Free to Play – The Finals Goes Live on Supported Platforms

The gaming industry has witnessed another significant entry in the free-to-play arena with the official launch of "The Finals" across major gaming platforms. Embark Studios‘ team-based first-person shooter has quickly captured player attention with its revolutionary destruction mechanics, innovative game show format, and smooth cross-platform play. This comprehensive analysis examines what makes this game unique and provides detailed insights into its performance across all supported platforms.

The Finals: A New Contender in the FPS Landscape

Embark Studios, founded by former DICE and EA executives including Patrick Söderlund, unveiled The Finals to the world in August 2022. After multiple testing phases—including closed alphas and several beta periods that collectively gathered data from over 7.5 million players—the game made an unexpected full release during The Game Awards on December 8, 2023.

This free-to-play title presents itself as a virtual game show where teams compete in highly destructible environments. The core gameplay loop revolves around collecting and securing cash while engaging with opposing teams, creating a unique fusion of objective-based gameplay and traditional shooter mechanics.

Game Modes and Structure

The Finals organizes its gameplay into three distinct modes:

• Quick Cash: Fast-paced 3v3v3 matches lasting approximately 8-12 minutes
• Bank It: 4v4 territory control with cash collection spanning 10-15 minutes
• Tournament: The competitive ranked mode with stricter matchmaking parameters

Each mode operates on a season-based structure, with the initial season running from December 2023 through March 2024. According to Embark Studios‘ published statistics, the average player session length is 76 minutes, with Quick Cash being the most popular mode (accounting for 62% of matches played).

Platform Ecosystem Analysis

PlayStation 5 Technical Profile

The PS5 implementation of The Finals delivers consistent performance with the following specifications:

• Resolution: Dynamic scaling between 1440p-2160p (averaging 1800p)
• Framerate: Target 60 FPS with 95.7% stability (based on Digital Foundry analysis)
• Loading Times: 7.8 seconds average from menu to match
• Storage Requirement: 28.4GB base installation
• DualSense Implementation:
  • Adaptive trigger resistance varies by weapon (highest on heavy weapons)
  • Haptic feedback intensity adjustable through three presets
  • Controller speaker utilization for environmental cues

The PS5 version ranks second in graphical fidelity among console versions, with detailed texture work and lighting effects that closely mirror the PC version‘s high settings.

PlayStation Plus subscriber statistics show particularly strong adoption, with 37% of new players in the first week coming from PS+ discovery.

Xbox Series X|S Comparative Analysis

The Xbox ecosystem offers two distinct experiences:

Xbox Series X:

• Resolution: Dynamic 4K (1800p-2160p)
• Framerate: 60 FPS with 96.2% stability
• Loading Times: 9.2 seconds average
• Storage Requirement: 30.2GB
• Enhanced Features:
  • Auto HDR implementation
  • Dolby Atmos spatial audio support
  • Quick Resume compatibility (97% successful resume rate)

Xbox Series S:

• Resolution: 1440p target with dynamic scaling to 1080p
• Framerate: 60 FPS with 89.1% stability (drops to ~50 FPS during peak destruction)
• Loading Times: 11.7 seconds average
• Storage Requirement: 27.1GB
• Visual Compromises:
  • Reduced particle effect density (approximately 40% reduction)
  • Lower texture resolution on environmental elements
  • Simplified destruction debris persistence

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers received an exclusive "Game Pass Contender" pack valued at $15, contributing to strong adoption metrics on the platform. Microsoft‘s internal data indicates The Finals became the most downloaded free-to-play title on Xbox in December 2023.

PC Platform Deep Dive

The PC version offers the most technically flexible experience with scalability across various hardware configurations:

Performance Benchmarks:

Advanced PC Features:

• DLSS Implementation: Provides up to 63% performance increase on RTX cards
• FSR 2.1 Support: Delivers up to 47% performance boost on all compatible GPUs
• Ray Tracing Options: Reflections and ambient occlusion (reduces performance by ~22-35%)
• NVIDIA Reflex: Reduces input latency by up to 32% (measured at 1080p)
• Ultrawide Support: Native 21:9 and 32:9 aspect ratios
• Field of View: Adjustable from 70-120 degrees

The PC version has seen remarkable adoption, reaching a peak concurrent player count of 242,841 on Steam during its first weekend (SteamDB data), placing it temporarily in the top 10 most-played games on the platform.

Steam Deck Compatibility

Steam Deck testing reveals The Finals runs surprisingly well on Valve‘s handheld:

• Performance: 40-60 FPS at medium-low settings (720p)
• Battery Life: 1.5-2.5 hours depending on settings
• Control Mapping: Official controller profile with gyro aiming support
• Storage Impact: 32.8GB installation
• Verification Status: "Playable" with minor interface scaling issues

The development team has specifically optimized the Steam Deck version in post-launch patches, improving text scaling and control responsiveness.

Cross-Platform Ecosystem

The Finals features a comprehensive cross-platform implementation:

• Cross-Play: Full matchmaking between PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S
• Cross-Progression: Complete account synchronization across all platforms
• Input-Based Matchmaking Option: Players can filter for controller-only or mixed input lobbies

Data from Embark Studios reveals interesting cross-play patterns:

This data suggests a slight advantage for PC players, though smaller than in many other cross-platform shooters. The developers have implemented subtle aim assist balancing that adjusts dynamically based on platform distribution in matches.

Technical Architecture Behind The Finals

Server Infrastructure

The Finals operates on a hybrid server architecture:

• Primary Data Centers: 12 global locations (NA East/West, EU North/South, SA, SEA, OCE, Japan, Korea, MENA, India, South Africa)
• Edge Nodes: 47 supplementary processing locations
• Match Distribution: Dynamic allocation based on ping and server load
• Tickrate: 60Hz baseline for all platforms
• Average Ping: 38ms globally (developer reported)
• Server Uptime: 99.7% since launch (excluding scheduled maintenance)

The game employs a unique server-side destruction system that processes all physics on dedicated hardware rather than client machines. This represents a significant technological advancement, as most games handle physics locally.

Destruction Technology

The proprietary destruction system, codenamed "Shatter Engine," processes approximately 48,000 distinct destructible elements per match. According to technical director Anders Egleus, the system features:

• Material-Based Physics: 17 distinct material types with unique properties
• Structural Integrity Simulation: Buildings maintain realistic support requirements
• Debris Persistence: Server tracks up to 12,000 simultaneous loose objects
• Recursive Destruction: Objects can damage other objects through momentum transfer
• Performance Optimization: Advanced culling techniques reduce server load by 73%

This technology enables truly game-changing moments where entire structures can collapse, floors can disintegrate to create new paths, or walls can be breached tactically. The server-side processing ensures all players see identical environmental states, eliminating the desynchronization issues common in games with client-side physics.

Player Engagement Metrics

The Finals has demonstrated strong player retention in its initial release window:

These figures compare favorably to industry averages for free-to-play titles, which typically see 30-day retention rates of 45-55%.

Content Consumption Patterns

Player behavior data shows interesting platform-specific preferences:

• PlayStation 5 players favor the Medium build (44%) and shotguns (31% usage rate)
• Xbox players show higher adoption of Heavy builds (41%) and explosive weapons (27% usage rate)
• PC players demonstrate more varied class selection but lean toward Light builds (39%) with precision weapons (36% usage rate)

Across all platforms, the most popular map is Monaco (33% player preference), followed by Seoul (28%), Las Vegas (22%), and London (17%).

Monetization Analysis and Revenue Projections

As a free-to-play title, The Finals employs a modern monetization structure:

Revenue Streams

ARPU = Average Revenue Per User

Based on industry analysts‘ models and comparable titles, The Finals is projected to generate between $120-150 million in its first year, placing it in the upper-middle tier of free-to-play shooter revenue performers.

Value Perception

Player surveys indicate strong value perception:

• 76% rate the battle pass value as "good" or "excellent"
• 64% consider cosmetic pricing "fair" compared to competitors
• 89% appreciate the strict non-pay-to-win approach

The game‘s monetization model has been positively received compared to industry standards, with particular praise for transparent pricing and the absence of loot boxes or randomized rewards.

Technical Performance Deep Dive

Advanced frame time analysis reveals consistent performance across platforms:

Frame Time Consistency (Lower is Better)

These metrics demonstrate excellent frame pacing on all platforms, with the PC version showing expected advantages due to higher frame rates and variable refresh rate support.

Loading Time Comparison

The PS5‘s custom SSD solution shows advantages over Xbox in loading performance, though all platforms deliver respawn times conducive to fluid gameplay.

Character Class System and Meta Analysis

The Finals offers three distinct body types that function as character classes:

Light Build

• Health: 150 HP
• Movement Speed: 7.2 m/s
• Special Abilities: Grappling hook, cloaking device
• Preferred Weapons: SMGs, pistols
• Platform Preference: 39% PC, 32% PS5, 29% Xbox
• Win Rate: 33.1% in solo queue, 34.7% in premade teams

Medium Build

• Health: 200 HP
• Movement Speed: 6.5 m/s
• Special Abilities: Healing station, sonar grenade
• Preferred Weapons: Assault rifles, shotguns
• Platform Preference: 33% PC, 44% PS5, 36% Xbox
• Win Rate: 34.2% in solo queue, 35.1% in premade teams

Heavy Build

• Health: 250 HP
• Movement Speed: 5.8 m/s
• Special Abilities: Barrier shield, explosive charges
• Preferred Weapons: LMGs, explosive launchers
• Platform Preference: 28% PC, 24% PS5, 41% Xbox
• Win Rate: 32.7% in solo queue, 30.2% in premade teams

The meta has evolved rapidly since launch, with team composition strategies shifting from initial Heavy-dominated squads to more balanced lineups. Tournament data shows the most successful teams typically field 1 Heavy, 1 Light, and 1 Medium (in 3v3 modes).

Community and Content Creation Ecosystem

The Finals has quickly established a vibrant content creation community:

Streaming Metrics