First time playing The Finals! | Dope After Dark

The Finals is a free-to-play, team-based first-person shooter developed by Embark Studios, a team made up of former DICE developers (known for the Battlefield series). It was officially released in December 2023 and is available on PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.

🧨 Core Concept

At its heart, The Finals is a fast-paced, competitive shooter wrapped in a game show format. Players compete in a virtual, televised tournament where teams fight for fame, cash, and victory in destructible arenas.

🎮 Gameplay Overview

3v3v3 (or similar formats): Matches typically consist of three teams battling simultaneously, unlike traditional two-team shooters.

Objective-based: The main game mode, "Cashout", requires teams to:

Locate "cashboxes" on the map.

Take them to designated "cashout" stations.

Defend them until the money is deposited.

This adds a unique layer of strategy—do you hunt enemy cashouts, or play stealthily and secure your own?

Destruction is key: The game features fully destructible environments using advanced physics. You can literally blow up buildings, create new entry points, or destroy an enemy's defensive position.

🧍‍♂️ Classes / Roles

There are three distinct classes, each with their own weapons, gadgets, and health pools:

Light – Fast and agile. Best for flanking, stealth, and mobility. They can use grappling hooks, cloaking devices, etc.

Medium – Balanced. They often play support roles (healing teammates, reviving, deploying turrets).

Heavy – Slow but tanky. Ideal for breaching, defense, and dealing big damage. Often use explosives and heavy weapons.

⚙️ Customization

Players can customize their loadouts, choosing:

Primary weapon

Gadgets (e.g., C4, zip lines, goo grenades that create temporary cover)

Special abilities

There's also a deep cosmetic system including outfits, skins, emotes, and more.

🎥 Game Show Aesthetic

The Finals is set in a virtual game show world. Think The Hunger Games meets American Gladiators.

It has a slick, futuristic broadcast feel with announcers, flashy visuals, and overlays.

There’s a strong emphasis on spectacle—everything you do feels like it’s being watched by a global audience.

🔥 Unique Selling Points

Destructible environments that change the battlefield dynamically.

Three-team competition instead of the usual two.

High mobility, verticality, and creative movement (zip lines, jump pads, etc.).

Emphasis on strategic, team-oriented play with moment-to-moment chaos.

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