The Day Before suffers indefinite console delay as the survival MMO gears up for Early Access PC release next month

As Steam players prepare to get to grips with the open-world zombie survival MMO The Day Before, console fans are left waiting indefinitely. 

In a statement posted on the game's official Twitter account, developer Fntastic has revealed that after yet another slight delay, the game will launch on Steam as an Early Access title on December 7, 2023. While this is good news for PC players, those who prefer to play on PS5 and Xbox Series X have drawn the short straw as it won't also be coming to those platforms on this date.

Instead, the console versions are set to arrive alongside the full release, whenever that may be. "[The] full version release will happen when we are certain this is the best version of the game possible," Fntastic explained, "and we believe that player feedback and involvement will greatly contribute to achieving this goal."

The developer made the decision to launch in Early Access as this is its "first huge game and there may be unforeseen circumstances". So, although it could be a considerable wait for the console release, the silver lining is that when it does arrive on PS5 and Xbox Series X, it should offer a smoother experience from day one. On The Day Before's Steam page, the developer estimates that the game will be in Early Access for "around 6-8 months" but says that "this could change."

It's been a long and rocky road to release for The Day Before. Having shot to the top of Steam's most-wanted list, the game was subsequently pulled from the storefront following a trademark dispute. It's also suffered numerous delays, and last year, Fntastic was seemingly seeking volunteers to help get the game out the door. With the launch now imminent, the studio has released a new 3-minute trailer which delves into the features of the survival MMO. 

Need something to play until The Day Before launches? Check out our pick of the best survival games.