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Trademark troubles halt business launch dont let it happen to you

By James Wan

What you need to know (in a nutshell)

  1. The release date of the game “The Day Before” has been delayed from March 1st, 2023, to November 10, 2023, due to a trademark issue.
  2. The studio behind the game, Fntastic, states that they did not take any money from players through crowdfunding, pre-orders or donations and that Mytona, a large mobile publisher, fully funds the game.
  3. Fntastic also responds to online scepticism of the game’s legitimacy, saying that they have been working on the game for four years and that the delay and trademark issue are just a setback.

Full Article

Fntastic, the development studio behind the highly anticipated open-world survival MMO, The Day Before, recently spoke with IGN to discover the reasons behind the game’s latest delay. The postponement is attributed to an ongoing trademark dispute, prompting the team to exercise caution. Fntastic had originally planned to announce the game in collaboration with Mytona through a 10-minute gameplay video. The developers reassured players that no money or donations had been solicited from them, as the project is fully funded by one of the world’s leading mobile publishers, who oversee their progress at every milestone according to contractual stipulations.

Addressing the online scepticism surrounding the legitimacy of their game, Fntastic expressed their disheartenment, given the time and effort invested in the project over the past four years. Moreover, they emphasised that they have yet to receive funds through crowdfunding initiatives, preorders, or donations.

Fntastic’s ambitious endeavour to create an open-world survival MMO has been met with numerous challenges, including an unexpected trademark issue that delayed the game’s initial release date of March 1st, 2023, pushing it back to November 10th of the same year. The studio had not secured the trademark for ‘The Day Before’ and, unbeknownst to them, someone else claimed the name. This was brought to light when Steam unceremoniously delisted the game, which had been one of its most wish-listed titles, citing a bug. Fntastic subsequently issued a comprehensive statement explaining the extended timeline. Despite initial scepticism regarding the feasibility of their goals, Fntastic’s tenacity and commitment to realising their ambitions have resulted in significant development progress over time. However, setbacks such as this trademark dispute have somewhat hampered production.

In mid-2021, a trademark application for the name ‘The Day Before’ was filed, sparking suspicions about the game’s legitimacy, already a subject of scepticism among many gamers. In response to these circumstances, the studio had intended to unveil full gameplay but has since opted to delay the reveal while they consult with legal experts. Undoubtedly, these challenges are far from ideal for the studio and its forthcoming title.