THE FINALS: EA’s Explosive Answer to Call of Duty’s Multiplayer Dominance

Over the past few months, The FINALS has been blowing up—not just literally in its physics-based arenas, but figuratively, as its player count and popularity continue to surge. Developed by Embark Studios (a subsidiary of EA), this fast-paced, arena-based shooter has found its footing in the competitive FPS landscape, grabbing the attention of players who’ve long called Call of Duty home.

Call of Duty has been the king of multiplayer shooters for nearly two decades, but The FINALS offers something refreshingly different: dynamic destruction, team-based chaos, and a flashy game-show theme that turns every match into a spectacle. But how does it stack up when you look under the hood—especially when you compare game modes head-to-head with Call of Duty’s established offerings?

Let’s break it down.

The Core Difference: Chaos With Purpose

Where Call of Duty emphasizes tight gunplay, killstreaks, and map control, The FINALS focuses on destruction, verticality, and strategy. Maps are built to be torn apart, and your team composition (light, medium, heavy builds) affects how you approach objectives.

It’s a chaotic, physics-driven sandbox that demands coordination, not just twitch reflexes.

Game Mode:

Cashout

Comparable to: Hardpoint meets Heist (COD-style)

Cashout is the signature mode in The FINALS. Teams fight over a central “vault” of digital currency. Once secured, they must deposit it at one of several cashout stations around the map. The catch? These stations can be hacked and stolen by enemy teams until the timer runs out. It’s a volatile game of tug-of-war that rewards both smart rotations and aggressive plays.

Compare this to Call of Duty’s Hardpoint or Kill Confirmed—there’s a similar sense of control and movement, but Cashout introduces much more unpredictability. In COD, the objective locations are static. In The FINALS, the battlefield evolves every second—thanks to collapsing buildings, zipline escapes, and class-based gadgets.

Game Mode:

Bank-It

Comparable to: Kill Confirmed + Domination, with a twist

In Bank-It, four teams of three fight to collect coins dropped by downed players. Once you’ve gathered enough, you “bank” them at cashout stations that appear throughout the map. It’s fast, aggressive, and favors high-kill, high-risk playstyles.

While COD’s Kill Confirmed involves collecting dog tags from fallen enemies, Bank-It has more strategic layers. You can go on a killing spree, sure—but fail to bank your coins and you’re vulnerable to a quick steal from another team. The moment-to-moment tension feels a bit like Domination, but with a heist-style economy twist.

Game Mode:

Power Shift

Comparable to: Payload (Overwatch) meets Headquarters (COD)

In Power Shift, two teams battle to push a giant platform (yes, literally) across the map by standing near it. The more players on it, the faster it moves. The enemy tries to do the opposite—stand on it and push it back.

This mode isn’t about kills—it’s about map control and staying alive while chaos erupts around you. COD players might compare this to Headquarters, where you hold an objective under constant pressure. But Power Shift takes it to a whole new level with moving terrain, destructible cover, and mid-game shifts in momentum.

What The FINALS Does Better Than COD

• Environmental Destruction: No shooter has done destruction this well since Battlefield: Bad Company 2. Blow up the floor under an enemy, collapse a rooftop sniper nest, or punch a hole through a wall with a sledgehammer. COD can’t touch this level of freedom.

• Team Composition: Light, medium, and heavy builds make every match feel unique. Want to zipline across rooftops as a fast-flanking light? Or tank your way into a cashout station with a heavy minigun? You choose your playstyle.

• Visual Style: With its neon-lit game-show theme, The FINALS feels alive. COD’s realism is gritty and grounded, but The FINALS leans into the absurd—pyrotechnics, announcer commentary, and game-show theatrics crank up the energy.

  
  

Where COD Still Holds Strong

• Gunplay Polish: Call of Duty’s weapons feel incredible—tight, precise, and satisfying. The FINALS is still catching up in terms of gunfeel, hit detection, and balance.

• Progression and Customization: COD’s weapon unlocks, skins, prestige systems, and challenges keep players hooked long-term. The FINALS is improving here, but its progression feels thinner for now.

• Player Count and Support: COD’s sheer player base means you’ll always find a match. Plus, with yearly releases and seasonal updates, Activision still brings content at a consistent pace.

Final Verdict

If you’re burned out on Call of Duty’s formula, The FINALS is the perfect jolt of energy. It’s not a COD clone—it’s a next-gen team shooter that dares to be unpredictable. Whether you’re banking stolen coins or collapsing buildings on enemy squads, every match is full of wild, unscripted moments.

As it continues to grow and refine itself, The FINALS could easily become a long-term staple of competitive shooters. It doesn’t just challenge Call of Duty—it builds its own arena, blows it up, and invites you to jump into the rubble.

Rating: 9/10 – The most fun you’ll have setting things on fire in a digital arena.

Join the FAFO Clan on THE FINALS: Club tag FVFO