THE FINALS
News, coverage and analysis tracking THE FINALS across the outlets.
Latest coverage
Proton Experimental upgraded to Proton 11 for better Linux gaming compatibility
Valve has updated Proton Experimental to align with the latest stable Proton 11 release, enhancing compatibility for Windows games on Linux and SteamOS. This update includes fixes for various regressions and adds support for numerous previously unplayable titles, alongside improvements to graphics, audio, and controller functionality.
Proton 11 Beta arrives to bring enhanced gaming compatibility to Linux / SteamOS
Valve has released Proton 11 Beta, an update to their compatibility layer for running Windows games on Linux and SteamOS. This version is based on Wine 11 and includes enhancements like NTSync for potential performance improvements, alongside an ARM64 build. The update brings numerous game-specific fixes and improvements, including better video playback, text-to-speech accessibility, and controller support for many titles.
THE FINALS Just Made Heavy Players Faster and Light Players Tankier — Is This the Future?
THE FINALS has introduced an experimental balance update, 'Respec Order,' that significantly alters player archetypes. Heavy players receive increased movement speed while their health is slightly reduced, and Light players gain more health but become slower. This week-long experiment aims to gather data on how these drastic changes impact gameplay dynamics and team compositions before potential permanent implementation.
Popular 2023 PS5 Action Game Surprise Drops PS5 Pro PSSR 2 Support
Embark Studios has surprisingly added PlayStation 5 Pro's PSSR 2 support to their free-to-play first-person shooter, The Finals. This update is expected to boost performance for players on the PS5 Pro, though the exact benefits will be determined by players testing the new update. The Finals joins a growing list of titles that will leverage the PS5 Pro's enhanced upscaling technology.
Every PS5 Pro Enhanced Game (So Far)
Sony's PlayStation 5 Pro, launched in November 2024, offers enhanced graphics and frame rates for compatible games, identified by a 'PS5 Pro Enhanced' label. The console features an upgraded GPU and AI-driven upscaling through PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) to achieve higher fidelity visuals and smoother performance, often doubling the power of the base PS5.
Meet Barrel: The Finals’ Former Training Dummy Gets His Freedom Story
Embark Studios' latest update for The Finals introduces Barrel, a former training dummy who has broken free and become a playable character. This narrative addition is accompanied by a significant technical fix addressing server performance issues for players outside major regions, aiming to improve global competitive play.
Despite good reviews, The First Berserker Khazan development team reportedly dissolved over disappointing sales just…
The development team behind the action RPG The First Berserker: Khazan has reportedly been dissolved and its members reassigned by parent company Nexon due to disappointing sales. Despite receiving good reviews at launch, the game failed to meet sales targets, with complications in its China release also cited as a factor. Nexon stated that personnel have been moved to other projects, though the future of The First Berserker: Khazan itself remains uncertain.
The MOP Up: The Quinfall loses some data after a global hosting glitch
The Quinfall has announced a limited amount of data loss due to a global technical issue affecting Amazon's Middle East servers. This disruption impacted the game's website and Twitch Drops system. Other smaller MMO news includes Warframe clarifying a data breach claim, The Finals bringing back its Bunny Hop mode, and updates for Wakfu, World of Tanks, Neverwinter, Runescape, Titan Quest II, and Synduality Echo of Ada.
THE FINALS Easter Update: When Knights Meet Bunny Hops in the Arena
THE FINALS has launched its Easter-themed Store Update 10.1, reintroducing the limited-time mode Bunny Hop with the addition of Super Jump mechanics. This update also features the new Urban Paladin Set, blending medieval and futuristic aesthetics, and includes various bug fixes to improve the player experience. The event aims to enhance the game's narrative through seasonal storytelling and engaging gameplay elements.
Arc Raiders is a 'Trojan Horse' for demonstrating AI tool usage in game development, according to Nexon, after Embark built two hits at 'a fraction of the cost you’d expect'
Nexon executive chairman Patrick Söderlund discussed how Embark Studios utilized AI tools and smarter processes to develop games like The Finals and Arc Raiders at a significantly lower cost than typical AAA titles. Söderlund emphasized that understanding how and why to use AI is crucial for success in game development, a philosophy he aims to implement across Nexon's teams.
Nexon calls Arc Raiders a "Trojan Horse" for proving controversial AI tools can build triple-A hits with smaller teams
Nexon, the owner of developer Embark, is promoting the use of AI tools in game development, citing Arc Raiders as a successful 'Trojan Horse' example. Despite initial controversy over AI-generated voices, Nexon president Junghun Lee highlighted how AI can free up development teams to focus on innovation. Embark CEO Patrick Soderlund stated that both Arc Raiders and The Finals were built with significantly fewer people and at a fraction of the cost of typical AAA games.
Nexon plans multiple Dungeon & Fighter titles and an AI tool to help devs ‘create with context’
Nexon announced plans to expand the Dungeon & Fighter intellectual property with multiple new titles, including an idle RPG and Dungeon & Fighter Classic. The company also revealed its new AI tool, Mono Lake, designed to provide development teams with player interaction data to guide game design and live service support.
ARC Raiders bosses double down on using AI in game dev: ‘More time innovating; less time writing code’
Embark Studios and its parent company Nexon are doubling down on the use of AI in game development, emphasizing efficiency and cost reduction. Executives Patrick Söderlund and Junghun Lee believe AI tools free developers to focus more on innovation and less on coding, though they maintain that creative content remains the work of human developers. This approach has been applied to games like ARC Raiders and The Finals, reportedly built with fewer people and at a lower cost.
Arc Raiders boss promoted to Nexon chief backs AI push for "redesigning game development" after building a hit…
Nexon executive chairman Patrick Söderlund, who also leads Embark Studios, believes AI will fundamentally redesign game development. He emphasizes that understanding the context and applying AI strategically, rather than just investing in tools, will determine success. Nexon aims to leverage its extensive experience with live service games like MapleStory to implement AI effectively through its 'Mono Lake' initiative, which is intended to increase efficiency and free up developers for more creative tasks.
Arc Raiders Boss Comments On Controversial Use Of AI In Gaming
Patrick Soderlund, executive chairman of Nexon and co-founder of Embark Studios, discussed the company's controversial use of AI in game development, particularly for Arc Raiders. He stated that while AI tools are widely available, understanding how to implement them effectively is key to success, leading to significantly reduced development costs for games like Arc Raiders and The Finals. Embark has faced criticism for its AI-generated voice lines, leading to some re-recordings by human actors.
THE FINALS Season 10 Goes Full Medieval with Aerialist Class & Crossbows
THE FINALS has launched its Season 10 Fantasy League update, introducing a medieval theme with new gameplay elements like the Aerialist playstyle and a Chimera-XB crossbow. The update also features a new arena, Starlight Hollow, and improvements to the ranked system, though some players express concern about the shift away from the game's original modern destruction identity.
The Finals brings a full-on fantasy league to the game with Season 10
The Finals is introducing a fantasy league theme in its Season 10 update, incorporating swords, crossbows, and a new Aerialist build. The update also includes a new arena, an improved tutorial system, new sponsorship options, and enhancements to controller input and the ping wheel.
All sponsors in The Finals Season 10
The Finals Season 10 has launched, introducing new and returning sponsors to the game's rewards program. While the core sponsorship system remains unchanged, players can earn new rewards through various sponsors like Alfa Acta, Dissun, and Volpe, with some having a long history in the game since its Open Beta or earlier seasons.
Morning Gatherings and Events
The launch trailer for Season 10 of the game The Finals has been released. The trailer showcases new content and features for the upcoming season.
Valve Is Experimenting With GenAI To Help With Situational Dialogue, Half-Life 2 Writer Says
Valve is experimenting with generative AI for situational dialogue in games, according to writer Erik Wolpaw. While acknowledging AI's current limitations in creative writing, Wolpaw believes it could assist in generating character reactions based on in-game events. This exploration comes amid broader industry discussions and controversies surrounding AI in game development, including its use in art and potential impact on jobs.
