Embark Studios pauses The Finals esports efforts following conduct concerns

Embark Studios has temporarily paused its outbound esports efforts for The Finals following community concerns about player conduct.

According to the announcement shared via Discord, the developer stated it had reviewed the concerns ‘carefully, including with external legal counsel,’ and was confident that its decisions and actions were ‘appropriate and within the scope of our responsibilities as a publisher and organiser.’

The statement continued: “For the sake of our community, our players, our partners and the long-term health of our game, we believe it is responsible to temporarily pause our current outbound esports efforts.”

While Embark did not disclose specific details regarding the concerns, it emphasised that competitive play ‘remains an important part of our vision for The Finals. The pause, the studio explained, would provide time to ‘evaluate and review the system in its entirety, and determine the best way forward.’

The decision followed Embark’s recent expansion into official esports operations. Most notably, the company announced The 2025 Grand Major, the first official The Finals tournament organised by Embark Studios. The event is scheduled to take place in Stockholm, Sweden, alongside DreamHack Stockholm 2025, featuring a total prize pool of $100,000 (~£79,000).

Released as a free-to-play first-person shooter, The Finals centres on team-based matches set within fully destructible environments. Developed by Embark Studios, the title differentiates itself through its emphasis on dynamic arena combat, where players are encouraged to manipulate the environment as part of gameplay strategy.

Embark’s statement suggested that the competitive model introduced for the current season had been built with ‘strong intentions,’ adding that it was the studio’s role to ensure it met internal standards.

At the time of writing, Embark Studios has not provided a timeline for the resumption of its esports initiatives.