The latest update for The Finals introduces a fresh 5v5 mode called Super Cashball, along with various gameplay and weapon changes. It’s a notable mid-season patch that adds a new way to play, voice options, and addresses some melee weapon concerns. If you’ve been wondering how melee weapons will fare moving forward or want to try a new team-focused mode, this patch has you covered.
Super Cashball: Teamwork Takes Center Stage
Super Cashball is a fast-paced 5v5 mode where teams throw a ball into the opposing goal to score points. Passing the ball between teammates charges it, making goals worth more points—up to 3 points for a fully charged shot. Interestingly, a pass still counts if the ball touches the ground, as long as the next player who grabs it is on the same team. Matches last two five-minute halves with a short halftime break.
At the buzzer, if the ball is airborne, it can still score, so those last-second throws remain crucial. Scoring in the last 30 seconds adds 30 extra seconds to the timer, allowing for dramatic comebacks. If there’s a tie, the team that first reached that score wins.
Players will choose from three positions with locked loadouts:
- Light Build: Strikers, Fast and deadly with the Dagger, able to quickly cross the stadium.
- Medium Build: Playmakers, Use the Winch to catch and carry the ball, supporting the team’s movement.
- Heavy Build: Enforcers, Focus on controlling the ball and defending the goal, often in coin form.
Each position comes with specific gear tailored to their role. The arena, CA$HBALL STADIUM, features penalty zones around goals where opposing players get “Glitched”—unable to pick up or use gadgets, adding a strategic layer to positioning.
Super Cashball will be available in Private Matches too, and a leaderboard will track top teams.
Voice Customization and Twitch Drops
New voice customization lets you select how your contestant sounds, independently of their face. Some voices include distinct voice lines. Existing voice-altering items will still function as intended, regardless of your choice.
A Twitch drops campaign launches alongside this update, offering the chance to earn a new companion, Chuck the Ball, plus a nametag and charm. Just watch any streamer playing The Finals with your Twitch account linked.
Lotus Reaper Set and Store Updates
For those looking to freshen up their look, the Lotus Reaper Set comes bundled with 2,400 Multibucks. It’s described as striking, silent, yet deadly. The store also features the Overexposed FAMAS skin, which includes 8mm film-style visuals, among other items.
Melee Weapons: Design Director Matt Shares Insights
Community discussions around melee weapons prompted a detailed message from Design Director Matt. He explains that melee weapons are designed to be viable yet balanced against guns and other types of weapons. Because melee and some other weapon classes operate at extremes—short or long range, fast or slow fire rates—they’re tricky to balance.
Matt discusses “melee tech”, exploits and bugs that can make melee weapons feel unintuitive or frustrating. For example, the Sword’s “super lunge” comes from combining movement mechanics in unintended ways. The team treats tech as bugs that often need fixing, and players exploiting these may face bans.
To manage frustration while working on fixes, they sometimes temporarily nerf affected weapons. The Sword has gone through this process and will get buffs again as new fixes arrive. Matt acknowledges melee weapons still need work and promises ongoing efforts over future seasons.
Balance Changes Overview
- Archetypes: Light build replaces Grapple Hook with Evasive Dash, switches M11 to XP-54, adjusts grenade loadouts. Medium build swaps Glitch Trap for Explosive Mine and adds compact sights. Heavy build gains a compact sight for the M60.
- Gadgets: Defibrillator charge time slightly increased, healing effects now use team colors, bullets now pass through Nullified players for hitscan weapons.
- Weapons: Multiple melee weapons get hit sweep adjustments for reliability, Sword receives damage buffs, attack speed tweaks, and new lunge rotation limits to make attacks more predictable.
- Maps: Various collision fixes, lighting tweaks, and performance improvements across several arenas like Kyoto, Monaco, and Bernal.
- Modes: Cashout mode tweaks to prevent stacking of vaults during overtime, Private Matches get Ranked Cashout ruleset.
- UI and VFX: Fixes to spray overlapping, gamepad navigation, and improved firework visibility.
- Security: Additional anti-cheat testing continues, with reassurances about privacy and commitment to Steam Deck compatibility.
Server Crash Exploit Addressed
A serious exploit allowing players to crash servers has been patched. The developers have identified offenders and plan to ban those who abused this to remove others from games. They will compensate affected players with refunded RS in Ranked Tournaments.
Patch Notes
- Replaced Grapple Hook with Evasive Dash for Light archetype default loadout.
- Switched M11 to XP-54 for Light archetype.
- Moved Frag and Sonar Grenades to Light archetype default loadout.
- Moved Flashbang and Smoke grenades to Reserve for Light archetype.
- Medium archetype swapped Glitch Trap for Explosive Mine; added Compact Reflector sights to AKM and R .357.
- Added Compact Reflector Sight to Heavy archetype M60.
- Defibrillator charge time increased from 0.8s to 1s.
- Healing beam and emitter visuals now team-colored.
- Nullifier bullets pass through Nullified players (hitscan only).
- KS-23 converted to hybrid hitscan-projectile weapon with adjusted velocities and ranges.
- Multiple melee weapons had hit sweep and timing adjustments for better reliability.
- Sword’s primary attack damage increased; secondary attack sped up; lunge rotation clamped and range increased.
- Fixed various animation issues and cosmetic bugs.
- Improved controller text chat menu functionality.
- Cashout mode vault stacking during overtime adjusted; Private Matches added Ranked Cashout ruleset.
- Fixed UI bugs including spray overlaps and gamepad navigation.
- NVIDIA DLSS updated to version 4.0.2 with new transformer model preset.
- Tweaked map collisions, ziplines, and lighting across arenas.
Curious how you’ll like Super Cashball or what you think about the melee weapon changes?
