This year served as a reminder that games as a service struggle to succeed, with only a handful thriving in an increasingly competitive market. Against all odds, THE FINALS, the charming FPS by Embark Studios, managed to be a major success.
The game developed by former Battlefield franchise veterans made an unexpected debut on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC on December 7, shortly after The Game Awards 2023. Its surprise release captured the community's attention and quickly became a hit.
Since its launch, the free-to-play game has dominated popularity charts on all platforms. Now, just 2 weeks later, it has reached a new and significant milestone that seems to indicate it's here to stay.
THE FINALS is a Success
Through a social media post, Embark Studios announced that over 10 million players have tried THE FINALS since its surprise release on December 7. They refrained from revealing more details but took the opportunity to thank the community.
These numbers will not surprise many. Upon its debut, the free game achieved a peak of 242,619 simultaneous players on Steam. Two weeks after launch, it continues to maintain a strong pace, with a record of 134,420 concurrent users in the last 24 hours. At this moment, 99,933 people are currently playing.
Although Xbox does not provide player data, it's worth noting that THE FINALS tops the list of the most popular free-to-play games on Microsoft platforms. It surpasses major titles like Fortnite and Call of Duty: Warzone, at least in the United States.
It's likely that Embark Studios' game is also a major success on PlayStation, although it's impossible to know for sure. Either way, it's clear that it's one of the surprises of 2023, though it remains to be seen if it can address its issues and maintain its user base in the coming months.
Despite overwhelmingly positive player reactions, a significant portion of the community criticized the prevalence of cheaters. Similarly, some elements, such as movement speed, sparked debates on social media.
But tell us, have you given this free title a try? Let us know in the comments.
THE FINALS is available for PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.
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