Publisher MyTona and developer Fntastic have delayed the PC version open-world survival massively multiplayer online game The Day Before from its previously planned March 1 release date to November 10, citing a trademark dispute as the reason.
“Right before the release, Steam blocked our game page at the request of a private individual, because of the name ‘The Day Before,’” the companies said in a joint statement. “As you know, our game was announced in January 2021. At the time of the announcement, ‘The Day Before‘ game trademark was available. After the announcement of the game, the above mentioned individual filled out an application before us to register the game trademark ‘The Day Before‘ in the United States.”
According to the companies, while a lengthy gameplay video was planned for release later this month, they will first have to sort out this trademark issue. In a separate tweet, Fntastic said“For the gameplay video, we will consult with lawyers first, and then we can publish it.”
The Day Before is also planned for release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series at a later date.
Get the full message from MyTona and Fntastic below.
Dear fans!
Right before the release, Steam blocked our game page at the request of a private individual, because of the name “The Day Before.”
As you know, our game was announced in January 2021. At the time of the announcement, “The Day Before” game trademark was available.
After the announcement of the game, the above mentioned individual filled out an application before us to register the game trademark “The Day Before” in the United States: https://uspto.report/TM/79314174
What’s next?
Previously, we were not aware of the existence of claims. We found out about this only on January 19, 2023, when we received a complaint from him and a request to contact him.
Now we find out all the circumstances of the incident and we will definitely solve everything.
We previously planned to post a lengthy gameplay video later this month, but we’ll have to sort this issue out first. We will post a video as soon as possible.
As a result, we have made the difficult decision to postpone the launch to November 10, 2023. We understand this may disappoint many of our fans, however we want to ensure we release the best possible game.
Our 100 percent focus remains on the game itself and how to deliver you the best game possible.
Thank you and we hope for your support.
Sincerely,
MyTona and Fntastic