Key takeaways
- What it is: Solo Showdown is a new solo mode in The Finals for twelve players with no teammates. It launches with Season 12, Prime Time, on October 20, 2026.
- How it works: three rounds of about five minutes each. After every round the four players with the least cash are eliminated: 12, then 8, then 4, then one champion.
- Mini modes: each round is a random mini mode. Embark described Winch Wars, Turbo Tussle and Slam-A-Rama and named Heavy Hitters and Blast Off! as returning modes. Title cards also show Boom Brawl and One and Gunned.
- Is it ranked? The reveal footage puts it under Quickplay with a Beta tag. Embark hasn't said if it has its own ladder.
- Not announced yet: rewards, cash scoring, party rules and the start hour.
The Finals Solo Showdown is the new Season 12 mode for people who solo queue, and as of October 19 nobody outside Embark Studios has played it. So what is there to go on? Embark's Solo Showdown reveal video, two and a half minutes long, posted on YouTube on October 16 at 16:00 UTC and presented by Matt Lowe, Design Director on The Finals. We went through it frame by frame, and this guide separates what Embark said out loud from what only shows up on screen.
Why build a solo mode for a team game? Lowe's answer explains a lot: "It's a little known fact that around 60 % of THE FINALS daily players play the game solo, rather than in parties. For these players, the high levels of teamwork that the game can demand can sometimes be a cause of frustration." He calls Solo Showdown "a new core game mode specifically aimed at the solo experience", not a limited-time event, and he talks about this launch as just the start.
How The Finals Solo Showdown works
Here are the rules in short. Twelve solo players play three rounds, each round is a different mini mode, and the goal is "earning as much cash as possible". Then comes the line that matters most: "At the end of each round, the four players with the least cash will be eliminated, with the survivors progressing to the next round, and the ultimate champion being crowned at the end of the tournament."
Mini modes are "focused modes that last around five minutes", and Embark says "With each new tournament you'll play a randomized combination, across three rounds." That's roughly 15 minutes of play, plus menus and bracket screens in between.
| Round (as named on screen) | Players | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Knockout Round 1 | 12 | Bottom 4 by cash are out, 8 go on |
| Knockout Round 2 | 8 | Bottom 4 by cash are out, 4 go on |
| Final Round | 4 | One champion is crowned |
The elimination math: play for "not last four" first
Do you need to win round one? No. Do you need to beat the leader? Also no. You need eighth place or better, and that's the whole job, because eighth goes through exactly like first does. Embark hasn't said whether cash carries over between rounds, so an early lead might help later or it might not.
A purely random player gets through round one two times in three, reaches the final one time in three and wins one time in twelve. Round two has fewer players and a harder cut: top half or home. So in round one your real rivals are the people near the bottom of the cash list, not the leader, and you need to out-earn at least four players. Only the final round asks for first. Embark says the champion is crowned "at the end of the tournament". The "TOURNAMENT WINNER" screen suggests the player with the most cash after the final round wins, but that's our reading, not a published rule.
The new mini modes: Winch Wars, Turbo Tussle and Slam-A-Rama
How many mini modes are there? Embark hasn't given a number. The narration names five and explains the three new ones, and title cards show two more. Some come with a bit of detail, some with none.
| Mini mode | Type | What Embark has shown |
|---|---|---|
| Winch Wars | New | Extended Winch Claw and kick, boot rivals into The Void |
| Turbo Tussle | New | Deathmatch around the Speed Tunnel on Galaxy Estates |
| Slam-A-Rama | New | Jump Pads and an instant-elimination Charge 'N' Slam |
| Heavy Hitters | Returning | Named, solo rules not explained |
| Blast Off! | Returning | Named, solo rules not explained |
| Boom Brawl | Shown on screen | Title card only, rules not explained |
| One and Gunned | Shown on screen | Title card only, rules not explained |
Winch Wars
Embark's pitch is short and kinda brutal: "you're equipped only with an extended Winch Claw, and an enhanced kick attack. And you'll go to battle across The Void in Nozomi Citadel. To eliminate your rivals, you'll need to boot them into The Void to secure the elimination."
Both tools are already in the game, and Embark has written a lot about them. The Winch Claw is a Heavy Specialization from Season 3 (Update 3.0.0, June 13, 2024), and the Season 11 patch notes call it "a gap-closing displacement tool". The kick arrived with Season 11's melee rework on July 9, 2026: "If a player has full Stamina and Quick Melees a target, a Kick attack will be performed that pushes the target back ~5m". Kick attacks also have a 2.5-second Stamina regeneration time.
On paper the loop is simple: claw someone in, kick them out. But Embark says "extended" and "enhanced" without giving numbers, so don't assume the normal ~5 m push or the full-Stamina rule carries over.
Nozomi/Citadel came in Season 7 (June 12, 2025) as an Arena "split down the middle by The Rift". Embark's October 2025 Arena update said of the old zipline across it, "You could plummet to your death when a defender removed it mid-travel", and replaced that zipline with jump pads. Is the Winch Wars Void the same drop as The Rift? Embark hasn't said, and we're not going to pretend it did.
Turbo Tussle
Embark calls Turbo Tussle "a high-paced deathmatch battle on Galaxy Estates. The mode is focused around the level's Speed Tunnel, which accelerates your movement." Galaxy Estates is the Season 11 Arena, sponsored by COMETA and set inside a space habitat. Embark's Season 11 notes say "The speed tunnel that encircles the center building acts as a connector between areas, allowing for fast strategic rotations and completely changing the flow of a fight."
What does that mean in a five-minute deathmatch? The player who knows where the tunnel lets out gets to fights first, and gets out of bad ones first as well.
Slam-A-Rama
In Embark's words: "In this deathmatch mode, you're loaded up with Jump Pads and a high frequency Charge 'N' Slam attack, that instantly eliminates enemies when hit. To rack up lots of cash, you'll need to squish your opponents from a great height." In a normal match Charge 'N' Slam is a Heavy Specialization and the Jump Pad is a Medium gadget. Here everybody gets both, so look up more than you think you need to.
Boom Brawl and One and Gunned
Title cards in the reveal show "BOOM BRAWL" and "ONE AND GUNNED", and the narration doesn't explain either one. The One and Gunned clip flashes "+1 BULLET ADDED!" pop-ups, and an earlier clip shows an "X2 HEADSHOT BONUS!" pop-up, but nobody says what they mean. Could you guess the rules from the names? Sure. Would the guess be worth anything? No, so we'll wait until Embark explains them.
Where Heavy Hitters and Blast Off! come from
Embark calls these two "classic limited-time modes", and there's patch notes for both.
Heavy Hitters in The Finals first ran in Update 6.9.0 on May 22, 2025, as a "5v5 Platform Fighter mode" built around the Sledgehammer: "The only way to win is to knock your opponents clear off the edge of the all-new Pop Drop Arena!" In fact, the formula already came back in August 2026 as Orbital Hitters in Update 11.6.0, "Based on the classic Heavy Hitters formula", where the goal is to "send your opponents flying off into space".
Blast Off! in The Finals started in Update 7.3.0 on July 3, 2025: "Low Gravity is always on and everyone plays as Medium with Evasive Dash and an explosive, locked-in loadout". It definitely leaned retro, with "a centered camera position and pixelated explosions" for a "boomer-shooter" feel. It came back as Blast Off Sour Core in Update 8.9.0, a 3 vs 3 mode in a section of Bernal with a "tuned-up CL-40, Jump Pad and Evasive Dash", low gravity and "launch pads in every corner".
See the catch? Heavy Hitters was 5v5 and Blast Off Sour Core was 3 vs 3. How do team modes work for twelve players who all want each other gone? Embark hasn't explained that yet, and anyone who says otherwise is guessing.
What Embark said vs what the reveal footage shows
Embark said the rules out loud. The details below only appear on screen. They come from a pre-release build, the narration never mentions them, and any of them could change by launch.
- Menu: Quickplay lists Quick Cash, Solo Showdown, Point Break, Power Shift and Team Deathmatch, in that order. Solo Showdown has a yellow "BETA" tag. In the footage it's a Quickplay playlist next to The Finals modes you already know, not a Ranked one.
- Bracket: a red "SOLO SHOWDOWN" screen lists "KNOCKOUT ROUND 1", "KNOCKOUT ROUND 2" and "FINAL ROUND", with Galaxy Estates in the corner and twelve contestants standing in a row. A later screen shows eight.
- HUD: a "QUALIFYING?" tag on your place, a live cash list with a "KNOCKOUT ZONE" line marking who would go out, and "IN THE LEAD" for first place.
- Payouts in the clips: elimination pop-ups show "$1,000" and "+100 FANS".
- Ending: a "TOURNAMENT WINNER" screen and a winner celebration on stage.
Why do fans matter? Embark's Sponsor Journey reveal says fans "now progress your World Tour rank". Solo Showdown's cash values and rewards aren't published, though, so treat the $1,000 and +100 fans as what one pre-release build showed, not as a promise. It's the same with the Beta tag: Embark hasn't said if it stays for launch.
Solo Bank It and Embark's push for solo players
Is this Embark's first solo mode? No. Its very first limited-time mode was Solo Bank It, in Update 1.5.0 on January 17, 2024, and the pitch sounds a lot like this one: "This experimental twist on Bank It pits contestants against each other in a fight for individual glory in a 12-player arena." The winner was "the first to amass 40,000 and deposit in the cash-out station".
Two weeks later, Update 1.6.0 on January 31, 2024 took it out: "For now, we'll be removing Solo Bank It from the game... We learned so much." It later went into Private Matches.
Same headcount, different shape. Solo Bank It was one long race to $40,000, Solo Showdown is three short rounds with a cut after each one. A slow start in Solo Bank It meant chasing for longer. A slow start in Solo Showdown can send you home after five minutes.
It also lands after a run of changes for solo players, which shows where this was going:
- March 26, 2026, Season 10: Ranked matchmaking separates full parties of three from teams of solo players more often when possible. Duos more than 10,000 RS apart can no longer queue Ranked together, "to protect solo players". New Ping Wheel options are aimed at "solo players who prefer not to use voice comms".
- July 9, 2026, Season 11: Cashout bot matches you can queue solo, with World Tour and Battle Pass progress at a reduced rate.
- October 13, 2026, Respec Order 3.0 retrospective: Lowe writes that wide movement-speed gaps "can cause teams to drift apart, making teamplay harder, especially for solo or more casual players". Season 12 makes the Heavy and Light movement-speed and health changes permanent and cuts the Light-to-Heavy health gap from 200 HP to 150 HP.
Those changes ship with what Embark calls "one of the biggest balance patches we've ever done", plus extra balance passes planned between updates 12.0 and 12.3. The patch affects the whole game, so the first Solo Showdown tournaments run on a balance state no one has learned yet.
Solo Showdown and the rest of Season 12 Prime Time
The Finals Season 12, Prime Time, starts on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, per Embark's "A New Chapter" post from September 18. Season 11 ends when it starts. What time, though? As of 08:30 UTC on October 19 there's no announced start hour, no Steam event and nothing on Embark's site. Season 11's launch post went up 13:01 UTC on July 9, and Season 10's at 14:01 UTC on March 26. That's a pattern, not an announcement.
Solo Showdown is one part of a bigger update. The Infiltrator Light playstyle, the destruction overhaul, the reworked Arenas and the HUD and menu rework are covered in our Season 12 Prime Time preview, written October 12, before Embark revealed Solo Showdown. Two more reveals landed since:
- Sponsor Journey: the Sponsor Journey video from October 14 says you pick a Sponsor, get a Handler and do "Challenges" and Contracts for "dozens of new free rewards". The launch Sponsors are OSPUZE, ALFA ACTA and ISEUL-T.
- Dynamic Commentary: the Dynamic Commentary video from October 18 shows commentator Scotty calling Contestants out by name for moments like team wipes or revive streaks. It launches "as a Beta" with "a handful of comments per match", and it respects Anonymous Mode and Streamer Mode.
Solo Showdown is not Sponsor Showdown
Same season, nearly the same name, completely different thing. Sponsor Showdown is the end-of-season event that came back in Update 11.12.0 on October 1, 2026: "choose which Sponsor you will represent in the Arena in a battle for fans... Play any mode, impress everyone, and earn fans." Update 11.14.0 on October 15 says it was still running in Season 11's last week. It's an event, not a game mode.
What Embark has not announced yet
So what's still missing? Quite a lot. Here's where things stand at 08:30 UTC on October 19:
| Question | Status |
|---|---|
| Launch date | Confirmed: October 20, 2026 |
| Players and format | Confirmed: 12 solo players, three rounds, bottom four by cash out |
| Start hour | Not announced yet |
| Full mini-mode list and exact rules | Not announced yet |
| Cash scoring and tie-breaks | Not announced yet |
| Whether cash carries between rounds | Not announced yet |
| Own ranked ladder or Ranked progress | Not announced yet (footage shows Quickplay) |
| Fans, XP and Battle Pass rewards | Not announced yet |
| Queueing with friends | Not announced yet (Embark says "twelve solo players") |
| Beta tag at launch | Not announced yet (shown in footage) |
"Not announced yet" isn't the same as "no". Embark usually publishes full season patch notes on launch day, so some of these answers could show up October 20.
How to prepare for Solo Showdown
This is our advice, not Embark's, and it's built only on what Embark has shown. You can try most of it before the season flips or in your first couple of matches.
- Play round one for safety. Only the bottom four by cash go out, so steady cash beats a risky play that leaves you broke. Watch the "KNOCKOUT ZONE" line on the HUD.
- Get used to the Kick and the Winch Claw. The Season 11 Kick needs full Stamina and pushes about 5 m, and the Winch Claw pulls. Winch Wars is built on both. Try Charge 'N' Slam too if you never have, since Slam-A-Rama hands it to everyone.
- Learn the two Arenas. Galaxy Estates' Speed Tunnel routes and Nozomi/Citadel's drops are both in the game right now.
- Practise edges and air. Heavy Hitters and Orbital Hitters reward knocking people off edges. Blast Off! rewards low-gravity air control with Evasive Dash.
- Expect early tuning. The footage shows a Beta tag, Embark plans balance passes through 12.3, and it wants "a wide array of additional mini modes and formats in the future". What works on day one may not hold up a month later.
What Solo Showdown means for Ranked and World Tour
Will Solo Showdown wins move your Ranked league? Embark hasn't said so, and the footage puts the mode under Quickplay. Ranked in The Finals is still played in three-player teams, so a solo player who wants a higher league still has to climb Ranked itself. If you'd rather not try to grind that alone, The Finals rank boosting covers league boosts to the rank you pick, such as Platinum or Diamond. Our free page for The Finals leaderboard and Ruby cutoff shows where the top of Ranked stands today.
World Tour is the other track. Fans now count toward World Tour rank, and the clips show +100 fans per elimination, but Solo Showdown's real payouts aren't announced yet, so don't plan a World Tour climb around it. World Tour boosting is there in case you'd rather hand that climb off, from your current badge and tier up to Emerald. Every option is compared on our The Finals boosting page.
The Finals Solo Showdown FAQ
When does Solo Showdown come out in The Finals?
On October 20, 2026, with Season 12, Prime Time. Embark's video description says it plain: "The new Solo Showdown mode launches Oct. 20!" No start hour had been announced as of 08:30 UTC on October 19.
How many players are in Solo Showdown?
Twelve, all solo, no teammates whatsoever. Embark's description says you "Face 11 other Contestants across 3 elimination rounds".
How do you get eliminated in Solo Showdown?
Finish a round in the bottom four by cash. That's how 12 players become 8, then 4, before the final round crowns one champion.
What mini modes are in Solo Showdown?
Embark described Winch Wars, Turbo Tussle and Slam-A-Rama, and named Heavy Hitters and Blast Off! as returning modes. Title cards also show Boom Brawl and One and Gunned. You get a random combination across the three rounds, and the full list isn't announced yet.
Is Solo Showdown ranked?
Not announced yet, at least as of October 19. Embark's pre-release footage shows it under Quickplay with a yellow Beta tag.
Can you play Solo Showdown with friends?
Not announced yet. Embark describes a mode "played by twelve solo players" and hasn't said anything about parties.
Is Solo Showdown the same as Sponsor Showdown?
No, even though the names are close. Sponsor Showdown is an end-of-season event where you pick a Sponsor and earn fans in any mode. Solo Showdown is a 12-player tournament mode.
Is Solo Showdown the same as Solo Bank It?
No. Solo Bank It was a January 2024 limited-time mode where 12 players raced to $40,000 in one match. Embark removed it after two weeks. Solo Showdown has three elimination rounds, and Embark calls it a "core game mode".