Is The Finals a battle royale – game mechanics explained

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Wondering if The Finals is a battle royale? Considering its popularity, it’s not surprising that some players attribute this to similarities with the battle royale genre. But on closer inspection, The Finals has a lot of unique mechanics that help it stand out from a sea of multiplayer shooters.

Read up on whether you can save your progress in The Finals before exploring its matches. And here’s how to use your reserve loadout in case you need a change of gear mid-match.

A screenshot of a video game with an orange machine, featuring an Auto Draft mechanism.
A screenshot of a video game with an orange machine, featuring an Auto Draft mechanism.

Is The Finals a battle royale game

No, The Finals is not a battle royale. In the words of Gustav Tilleby, creative director of The Finals, it’s “a game show at heart; it’s not a battle royale or a military sim.” While the game does share some elements with the popular genre, much of it comes from other inspirations instead.

Ex-Battlefield developers helped refine the game’s destruction systems by shifting key physics calculations over to network data. This lets them power an unprecedented level of destruction and level morphing in The Finals. It’s an incredible sight to see thanks to Unreal Engine 5, the game engine that powers The Finals.

What do players do in The Finals

In The Finals, squads of three compete in arenas to collect cash and bank it before other opponents. With three classes, each with unique equipment and gameplay, there’s enough variety at launch to make the most of its maps. Weapons feel great and the best gadgets in The Finals make a meaningful impact in the flow of engagements.

Multiple game modes in The Finals mean that you’ll be able to enjoy this arena shooter with friends for hours at a time. Rounds are tense and crisp, perfectly capturing the final moments of a traditional battle royale title. Since these rounds are shorter, you can assess your strategy better and improve as a team even if you lose at first.

The Finals doesn’t have weapon spawns like a battle royale title

Your loadouts are determined before you enter the game. This means that you can’t find weapons on the map besides those dropped by opponents.

That covers whether The Finals is a battle royale title. For more information on the game, check out our best Medium build loadout in The Finals. The game is out on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5 after a surprise drop at The Game Awards 2023.

The Finals Battle Royale FAQ

What genre does The Finals come under?

Consider The Finals as an arena shooter.

Is The Finals similar to Valorant?

No, The Finals has a massive destructible map with different objectives.

About the Author

Antony Terence

Antony Terence is a Guides Writer for VideoGamer. While he is particularly fond of city-builders, shooters, and strategy titles, he won’t turn down a good JRPG or a turn-based roguelike.

The Finals

  • Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series S/X, Xbox Series X
  • Genre(s): Action, First-Person Shooter, Shooter