What is the current The Finals meta?

The Finals meta - three people in animal masks (left to right: panda, rabbit, fox), holding weapons while stood on scaffolding
Credit: Embark Studios

The Finals meta - three people in animal masks (left to right: panda, rabbit, fox), holding weapons while stood on scaffolding
Credit: Embark Studios

Like all competitive shooters, there's always an active discussion on what the current meta is for Embark Studio's The Finals. Whether it's your weapon choice, build choice, or the choice of peripherals that you use, we'll be sharing our top tips on how to get a competitive advantage.

Here, we've got our thoughts on the current meta for The Finals, including our pick for the meta build right now. Plus, we'll be breaking down the latest speculation on whether its better to play with controller or mouse and keyboard, so stick with us for all the intel.

If you're on the hunt for more guides on The Finals, why not check out how the game's skill-based matchmaking system works? We've also got our The Finals weapons tier list of the best guns in the game.

The Finals - man in a panda mask hanging off a building, holding a submachine gun.
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Credit: Embark Studios

The Finals meta

The Finals meta has been changing rapidly since the game's launch, as players have experimented with different builds, team compositions, weaponry, and tactics. There isn't a definitive meta for the game yet, as we're yet to see a major esports event for The Finals.

However, the meta build for The Finals is currently the Heavy, largely thanks to their huge health bar. The "time-to-kill" between even Heavy and Medium builds can be around half a second in difference; although the Heavy has a larger hitbox, players confident with their aim will have no trouble aiming against Medium or even Light characters. This means, that at higher levels of play, class hitboxes are not as significant a factor as health when in gunfights.

The Finals meta - person in tactical gear, engulfed in flames, holding out a revolver in their right hand.
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Credit: Embark Studios

Is controller or mouse and keyboard better in The Finals?

At the moment, it looks like using a console controller might be the most meta way to play The Finals in a competitive setting. Usually, playing with a mouse and keyboard is the more precise method to play competitive first-person shooters.

However, the powerful aim-assist that features in The Finals has been compared to the overpowered aim-assist that dominates Apex Legends' competitive scene. This isn't to say that you can't find some success using mouse and keyboard, however, the meta option right now has got to be the controller.

That's all there is to know about the current The Finals meta. For more guides like this one on The Finals, check out our best graphics settings to give yourself a competitive edge. Alternatively, we've got all the details on The Finals system requirements, as well as our thoughts on the best crosshair settings for The Finals.