Trust Your Instincts. It's Definitely a Scam!

December 2023 saw one of the biggest scams in video game history (or at least, the biggest reality check for those who believed the hype). I’m talking, of course, about the disaster that was the release of The Day Before. For three years, they sold us the dream of the ultimate MMORPG through blatantly fake trailers.

The Target

I won’t rehash the timeline—everyone and their dog has covered it. But I want to use this as a case study. In today’s world, I see far too many adults incapable of spotting a clear hustle.

In this specific case, individual gamers mostly got their refunds. But the real game wasn’t played against them—it was played against investors. The massive hype and wishlist numbers were likely used as leverage to secure funding or sell other products behind the scenes.

In any scam, there are two targets: the “little fish” used to generate noise and credibility, and the “sharks” who are the actual mark for the money.

The Red Flags

When something looks like a scam, smells like a scam, and the entire internet is screaming “it’s a scam,” trust your instincts.

The Day Before had red flags everywhere. Your job—whether as a consumer or an investor—is to do your own due diligence. Don’t buy the hype. Google the stakeholders, read the skeptical threads on Reddit or X, and verify the claims.

The classic signals?

Empty promises.
A sketchy or non-existent business model.
Marketing that feels more like spam than substance.
Lack of legal framework or transparency.

Today it’s a game. Tomorrow it’s a crypto coin, a metaverse property, or an “AI” wrapper. Scammers will always try to sell you the revolution just before they pull the rug. Ignore the noise. Use your judgment.

Don’t Think You’re Outsmarting Them

It’s ironic for me to preach about scams when, just two years ago, I lost a chunk of change in the Terra/Luna crash. Or considering my last company folded after a deal that smelled suspiciously like a corporate hustle.

The problem wasn’t that I didn’t see the risk. The problem was I thought I was smart enough to exit before the house of cards collapsed.

Here’s the truth: You might be smart, but so are the other gamblers. It’s a roulette wheel, and the only winning move is not to play. By participating, even if you think you can time the market, you’re fueling the ecosystem that allows these scams to thrive.

The Bottom Line

Don’t close your eyes and look at what’s in front of you. Scams aren’t going away. You have to be prepared. Think with your head, not your FOMO.

Scammers suck. Don’t feed them.

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