Embark Demolishes The Precedent And Sets A New One With 'The Finals' Season 12 Announcement

The Finals has been my favourite game ever since its release all the way back in 2023 (time flies when you're having fun, as they say), and I have seen it through its ups and its downs (Season 3, I'm looking at you).

Even so, I think it's fair to say that it has (mostly) improved season after season, with each one offering new content to bring players in, giving them a compelling reason to play "the world's greatest game show."

This is why I would usually be excited for a new season anyway, but Season 12 is special in its own way, because Embark has announced that this new update will be revolutionary – and seemingly the biggest update the arena has ever seen.

Embark states that this season will be one that "puts on a bigger show", enhancing the simulated game show feel through:

• Reworked sponsor systems
• Strengthening how the game show is presented
• How contestants and arenas are introduced
• Full UI and HUD rework
• New playstyle
• New mode

This is great news; as someone who has been enjoying the game since the first closed beta back in the first half of 2023, I do feel as if The Finals has gradually lost its "game show" feel, so seeing them refocus more on that side of the concept made my 'inner contestant' very happy indeed.

An addition that ties into this is the building of new arenas and the polishing of old ones to help them fit into the game show smoothly.

This includes:

• New lighting
• Per-arena sponsorships, making the world feel more real, with each map having a unique identity
• Updated buildings and textures, meaning better readability and an overall better time with the map

This is a part of the game that Embark have always excelled at; each map in The Finals is phenomenal, from the amazing streets of feudal Japan (sorry, Kyoto haters) to the futuristic metropolis of Nozomi/Citadel. Each stage is simply amazing, and I have yet to see any other FPS in this particular genre pull off what Embark does in that regard.

On the topic of arenas, Season 12 will bring with it new and improved destruction – a surprise, and a pleasant one at that, as we only just got a similar update a few seasons ago. Again, this will strengthen the overall game show feel and elevate the chaos that is already there just a bit more.

This destruction overhaul will include (as per Embark's notes):

• Gradual destruction, meaning that floors will sag and walls will cave in slowly before actually becoming fully destroyed
• Swinging suspended structures
• Blast waves
• More dynamic debris piles
• Dynamic smoke
• Strengthened knock-on effects, meaning chain reactions are a lot more common to see
• Collapse carries more weight and noise
• Visual cues for in-between collapsing and fully collapsed, meaning you can understand how long you have left to act before you (or your enemy) is crushed by rubble

Along with all of the stuff you see, there is also a lot of work going on under the hood, such as balance updates, performance improvements, and a rework of footstep audio effects.

Overall, Season 12 is shaping up to be the best season we have seen to date, finally evolving The Finals into the best possible version of itself. Season 12 is planning to release on the 20th of October, so it's less than a month away now; save the date and be there, ready to fight for your sponsor of choice. I'll see you in the arena!