The developers behind God Save Birmingham, a medieval zombie survival game, are perfectly fine with being compared to The Day Before, a notorious failed project in the gaming world. Despite the massive skepticism surrounding its April reveal, where the gameplay trailer sparked heated debates, the team has embraced these comparisons as part of their journey. This is the story behind God Save Birmingham’s development, the team’s reaction to the skepticism, and why they believe they can deliver a great game despite the odds.
God Save Birmingham’s debut trailer in April, which showed off the game’s stunning visuals, received mixed reactions. Some fans were excited, while others questioned the quality of the gameplay, claiming the animations were too good to be true. Some even compared it to The Day Before, calling it a “scam game.” The Day Before had launched as an open-world survival game, only to be labeled a failure after a disastrous release that led to its shutdown after just four days.
Despite this, the team behind God Save Birmingham, including Ocean Drive CEO Jae Kim and head of publishing Jungsoo Lee, welcomed the comparisons. As Lee explains, the comparisons have only generated more interest in the game, and the studio is confident that they can prove skeptics wrong with actual gameplay and progress over time.
Ocean Drive, a studio founded in 2020, has grown to around 80 developers. Their first game, Lost Eidolons, was a tactical RPG developed using Unity-a decision they now admit was a mistake. For God Save Birmingham, they mixed their passion for medieval art and zombie survival gameplay into a unique concept, drawing inspiration from games like Project Zomboid. The idea for the game came after a year of prototyping, and the team eventually settled on setting it in 14th-century Birmingham.
The choice of Birmingham was not an obvious one, especially for a Korean studio. Lee explains that the team wanted to set the game in a small medieval city with a lot of trade, and Birmingham, with its historical significance, became the perfect choice. Despite the internet’s mockery of the city, the team embraced the unexpected attention from British audiences, particularly the Birmingham Reddit community, which found humor in the setting.
The developers did extensive research into the medieval period to create an accurate representation of the city. They even corrected details like the color of carrots from orange to their historical shade and removed modern foods, like potatoes, from the game.
Regarding the game’s trailer, Lee admits that while it showed the team’s ambitious goals, some of the animations were still works in progress. The final game will allow players to interact with the environment, similar to what was shown in the trailer. The developers are determined to deliver the features promised, with the goal of making everything in the trailer achievable in the final build.
After the PAX East demo, the sentiment toward the game shifted. Fans appreciated the more realistic gameplay footage, and the team plans to share progress regularly to maintain transparency. The comparison to The Day Before, while initially damaging, has generated positive exposure and interest for the studio, as people are eager to see if they can succeed where others failed.
Despite the skepticism, the developers are confident in their ability to create a fun and engaging game. With early access planned for 2026, they are focused on delivering a meaningful experience for players, taking inspiration from successful games like Project Zomboid. The team’s commitment to quality and community feedback sets them apart from the disastrous launch of The Day Before, and they’re eager to prove their detractors wrong through actions rather than words.