Embark Studios has released Update 1.8.0 for The Finals, delivering a range of bug fixes, balance adjustments, and an exciting Valentine's Day-themed event with enticing rewards. The live service approach of The Finals has been consistent, with frequent updates and the addition of new content to keep players engaged. In addition to the traditional seasonal updates, smaller limited-time modes have been incorporated to inject freshness into the gameplay experience.

One particular game mode update, the Dead Go Boom event, faced community backlash, leading to its complete removal. The modifier introduced in this mode, causing defeated players to explode, proved to be frustrating for certain classes like the Heavy, wielding a sledgehammer and facing significant challenges in close combat. As Embark re-evaluates this modifier, the studio has rolled out the latest update, infusing the online shooter with a holiday-themed twist.

The highlight of this update is the introduction of a brand-new event to celebrate Valentine's Day. With the recent removal of the Steal the Spotlight game mode, The Finals now commemorates the romantic occasion with a fresh event and a set of alluring rewards for players to pursue. A brief teaser showcases several items, including a weapon charm, cosmetic items, and an emote featuring the character blowing a kiss that spawns a small heart logo. These rewards are tied to specific event contracts, presenting challenges such as reviving a teammate or executing other predefined actions during a match.

Besides the new rewards, Update 1.8.0 encompasses various adjustments and fixes, notably addressing the community's concerns regarding the 'nukes and snukes' issue. Players had found a way to amplify the explosion radius and damage by placing items like C4 together, a behavior confirmed to be unintentional and rectified with this update. Additionally, gravity and more realistic physics have been implemented for Red Canisters with attachments, causing them to drop faster and become less predictable. The update also brings enhancements for Xbox players, including improved input latency and several quality of life improvements for voice chat in The Finals.

Despite the impressive initial reception following its launch in December 2023, The Finals has experienced a gradual decline in player numbers. These rapid updates and limited-time modes aim to sustain player interest between major seasonal updates, yet recent Steam statistics indicate that the desired impact has not been fully realized. By the end of January, The Finals witnessed an 80% drop in player numbers on Steam, a troubling trend for a relatively new game. With several significant releases on the horizon, Embark's ability to maintain momentum, particularly with the console versions, remains a point of interest.

The Finals Update 1.8.0 Patch Notes

Audio

• Cloaking sounds now distinguish between team members and enemy players
• Headshots are now accompanied by unique sound effects
• Resolved an issue where certain sounds failed to play upon colliding with the environment
• Added a setting to manage sounds when the game is inactive (tabbed out)
• Fixed instances where single-fire weapons did not produce firing sounds

VFX

• Multiple fixes made to destruction in Seoul
• Added material-appropriate effects to destruction on all maps

Gameplay/Balance

• When a player is eliminated out-of-bounds in Bank It, their coins will spawn on the map
• Gravity and physics have been enabled on Red Canisters with attachments
• Fixed an issue where multiple C4s caused excessive damage when detonated together
• Rectified a bug causing jump pads to malfunction when overlapped with an attached object
• Addressed an issue allowing players to cancel emotes using quick-melee
• Fixed instances where objects remained suspended in the air after an attachment was destroyed
• A successful backstab with a dagger now correctly registers as a critical hit

Animation

• Resolved instances where held items were inadvertently visible
• Various issues with defibs not animating correctly have been fixed
• Fixed a bug causing the player mesh to break and exhibit faulty physics during revive
• The broom now disappears after the 'clean house' emote
• Adjusted crouch animations to prevent characters from clipping through thin walls
• Fixed instances where left-hand gestures affected the visual quality of melee animations
• The animation for auto-opening doors while sprinting now keeps the weapon in view
• The football grenade skin now spins correctly

Maps

• Vegas Sandstorm: relocated the floating zipline
• Improved ambient lighting to resolve issues with seams between areas on all maps

UI/UX

• Resolved an issue causing the career progression page to lock when rapidly switching pages via controller
• Corrected mislabeled career reward items
• Tournament overview screen now displays the correct contestant customization
• Players will now be positioned in the center of the team in the tournament overview screen
• Fixed an issue where an item could not be immediately equipped after purchase in the customization screen

Consoles

• Reduced input latency on Xbox Series X|S

Security

• General security fixes and enhancements

General

• Improved boot times on PC

Voice Chat

• Moved voice chat settings higher up in the audio settings tab
• Players not using voice chat will now receive an indication that team members are utilizing it
• Added Push to Talk keybinding in the Voice Chat menu
• Ensured voice chat output volume is correctly applied
• Fixed an issue with voice chat privacy settings to ensure all options are respected