Releasing a shooter in today’s times is a risk that requires a lot of calculations. Creating something new enough to attract the audience, but familiar enough to make them stay, is really difficult. Almost no one achieves it. Almost everyone who does it are already established studios that build upon well-established formulas that have cost millions and have gone through a very visible semi-public iteration process. That’s why it’s surprising when someone manages to do it seemingly from scratch, like The Finals.
Because numbers don’t lie. In less than a month since its launch, The Finals has already surpassed ten million players worldwide. This has been confirmed by its developer, Embark Studios, who have achieved this milestone just a couple of weeks after releasing the final version of the game during The Game Awards.
There are many reasons for having succeeded in this way. To begin with, it has had a constant exposure throughout the year with successive betas that have allowed the public to become familiar with it. The marketing campaigns have been measured and very effective. But besides, the game is very fun, with a different touch compared to the competition, by betting on the dynamism and destructibility of the scenarios to offer a game that is fun both when we play competitively and in a more casual way.
All this helps that the team is very involved in continuing with its development. According to The Finals’ executive producer, Rob Runesson, “we will continue to improve and expand the experience, with the guarantee that we will surprise our community over the next few years.” Something that gives confidence that this will be just the first record that the game will surpass.
The Finals is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC. The game can be played completely for free, with in-game microtransactions and battle pass included.
