Birmingham Devs Defend Game Amid 'Scam' Claims

When medieval zombie survival game God Save Birmingham debuted in April with an 8-minute "gameplay" trailer, the reaction was equal parts excitement and skepticism. While some cheered its unusual Birmingham setting, others questioned the trailer's authenticity – with many noting animations that appeared too polished for actual gameplay, suggesting pre-rendered footage rather than live gameplay sequences.

A Troubling Comparison Emerges

The most scathing criticism came from those comparing the project to the infamous The Day Before, labeling it a potential "scam game." For context, The Day Before became one of gaming's most disastrous launches in recent years after being marketed as "the next generation of post-apocalyptic survival MMOs" before releasing as a broken extraction shooter. IGN's unprecedented 1/10 review and the developer's decision to shut down servers merely four days after Early Access launch cemented its infamy.

Developers Fight Back With New Footage

Following the viral controversy, Korean publisher Kakao Games and developer Ocean Drive responded by showcasing a playable demo at PAX East and releasing updated gameplay footage. These efforts have somewhat tempered early skepticism, though "scam game" comparisons persist in online discussions.

Given this ongoing perception challenge, I sat down with Ocean Drive CEO Jae Kim and publishing head Jungsoo Lee to discuss whether their game could escape the specter of The Day Before. Surprisingly, both executives appeared comfortable with – if not embracing of – the comparison. Read on to discover their unexpected perspective.

"Interestingly, both Ocean Drive executives seem unfazed by comparisons to gaming's most infamous flop"