No, the FPS Genre Isn’t Stagnant — You Just Aren’t Paying Enough Attention to THE FINALS

There’s this common sentiment going around the FPS space lately, that (Insert game of the moment) “came at just the right time, when the FPS scene was dying for something new.” Right now, it’s Marvel Rivals. Before, it was Deadlock. Granted, it’s normally uttered by content creators desperate for whatever new trend helps retain their audience or gamers who shuffle the same three battle royales in their daily playlists. Psst, corporate needs you to find the difference between these two pictures. But for players looking for an undeniably unique FPS, one that’s constantly innovating upon itself and is one of the freshest takes on the genre we’ve ever seen — well, it’s been here for a while. Let me reintroduce you to THE FINALS.

THE FINALS was first released at the tail end of 2023, after an incredibly stacked year of gaming bangers. Debuting during The Game Awards, it immediately spiked in popularity throughout December and most of January 2024 before abruptly dropping in player numbers. February came along, and then Helldivers 2 happened, swiftly scooping up a ridiculous number of players for a while.

Since then, THE FINALS coasts between 10,000 to 15,000 players (on Steam) each month. Nothing to scoff at, but also way too low, given just how good this game is.

‘THE FINALS’ is led by titans of the FPS scene

THE FINALS has a lot going for it. Created by Stockholm-based Embark Studios, it’s led by former DICE developers who worked on the best iterations of Battlefield. Remember Bad Company 2, the game that set the standard for how good destructible environments could be? Yeah — those devs. That experience is ever-present throughout THE FINALS, where environments are not only fully destructible, but remain as constant, physical entities even in rubble. This means that, when half of a building collapses dynamically, all players on the server see the same thing and can interact with it in the same way.

Never mind how much of a F*$#ING TECHNICAL MARVEL THAT IS. Because it also adds a unique layer of gameplay on top of it all. As levels dynamically change throughout each round, players are suddenly forced to adapt to their surroundings and approach each encounter differently. Every round is a different story now, which makes playing the same game mode feel fresh each time.

THE FINALS also benefits from its setting, taking place in a sort of virtual arena game show where everything is essentially a simulation. This gives Embark the creative liberty to make whatever they want, be it level designs, cosmetic skins, or wacky weapons, and have it all make sense thematically. UFO invasions over Korean skyscrapers? Ship it. Zip lines, jump pads, and meteor showers all over the Las Vegas strip? Yes, no notes. This off-the-walls approach lends itself generously to THE FINALS‘ cosmetic system, where dressing up in a gorilla suit or an “ayy lmao” alien head makes perfect sense.

so many ways to play, so where you at?

But, above all, THE FINALS is constantly introducing new ways for players to engage with it. Between its four different modes of casual play? There’s plenty to chew on for any type of player, and that’s before even diving into its competitive ranked mode. With THE FINALS Season 6 right around the corner, they’re even introducing Team Deathmatch, adding ANOTHER mode into the mix.

So, what am I selling here? I’m trying to say that THE FINALS deserves our attention. It brings so much to the table. All while neatly packaged as one of the most unique, stylistic, innovative takes on FPS games we’ve had in years. It has enough competitive flair to satisfy FPS enthusiasts while proudly boasting an arcadey zaniness that even the most boomer of shooters (me) can find comfort in. The greater gaming landscape ignored Quake Champions, brushed off Diabotical, and Unreal Tournament is probably never coming back. We simply can’t afford to let THE FINALS slip by.