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Embark Studios has rolled out Update 5.12.0 for The Finals, bringing a host of balance adjustments, bug fixes, and quality-of-life improvements to the popular first-person shooter. While the update doesn’t introduce major new content, it sets the stage for the highly anticipated Season 6, which is set to launch later this month. Additionally, Embark Studios has made waves with the announcement of The Finals’ entry into the world of esports, unveiling plans for a $100,000 Major tournament in late 2025.
Preparing for Season 6 and Beyond
Although details about Season 6 remain under wraps, Embark Studios has been teasing new gameplay changes designed to prepare The Finals for high-level competition. This aligns with the studio’s recent announcement of the 2025 Major, a prestigious esports event featuring open qualifiers and an in-person LAN tournament. With a massive prize pool of $100,000, the Major is poised to elevate The Finals as a competitive title, giving players the chance to showcase their skills on a global stage.
While fans eagerly await Season 6, Update 5.12.0 offers plenty to keep players engaged. The patch, available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam, focuses on weapon balancing, bug fixes, and performance improvements.
Key Balance Changes
The update introduces several adjustments to weapons, aiming to refine their performance and ensure a more balanced gameplay experience:
- Model 1887:
- Damage per pellet increased from 11 to 12.
- Lever-action animation duration reduced from 0.85s to 0.8s, increasing the fire rate from 70RPM to 75RPM.
- Developer Note: “Having now had time to analyze the Model’s performance on live, following our last round of balance changes, we feel we’ve maybe weakened the weapon a little too much. These changes should nudge it back to a better place.”
- Recurve Bow:
- Damage at max draw increased from 120 to 124 (base damage remains at 60).
These changes aim to make the Model 1887 a more viable option for medium builds, while the Recurve Bow receives a slight damage boost to enhance its effectiveness in combat.
Bug Fixes and Quality-of-Life Improvements
Update 5.12.0 addresses a wide range of issues, from animation glitches to map traversal problems. Highlights include:
- Animation Fixes:
- Resolved an issue where the Spear’s secondary animation wouldn’t play if activated immediately after using up all charges of the previously equipped item.
- Fixed a bug where the Riot Shield’s impact animation would continuously play after blocking a shot.
- Cosmetic Adjustments:
- The Victory Shade Set now loops and overwrites colors continuously instead of stopping after 10 eliminations.
- Fixed team color updates when changing colorblindness settings or toggling Use Enemy Color.
- Gameplay Fixes:
- Addressed issues with object collision, item swapping, and ADS (Aim Down Sights) functionality.
- Fixed a rare bug where players could walk on invisible collision surfaces in Skyway Stadium.
- Map Tweaks:
- Kyoto: Adjusted bamboo stump heights and fixed vaults falling through floors.
- Bernal: Updated cinder block wall thickness for smoother traversal.
- Fortune Stadium: Adjusted beam collisions in the Mall to prevent players from getting stuck.
- Las Vegas: Slightly adjusted jump pads and player spawns for improved flow.
- Performance and Stability:
- Fixed a rare crash in the animation system.
- Added support for AMD Anti-Lag 2.
- Improved performance for players with large friend lists.
- UI and Settings:
- Added a “No AA” resolution scaling option to disable anti-aliasing and temporal resolution scaling.
- Fixed issues with video settings resetting on Xbox and duplicated inputs preventing specialization equips.
Looking Ahead: Esports and Future Content
While Update 5.12.0 focuses on refining the current experience, Embark Studios has big plans for The Finals’ future. The upcoming Season 6 is expected to bring a wealth of new content, though specifics remain under wraps. Additionally, the studio has hinted at the possibility of a medieval-style map, a fan-requested feature that could add a fresh twist to the game’s dynamic environments.
The announcement of the 2025 Major further cements The Finals’ position as a rising star in the esports scene. With open qualifiers and a $100,000 prize pool, the tournament promises to be a landmark event for the game and its community.
Update 5.12.0 Patch Notes Summary:
- Weapon Balance: Buffs to the Model 1887 and Recurve Bow.
- Bug Fixes: Resolved animation, collision, and gameplay issues.
- Map Adjustments: Tweaks to Kyoto, Bernal, Fortune Stadium, and Las Vegas.
- Performance Improvements: Added AMD Anti-Lag 2 support and optimized performance for large friend lists.
- UI and Settings: Added a “No AA” option and fixed Xbox settings resets.
With its latest update, The Finals continues to refine its gameplay and lay the groundwork for an exciting future. Whether you’re a casual player or an aspiring esports champion, there’s never been a better time to jump into the action. Stay tuned for more details on Season 6 and the 2025 Major as Embark Studios prepares to take The Finals to new heights.
