The Key Behind Making One of the Wildest Shooters Out Now: The Finals puts “Control in the Hands of the Player”
Embark Studios’ debut release, The Finals, has been making waves as a fast-paced, free-to-play shooter that’s all about environmental destruction and intense multiplayer skirmishes. But what’s fascinating about the game’s development is that the creative minds behind it weren’t initially too keen on creating a shooter. In a recent interview with Game Informer, creative director Gustav Tilleby revealed how the team at Embark Studios decided to give the “boring” shooter genre another chance, creating a unique and captivating experience along the way.
A Change of Heart in Development
Tilleby spoke about how they initially didn’t plan to create a shooter, as they believed it would be uninteresting since they had developed shooters in the past. He mentioned how they organized game jams and pitched ideas, including two shooter proposals that he didn’t think anyone would be interested in. Surprisingly, during discussions, the team ended up giving these ideas a chance. They agreed that if they were going to make a shooter, it needed to be something fresh and unlike anything else on the market.
The Winning Formula: Player Agency and Environmental Destruction
The Finals stands out by combining fast-paced team skirmishes and extensive environmental destruction, enabling players and their squads to reshape levels to their advantage dynamically. The Battlefield series’ influence is evident, as some developers previously worked on the EA Dice title focused on environmental destruction. The high-energy playstyle and easy-to-learn approach make The Finals not only a hit with players but also a popular choice for Twitch streamers.
A Philosophy of Empowering the Player
To create a captivating gaming experience, Tilleby and the team at Embark Studios emphasized player agency as a core design approach. They wanted players to have the tools and freedom to control their actions, make decisions, and solve problems in their own unique way.
>”I love systemic games, where you put the control in the hands of the player, and they can figure out how to solve whatever problems they need to solve,” said Tilleby. “It’s providing players with a sandbox where they can be creative, experiment, and develop their own ways to play.”
This design philosophy fueled the game’s development, as the team worked through multiple iterations of prototyping, playtesting, and refining the core gameplay to deliver on their vision.
A Promising Future for The Finals
Embark Studios plans to be careful and measured in developing and expanding The Finals. They’re focused on keeping cheaters out of servers and working on new content for upcoming seasons. The team values keeping promises they know they can deliver on.
Through an innovative approach to game design and a focus on putting control in the hands of the player, The Finals has emerged as an exhilarating and fresh addition to the competitive shooting genre. With continued support and updates from the developers at Embark Studios, the game looks poised to maintain its momentum and appeal to existing and new players alike.
