Summary

  • The Finals has launched a new update, HotFix 1.2.3, which improves matchmaking and fixes reported bugs, addressing issues such as Steam login problems and faulty in-game store timers.
  • The update includes adjustments to the way backfills work in Quick Cash and Bank It modes, which should reduce annoyance for players.
  • Despite mixed reviews, The Finals has been very popular, outperforming Call of Duty on Steam and showing promise for future improvement.

A new update for The Finals was launched that tweaks matchmaking and fixes a handful of reported bugs. This latest patch comes just days after HotFix 1.2.2 and about a week out from the game's official release. The free-to-play first-person shooter has been extremely popular since its Season 1 launch. In fact, The Finals has been outperforming Call of Duty on Steam.

After years of development and pre-release betas, not everyone in the community is happy with the release of the game. The Finals received mixed reviews at launch, largely due to some perceived changes. Still, as the numbers suggest, many gamers are not only enjoying the package as is but are also confident that the live-service title will only improve with further support from developer and publisher Embark Studios. Part of that update process for games like this, however, often includes addressing various glitches and reported issues.

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The Finals: Burning Questions Answered

The latest Battle Royale sensation, The Finals, has just hit the scene; here’s a quick rundown of what you should know before diving in.

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The Finals' developers have launched HotFix 1.2.3, which looks to improve skill-based matchmaking and patch some known bugs. Issues such as Steam login problems that give players incorrect ban messages and faulty timers for the in-game store have been addressed. Additionally, Embark Studios has adjusted the way backfills operate in-game, particularly in Quick Cash and Bank It, as the mechanic has largely served as an annoyance for the community thus far.

The Finals Season 1 trailer

While there are relatively few updates in this patch, the changes listed are quite impactful. Matchmaking can make or break online games like The Finals, so any helpful adjustments are sure to be welcomed by the community. Embark Studios does state that matchmaking times may be "ever so slightly longer," but again, this tweak should also serve to improve gameplay.

Between The Finals being shadow dropped at The Game Awards and several updates since, the team at Embark Studios has had their hands full. The promise of an over-the-top first-person shooter with destructible environments piqued gamers' curiosity, and that before a wildly successful beta. Enthusiasm has only seemed to spike since players have gotten their hands on the game. That being said, The Finals' launch hasn't been without its issues.

A slew of players took to Steam reviews to complain about nerfed movement speed, claiming the game had been slowed down since the beta. The Finals devs addressed these accusations, claiming that movement speed had not been adjusted. However, Embark suggested that perhaps other factors such as various animations and certain settings were making the game feel slower to some players. Still, even with these accusations and some noted criticism surrounding AI voices in-game, The Finals is off to an exceptional start in terms of sheer player numbers.

The Finals HotFix 1.2.3

We solved an authentication issue that was incorrectly reported as a ban and removed bans from accounts swept up in the error (try a restart now), an update to Skill-based Matchmaking (SBMM), and an adjustment to alleviate the backfilling annoyances flagged by the community.

  • Fixed a Steam login problem that caused players to receive a faulty ban message
  • We've made some changes to our skill-based matchmaking to ensure better-quality games. This means matchmaking times are likely to be ever so slightly longer, but you should find yourselves in slightly closer matches
  • We've updated the way backfills work in Quick Cash and Bank It. This should mean that you get backfilled less often and when you do get backfilled, you should have more time remaining in the match, especially in Bank It mode
  • We’ve fixed the incorrect timer on the in-game shop

See you in the arena!

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The Finals Tag Page Cover Art

The Finals
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FPS
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Systems
PC-1 PlayStation-1 Xbox-1
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Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 85%
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Released
December 8, 2023
ESRB
T For Teen Due To Violence
Developer(s)
Embark Studios
Publisher(s)
Embark Studios
Engine
Unreal Engine 5
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer
Cross-Platform Play
PC, PS5 & Xbox Series X|S
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WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
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Viewers at home, here's the news you've been waiting to hear: THE FINALS is accepting new contestants, and that means YOU! That's right, soon the world could be watching YOU tear apart our newest dynamic arenas and seize everlasting fame!

As you know, THE FINALS is the world's greatest free-to-play combat game show! Our contestants plug in to our virtual world and join teams in escalating tournaments. They fight it out in our beautifully-rendered arenas based on real-world locations that they can alter, exploit, and even destroy.

Sure, you can aim and shoot, but contestants that add our carefully curated virtual environments to their arsenal are more likely to advance, so do anything you can imagine in the name of victory! Burn arenas to the ground! Send wrecking balls crashing into your opponents! Don't just pull triggers - pull down buildings!

Genre(s)
FPS