Comprehensive guide to The Finals Season 2 patch 2.0.0 with new weapons, gadgets, and strategic insights
Season 2 Overview and Major Additions
The Finals patch 2.0.0 marks the explosive arrival of Season 2, bringing transformative content including a revolutionary 5v5 game mode, cutting-edge abilities, powerful new armaments, and immersive battlegrounds.
After extensive community anticipation, The Finals Season 2 has deployed across all gaming platforms through update 2.0.0. This substantial content expansion introduces a relaxed 5v5 competition format, fresh arsenal options, innovative specializations, and embraces a digital infiltration aesthetic featuring pervasive system glitches and vibrant neon visuals.
Consistent with major seasonal transitions, Embark Studios has implemented comprehensive balancing adjustments. Several firearms including the Lewis Gun and XP-54 received performance reductions, while Throwing Knives and the M60 gained combat effectiveness enhancements.
Strategic equipment like C4 explosives, Dome Shield, and RPG launchers experienced nerfing, while surveillance tools including Motion Sensor, Sonar Grenade, and Tracking Dart underwent class reassignments. The update also delivers three innovative gadgets alongside the SYS$HORIZON environment and Dematerializer specialization capability.
Below you’ll find the comprehensive breakdown of The Finals 2.0.0 patch notes directly from Embark Studios:
New Content and Equipment
- Enables the user to create temporary holes in the arena construction
- Throw out two Gateways to create a spatial link between them, enabling quick traversing through the arena
- A “prop-swap” executable that lets players transform objects and deployed equipment from other contestants into canisters or decor
- A throwable Cube that creates a limited-area gravity field where anything not nailed to the ground will elevate toward the sky
The SYS$HORIZON map introduces vertical combat dynamics with floating platforms and digital terrain that can be manipulated using the new Dematerializer specialization. Strategic positioning becomes crucial as players can create new pathways or escape routes through temporary environmental breaches.
Gateway technology revolutionizes team mobility, allowing coordinated squads to establish instant transit networks between key positions. However, experienced players should note that these portals can be exploited by opponents, requiring careful placement and defensive measures.
Balance Changes and Meta Shifts
- Added diminishing returns on damage from ‘nukes’ i.e. throwable objects that carry C4s, Breach Charges, or mines
- For each source of explosive damage, including the throwable and starting with the highest, a damage modifier is applied to each instance in the sequence of 60% / 40% / 30% / 20%
- Gas Canisters now immediately start to steer off their direct trajectory (aka “wobble”) when they have attachments
- When picking up throwable objects with explosive gadgets attached (i.e. ‘nukes’ and ‘snukes’), said explosives will become un-armed
- When the player lets go of the carried object, a re-arming timer for the explosives starts
- The explosions from C4, Breaching Charges, and all mines that detonate while unprimed now deal 20% of their original damage
- Decreased the health value of Propane Gas Tanks from 250 to 120
- Fixed a bug with Fuel Barrels where they sometimes wouldn’t ignite when taking damage, for example from explosions or bullets
- Dev Comment: Nukes were a hot-button issue in Season 1. The previous tuning made nukes exceed the intended time to kill by a large margin. Since our initial changes weren’t substantial enough to alter this tactic, we’ve added more ways to balance nukes moving forward.
- Added a delay to the application of damage. Damage will now start to tick 0.5s after the player enters the gas cloud
- Added new functionality that causes damage to ramp up gradually over time, from 30hp/s to 60 hp/s over 2s.
- Increased damage tick interval from 0.1s per tick to 0.3s per tick
- Dev Comment: We’ve always intended for Toxic Gas to act as an area denial tool. However, because of its immediate high damage and quick dispersal, it has been too potent. We’ve made changes to make Toxic Gas better fit the original intention.
- C4
- Decreased ammo count from 2 to 1
- Decreased cooldown from 45s to 30s
- Decreased minimum damage at the edge of the explosion from 93 to 75
- Defibrillator
- Added functionality that causes revived players to gradually re-materialize into the level over a period of 3s before fully loading back into the arena
- Increased charge-up time from 0.6s to 0.8s
- Increased starting health from a defibrillator revive from 40% to 50%
- Dome Shield
- Decreased maximum duration from 20s to 12s
- Jump Pad
- Increased cooldown from 25s to 30s
- Motion Sensor
- Moved from the Light archetype to the Heavy
- RPG
- Fixed an issue that made dispersion almost identical regardless of what state the player was in
- Increased projectile dispersion in all non-aiming states
- Reduced projectile dispersion when aiming down sights
- Increased zoom-in time from 0.2s to 0.4s
- Increased equip time from 0.45s to 0.5s
- Increased unequip time from 0.35s to 0.4s
- Sonar Grenade
- Moved from the Medium archetype to the Light
- Tracking dart
- Moved from the Medium archetype to the Light
- Decreased dispersion in most movement states by 50%
- Increased accuracy by decreasing dart dispersion while aiming down sights from 30% to 10%
- Added force feedback for controllers
- Vanishing Bomb
- Increased grace period on teammates from 0.75s to 1.25s
- Increased total cloaked duration on teammates from 6s to 7.5s
- Increased total cloaked duration on the user from 5s to 6s
- Recon Senses
- Removed for assessment
- Dev Note: we’ve concluded that Recon Senses have been detrimental to the game at large, and have decided to put it out of play for now. The specialization may return in some new form down the line, but only after a major rework.
- Removed for assessment
- Mesh Shield
- Increased cooldown on a fully depleted shield from 12s to 15s
- Increased starting health after full depletion from 200 to 250
- AKM
- Decreased damage falloff minimum range from 35m to 30m
- Decreased damage falloff max range from 40m to 37.5m
- Decreased damage falloff modifier at max range from 67% to 55%
- FCAR
- Decreased damage falloff modifier at max range from 67% to 55%
- Lewis Gun
- Updated weapon recoil pattern to be slightly less accurate over time during sustained firing
- M11
- Increased accuracy by decreasing bullet dispersion when firing from the hip
- M60
- Updated weapon recoil pattern to be slightly more accurate over time during sustained firing
- Increased accuracy by decreasing bullet dispersion while moving when firing from the hip
- Increased accuracy by decreasing bullet dispersion while moving when firing while aiming down sights
- Decreased accuracy slightly by increasing bullet dispersion while standing still when firing while aiming down sights
- R .357
- Increased damage falloff modifier at max range from 33% to 45%
- Throwing Knives
- Increased projectile speed from 120m/s to 138m/s
- XP-54
- Decreased accuracy by increasing bullet dispersion when firing from the hip in most movement states
The nuke balancing changes significantly alter explosive combat strategies. With diminishing returns on stacked explosive damage, players can no longer rely on massive instant eliminations from multiple C4 charges. Instead, focus on strategic single explosive placements and combine with gunplay for maximum effectiveness.
Toxic Gas now functions as a proper area denial tool rather than an instant damage source. Use it to control choke points and force enemies into unfavorable positions rather than expecting immediate eliminations. The ramp-up damage allows skilled players to make tactical retreats when caught in gas clouds.
Gameplay Improvements and Bug Fixes
💾 THE FINALS Season 2 update just rolled out on Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Time to become the glitch in the system and #REACHTHEFINALS. 💾 pic.twitter.com/J7WPA3GBsR
Added new levels with rewards to the following equipment items:
- M11
- SR-84
- V9S
- XP-54
- DAGGER
- LH1
- SH1900
- SWORD
- 93R
- AKM
- R.357
- CL-40
- FCAR
- MODEL 1887
- RIOT SHIELD
- FAMAS
- FLAMETHROWER
- LEWIS GUN
- M60
- SLEDGEHAMMER
- MGL32
- SA1216
- FRAG GRENADE
- FLASHBANG
- GAS GRENADE
- GOO GRENADE
- PYRO GRENADE
- GLITCH GRENADE
- SONAR GRENADE
- SMOKE GRENADE
- VANISHING BOMB
- BREACH CHARGE
- STUN GUN
- TRACKING DART
- DEFIBRILLATOR
- EXPLOSIVE MINE
- PYRO MINE
- GAS MINE
- GLITCH TRAP
- JUMP PAD
- APS TURRET
- ZIPLINE
- BARRICADE
- C4
- DOME SHIELD
- MOTION SENSOR
- RPG-7
- GOO GUN
- HEALING BEAM
- GUARDIAN TURRET
- Dev comment: You can turn on auto-sprint in the settings menu and select the time it takes for your contestant to begin sprinting. THE FINALS has a unique “omnidirectional sprinting system,” which means characters can sprint in all directions instead of the more common forward-only sprint. As such, we’d love to get your feedback on auto-sprint, and what additional settings would help you better customize your sprinting experience!
The new weapon leveling system provides long-term progression goals and cosmetic rewards for mastering specific firearms. Focus on leveling weapons that fit your playstyle while considering the new balance changes to maximize your combat effectiveness.
Auto-sprint represents a significant quality-of-life improvement, particularly for controller players. Experiment with different activation delay settings to find what works best with your movement style and the game’s unique omnidirectional sprint system.
Advanced Strategies and Tips
Mastering Season 2 requires adapting to the new meta and avoiding common pitfalls.
With the nerf to nukes and explosive stacking, many players will need to completely rethink their loadouts. Instead of relying on massive explosive damage, focus on precision weapons like the buffed Throwing Knives and M60. The FAMAS burst rifle offers excellent medium-range engagement potential for players who can control its firing pattern.
Common mistake: Continuing to use C4 the same way as Season 1. With reduced ammo count and damage falloff, C4 should now be used for strategic environmental destruction and area denial rather than player elimination. Combine with the new Dematerializer specialization to create unexpected attack angles.
Optimization tip: The Gateway gadget enables advanced team coordination strategies. Designate one player as the “portal specialist” who places strategic Gateways during setup phases. Use Gateways for quick escapes, flanking maneuvers, or instant objective access rather than random placement.
Advanced technique: Master the Reverse Gravity Cube for environmental control. Use it to disrupt enemy formations, create vertical advantages, or clear objectives. The cube works exceptionally well when combined with area denial tools like the reworked Toxic Gas.
Weapon proficiency: The KS-23 slug shotgun rewards precision aiming with high damage output. Practice leading shots at medium range and use cover effectively since you’ll have limited ammunition capacity. This weapon excels in the new SYS$HORIZON map with its mix of close-quarters and medium-range engagements.
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