A New Hotfix for The Finals Improves Skill-Based Matchmaking

A new hotfix for The Finals has been released, which aims to improve the game’s skill-based matchmaking.

The free-to-play first-person shooter (FPS) got a surprise launch during The Game Awards 2023 on December 7, and has already reached an all-time peak of 242,619 players according to SteamDB. It’s also in the top 10 most played games on the platform right now.

The unique, team-based multiplayer game – which is available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC – is off to a great start, and developer Embark Studios is already looking to make improvements, first and foremost, by adjusting the game’s matchmaking.

“We’ve made some changes to our skill-based matchmaking to ensure better-quality games,” Embark explained in a Steam post (via GamesRadar+).

“This means matchmaking times are likely to be ever so slightly longer, but you should find yourselves in slightly closer matches.”

This change will now make players of similar skill levels more likely to be matched against each other, making competitive games more fair.

Also included in Hotfix 1.2.3 is a fix to a Steam login problem that was giving players a faulty ban message, as well as an update on how backfills work in Quick Cash and Bank It – a feature that allows players to join a game that has already started.

“This should mean that you get backfilled less often and when you do get backfilled, you should have more time remaining in the match, especially in Bank It mode,” the patch notes read.

The Finals wrapped up its open beta in November, at which point it reached 7.5 million players. Embark called “an unforgettable week”.

TRG’s editor in chief Jake Tucker said that the game was “the most fun I’ve had in multiplayer shooter all year,” and added: “The Finals deserves to be huge, and the frenetic combat is genuinely incredible.”

For more brilliant games, be sure to check out our list of the best FPS games as well as the best co-op games available right now.