The Day Before is an open-world zombie game that has been highly anticipated for quite some time. Its pre-launch popularity may be due to comparisons to The Last of Us and high-quality graphics from a company that hasn't made a game of this nature or magnitude before. Unfortunately, The Day Before was targeted for a 2021 release date, and now can't be expected until March 2023 because it's been pushed back multiple times. What's more, it's no longer the top wishlisted Steam title.
The most wishlisted game on Steam is now BlueTwelve Studio's upcoming third-person adventure Stray. The months of June and July have not been favorable towards the survival MMO, The Day Before, which previously held the title before developer Fntastic admitted to using unpaid volunteers, which may be connected to the reason why Stray is now sitting at number one.
The World of Stray is Refreshing
The new cat game from Annapurna Interactive was originally titled HK_Project and was at first a playable demo that allowed people to explore the streets and rooftops of Hong Kong as a cute little cat. In 2016, Stray was picked up to become a fully-fledged project with trophies and quests while BlueTwelve Studio was simultaneously founded to become its developer.
Stray was first announced at PlayStation's Future of Gaming event in June 2020 and the reactions to a game where players get to wander around a dystopian world as a feline were largely positive. The official Playstation description for the game outlines the story: "Lost, alone, and separated from family, a stray cat must untangle an ancient mystery to escape a long-forgotten cybercity and find the way home."
Games that people can play as a cat aren't new, as is seen by existing titles like Gato Roboto. However, it's the additional cyberpunk element along with the mystery surrounding said cat that has skyrocketed the game's popularity and created a unique premise. The cyberpunk genre has been increasingly more prosperous in the past few years, after the long-anticipated release of Cyberpunk 2077 and classics like Beneath a Steel Sky. Add puzzle solving, strategy, and cats to the cyborg-filled world, and it seems BlueTwelve Studio may have a recipe for success.
While Stray was delayed from an early release date in 2022, it hasn't undergone nearly the same trials or heat that The Day Before has faced in recent months. It would make sense that because the game is set to release in a few days that people are wishlisting it now as a reminder for themselves. At $29.99, it also seems like a fair price because it is around half the cost of most full games.
Steam's Competitive Wishlist Ranks
Just by observing Steam's Most Wishlisted Games list, fans can see that Stray has fewer followers than The Day Before but is still somehow the most wishlisted game. The list gives a good idea as to what gamers are most excited about, or intend to purchase in the future, and so while the post-pandemic The Day Before does in fact have more people following it, but regardless, a larger number of people seem intent on actually buying Stray, which may have to do with The Day Before's development controversy.
With the release date for the dystopian cat game drawing closer, only time will tell if it will live up to the excitement. Based on extensive gameplay footage of Stray, fans should have little to worry about as the visuals and designs from a feline's perspective appear both polished and interactive.
Stray is scheduled to release on July 19 for PC, PS4, and PS5.