The Finals isn’t dead. About 10,000 people were playing it on Steam when I checked today, the last 30 days averaged 12,597 players, up 21% on September, and the peak in that time hit 32,248, its highest since September 2025 (SteamCharts). It’s just not for me any more. I played the very first two seasons with friends, and solo you just get clapped.
Is The Finals dead?
The Finals is nowhere near dead, but it’s a long way off its launch. The Finals came out free to play on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on 7 December 2023, during The Game Awards, and it peaked at 242,399 players on Steam that month (Wikipedia). By March 2024 the monthly average had dropped from over 120,000 to about 21,700.
Since April 2024, though, it’s held steady. Every month since then has averaged between about 9,800 and 16,200 players on Steam (SteamCharts). And Steam is only part of it: the game has full crossplay, so PS5, PS4 and Xbox players aren’t in those numbers.
How many people play The Finals?
The Finals’ player count on Steam, from SteamCharts:
| When | Average players | Peak |
|---|---|---|
| December 2023 (launch) | 120,211 | 242,399 |
| March 2024 | 21,712 | 48,226 |
| September 2025 | 16,236 | 32,758 |
| July 2026 (Season 11) | 13,227 | 28,265 |
| September 2026 | 10,375 | 18,985 |
| Last 30 days | 12,597 | 32,248 |
The last 30 days include the 20 October update, and the numbers show it: the average is back up after a quiet September, and the peak is the best the game has managed in more than a year. Season 11 did something similar in July, when Insider Gaming reported a ten-month high of 28,320 players on Steam (Insider Gaming).
What changed in The Finals on 20 October?
The Finals’ 20 October update is what Embark Studios calls a new chapter rather than a normal season. Embark spent the year on a longer development runway instead of three-month seasons, and executive producer Christian Aarsrud said “the bulk of our energy went into deepening the experience as a whole” (games.gg).
The headline change is destruction: floors sag before they give way, walls lean before they collapse, and buildings break apart in stages instead of just exploding. Arenas get new lighting, materials and design changes, sponsors get more personality and purpose, and the game-show presentation around matches is being rebuilt.
Why did I stop playing The Finals?
I can’t remember what put me off The Finals. I just stopped playing. I was playing with friends, and I think it’s because solo you just get clapped. That’s what I found, anyway.
I did like the movement. The movement in it was fantastic, I really enjoyed it. I think it’s just not fun solo, and if you end up getting paired against sweats, that’s what killed it for me.
The modes are built around teams. The main mode, Cashout, is four teams of three fighting over vaults and cash boxes, and the other permanent modes are 5v5 or, in Point Break, 8v8 (games.gg). Even games.gg’s beginner’s guide says solo pushes “almost always end badly”, because the game rewards coordinated movement.
Is there a solo mode in The Finals?
There is a solo mode in The Finals now. Season 12 added Solo Showdown, a free-for-all tournament where 12 players compete, each round is a random minigame, and the four players with the least cash are knocked out every round until the final (Wikipedia).
It isn’t the first try at it. Bank It, a mode where you grabbed coins from vaults and deposited them at moving stations, once had a temporary solo version for 12 players, and both have since been removed. Every other mode puts you on a team, so queueing alone means playing with whoever you’re matched with.
What keeps The Finals alive?
What keeps The Finals alive is probably people playing with their friends. I don’t know if people are playing it together, or what’s happening, but that’s how I played it.
Crossplay makes that easier. The Finals is free to play, it’s had full crossplay since launch, and it came to PS4 on 12 December 2024, so friends on PC, PlayStation and Xbox can all play together (Wikipedia). It’s published by Embark itself, and on Steam it’s still listed as free to play with in-app purchases (Steam).
FAQ
Is The Finals dead?
No. It has averaged between about 9,800 and 16,200 players a month on Steam since April 2024, and its peak over the last 30 days was 32,248, the highest since September 2025. Console players aren’t counted in those figures.
Is The Finals cross platform?
Yes. The Finals has full crossplay across PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PS4.
Is there a solo mode in The Finals?
Yes. Season 12 added Solo Showdown, a 12-player free-for-all tournament. Every other permanent mode is team-based.
