Is THE FINALS Free? Multibucks, Battle Passes and Fair Fights

A free game show where the arena falls apart

THE FINALS, from Embark Studios, is a first-person team shooter framed as a televised game show. Teams compete in arenas where much of the environment can be destroyed, so the map changes as a round goes on. Players choose a light, medium or heavy build, each with different weapons, gadgets and abilities.

It is free to download on Steam, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Embark's help centre puts it simply: no purchase is required to play, and all core gameplay content is available from the start.

Cosmetic-only by design, says Embark

The pay-to-win question is the first one most shooter players ask, and Embark answers it directly in its FAQ: optional purchases are cosmetic only, with no gameplay advantages, and success depends on skill and teamwork rather than spending.

Based on that documented policy, we give THE FINALS our best pay-to-win score of 1 out of 5. A paying player can look different; they do not get a stronger gun. That makes it one of the cleaner competitive shooters on our list.

Multibucks, the Deluxe Edition and Steam packs

Multibucks are the premium currency, used for cosmetic items and battle passes. The UK PS Store and Steam both list a Year 1 Deluxe Edition at £34.99, which bundles earlier battle passes and cosmetics, and Steam lists cosmetic packs from £4.49 to £43.99 (prices checked on 3 Nov 2026).

None of these are needed to play. They are the clearest examples of what money buys in THE FINALS: outfits and collections, not power. If a younger player wants one, it is worth pointing out that the free game is already complete.

What the shop does, and doesn't, try to sell you

Because purchases are cosmetic, the shop's pitch is about identity: outfits, weapon looks and themed bundles. That is a gentler kind of pressure than a shop selling stronger weapons, but it is still pressure, especially for younger players who want to match friends.

• No paid random items listed: the UK PS Store descriptors mention in-game purchases but not random items.
• Pass tiers: Premium and Ultimate passes stack rewards and an XP bonus for faster pass progress.
• Bundles: the Deluxe Edition packs older pass content into a single purchase.

For a budget-conscious player, the honest summary is that nothing in the shop changes your chances of winning. If you want to spend, pick a single pass or bundle you will actually enjoy looking at, and skip the rest.

Premium versus Ultimate: what the pass tiers add

Embark's help centre describes an Ultimate Battle Pass that sits above the Premium pass. It includes 12 additional Ultimate rewards, 2,650 Multibucks in total including 1,000 upfront, and a 25% XP bonus to help you progress through the pass faster. Players upgrading from Premium receive a refund of 1,150 Multibucks.

The XP bonus speeds up pass progress, which is about unlocking cosmetics sooner, not about winning fights. Still, a stack of pass tiers is a common way to make spending feel routine, so our shop score sits in the middle at 3 out of 5.

How quickly free players unlock what matters

Because the core gameplay content is open from day one, the free route is light on grind where it counts. You can jump in, pick a build and play every mode. The slower part is cosmetic: without a paid pass, collecting outfits and items takes much longer.

That is a healthy balance in our editorial view. Progress in matches comes from learning maps, roles and the destruction system, which no purchase can skip.

Players who want the full set of seasonal cosmetics are the ones the paid tiers are aimed at; everyone else can ignore them without missing any gameplay.

PEGI 12, voice chat and crossplay settings

The UK PS Store rates THE FINALS PEGI 12 for moderate violence, with notes for in-game purchases and users interacting. As an online shooter, players will meet strangers, so it is sensible to review voice and text chat settings on the console or PC platform you use.

Crossplay links PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and Embark says it is optional: both players must have it turned on in the game's network settings. Turning it off is an easy way to limit matchmaking to your own platform if you prefer.

Who will enjoy THE FINALS on a zero budget

THE FINALS is a fast, team-focused shooter, so it suits players who enjoy cooperating with a squad and improvising as the map collapses. Matches reward communication and creative use of the destructible environment, such as opening a new route where there was none.

Because it is free and cosmetic-only by policy, it is an easy game to try without commitment. The main costs are time to learn its maps and roles, and a willingness to play online with strangers. Players who prefer solo progression or single-player stories may find little to hold them, but anyone curious about competitive shooters can test it fully before deciding whether to spend anything.

On PC it runs through Steam, and on consoles it is available on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S rather than older machines.