the record, it's never a good sign when a game is accused of being a grift before it comes out.)
When The Day Before finally emerged, it was clear the cynicism surrounding its development was warranted. Not only did it suffer from sporadic frame-rate, terrible enemy AI, and technical issues, but it was also bereft of creativity. No melee combat. No innovative mechanics. No characterisation. No artistry. Nothing.
Fntastic removed The Day Before from sale four days after launch and shut down the servers the following month. Though purchasers were refunded, anyone who spent five minutes on this abomination felt bamboozled.