Embark Ends The Finals PS4 Support as Arc Raiders Rises

Embark Studios is entering a new phase. While Arc Raiders has quickly become one of the most talked‑about shooters of 2025, the studio is preparing to retire support for the PlayStation 4 version of its earlier game, The Finals. The decision underlines a broader trend across the games industry: developers are increasingly stepping away from last‑generation hardware to focus on more powerful platforms and long‑term live‑service plans.

This article unpacks what is happening to The Finals on PS4, how cross‑progression softens the blow for existing players, why Embark is pivoting to current‑gen hardware, and what all of this says about live‑service games in 2026 and beyond.

The Key Decision at a Glance

Embark has confirmed that support for The Finals on PlayStation 4 will end when Season 10 launches, with the studio positioning this as a strategic shift rather than a total shutdown of the game itself.

• Shutdown scope: The PS4 version of The Finals is being retired; other platforms will continue.
• Effective date: The retirement coincides with the start of Season 10, currently set for March 18, 2026 according to reporting and Embark’s social announcements.
• Platforms still supported: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC will remain supported.
• Cross‑progression: Embark IDs preserve progression and purchases, allowing players to migrate to other platforms.
• Strategic framing: Embark describes this as concentrating efforts on “current generation hardware.”

In practice, this means PS4 users lose access to an actively supported version but are not forced to abandon their accounts entirely if they can move to newer hardware.

How We Got Here: The Finals and Arc Raiders in Timeline

To understand why PS4 support is being dropped, it helps to map out the recent history of Embark’s games and platforms.

From a distance, the timeline underscores a rapid shift. The PS4 version of The Finals survives for just over a year before being sunset, while Arc Raiders becomes the new flagship attracting players and, likely, studio resources.

What Retiring The Finals on PS4 Actually Means

For players, “ending support” can be a vague phrase. In this case, Embark’s messaging and industry precedent indicate several practical consequences.

Expected Changes for PS4 Players

• PS4 servers for The Finals will be taken offline or no longer updated once Season 10 begins.
• Matchmaking, progression, and in‑game events on PS4 will effectively cease.
• The game may be delisted or flagged as unsupported on the PlayStation Store for PS4 users.

These steps align with how other live‑service titles have handled platform retirements. For instance, Electronic Arts has routinely sunset online services and legacy versions for older FIFA and Battlefield titles as hardware generations moved on, emphasizing the overhead of maintaining multiple back‑ends and update pipelines across aging platforms.¹

What Continues on Other Platforms

Importantly, this is not a total shutdown of The Finals as a game. On PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, live support is expected to continue:

• Seasonal updates and balance patches.
• New cosmetics and battle passes.
• Ongoing anti‑cheat measures and technical fixes.

Embark is effectively narrowing its support matrix rather than ending the live‑service model altogether.

Cross‑Progression and Embark ID: Keeping Your Account Alive

A core part of Embark’s communication is that progress and purchases are tied to an Embark account system, not permanently locked to PS4 hardware. That means players can switch platforms while preserving much of what they’ve earned.

How Embark ID Works for Migration

Although the studio’s account flow is proprietary, its purpose mirrors account systems from other major publishers:

• Unified identity: An Embark ID links your in‑game persona to multiple platform accounts (PSN, Xbox, Steam, etc.).
• Shared progression: Levels, unlocks, and cosmetic items are synced across platforms where the game is available.
• Purchase portability: Items bought under your Embark ID should carry over when you log in on another supported platform, subject to platform policies.

This model is conceptually similar to systems used by publishers like Ubisoft (Ubisoft Connect) and Blizzard (Battle.net), where cross‑progression and cross‑play rely on a central account rather than local console accounts alone.²

Typical Migration Steps for Affected Players

While players should always follow Embark’s official guidance, the general flow is likely to look like this:

1. Create or verify your Embark ID on PS4 if you haven’t already.
2. Link the same Embark ID to a PS5, Xbox Series X|S, or PC account.
3. Install The Finals on the new platform (still free‑to‑play).
4. Log in using your Embark ID to sync progression and purchases.

This approach mirrors best practices highlighted by platform holders, who have increasingly promoted cross‑progression as a way to smooth hardware transitions and reduce fragmentation for live‑service games.³

Why Last‑Gen Hardware Is Being Left Behind

Embark’s official line is that it wants to focus on “current generation hardware.” That may sound like PR shorthand, but there are concrete technical and business reasons behind the shift.

Technical Constraints of the PS4

Launched in 2013, the PS4 is more than a decade old by the time Season 10 of The Finals arrives. Its hardware limitations affect live‑service shooters in several ways:

• CPU and memory: Less headroom for complex physics, large player counts, or advanced AI compared with PS5/Xbox Series X|S.
• Storage and I/O: Magnetic hard drives are significantly slower than the SSDs standard in current‑gen consoles, limiting streaming and asset variety.
• Patch size and frequency: Players on last‑gen hardware may face longer download times and more storage pressure, complicating rapid iteration.

These constraints make it harder to keep feature parity with high‑end platforms. Several major publishers have cited similar issues when discontinuing last‑gen versions of their live‑service titles or restricting new expansions to newer hardware.⁴

Cost and Complexity of Multi‑Gen Live Service

Live‑service games need constant updates, testing, and operational support. Every additional platform multiplies the workload:

• Separate performance optimization and QA for each hardware generation.
• Platform‑specific bugs and certification cycles.
• Additional monitoring and server infrastructure.

From a business perspective, the question becomes whether the PS4 player base is large and active enough to justify that overhead. Sony itself has signaled a gradual transition away from PS4. Its financial reports and hardware shipment data show PS5 adoption accelerating and software development leaning heavily towards current‑gen systems.⁵

Embark’s call reflects a wider pivot already visible across the industry: as more players move to PS5 and newer PCs, the case for maintaining last‑gen parity weakens, especially for smaller studios with only a few major titles.

The Arc Raiders Effect: Prioritizing the New Flagship

Another layer to this decision is the performance of Arc Raiders. The game has quickly emerged as one of 2025’s standout shooters, earning strong user ratings and attention on PC and current‑gen consoles. While Embark hasn’t explicitly tied the PS4 sunset to Arc Raiders, the connection is hard to ignore.

Resource Allocation Between Two Live‑Service Games

Supporting two ambitious online shooters simultaneously is demanding.

• Live ops teams must manage events, rewards, and communication for each game.
• Engineering resources juggle patching, server maintenance, and anti‑cheat efforts across multiple titles and platforms.
• Art and design teams create ongoing content pipelines, from cosmetics to new modes.

If one of those games becomes a breakout hit, it’s natural for the studio to redirect resources there. Retiring The Finals on PS4 frees up bandwidth while still keeping a single, unified codebase for the game on modern platforms.

Shaping Embark’s Identity as a Current‑Gen Studio

Embark is still a relatively young studio, and Arc Raiders is a major part of its identity. Doubling down on a visually striking, system‑heavy co‑op shooter that leverages modern hardware arguably helps the team build a reputation for cutting‑edge experiences rather than backward‑compatible compromises.

From a branding perspective, focusing on current‑gen aligns with how other prominent live‑service developers have positioned themselves: as creators of ever‑evolving, technically ambitious worlds, rather than cross‑gen ports held back by older machines.

What PS4 Players Can Do Next

If you’ve been invested in The Finals on PS4, the transition may feel abrupt, especially given how recently the PS4 version launched. There are, however, several practical steps you can take to prepare.

1. Decide Whether to Migrate Platforms

Your main options are:

• Upgrade to PS5: The most straightforward path if you want to stay in the PlayStation ecosystem and keep familiar controller layout and social features.
• Move to Xbox Series X|S: Attractive if you prefer Xbox services, subscriptions, or have friends playing there.
• Switch to PC: Offers flexibility in performance and control options, but requires a capable machine.

Embark’s cross‑progression via Embark ID lowers the friction for any of these choices, but hardware cost remains the major barrier for some players.

2. Secure Your Embark ID and Linked Accounts

To ensure your progress survives the cutoff:

• Log into The Finals on PS4 and confirm your Embark ID is active.
• Check any official Embark support pages or FAQs for migration specifics and deadlines.
• When you gain access to a new platform, link it to the same Embark ID before logging into the game.

This kind of preparation is especially important for players who have spent money in the in‑game store and want reassurance that purchases carry over.

3. Make the Most of the Remaining PS4 Window

With the end date set alongside Season 10’s launch, PS4 players still have a limited window to:

• Finish current battle passes or seasonal grinds.
• Try out any remaining events that interest them.
• Coordinate with friends about where they’ll be playing after the cutoff.

Even if you plan to pause the game for a while, keeping your Embark ID accessible ensures you can return later on a different platform.

Implications for the Wider Live‑Service Landscape

The retirement of The Finals on PS4 is not an isolated event. It reflects broader patterns in how live‑service games evolve across console generations.

Faster Generational Cutovers

Previous console transitions, such as PS3 to PS4, saw extended periods of dual support. In contrast, the PS4 version of The Finals is being sunset barely over a year after release. Several factors contribute to this accelerated pace:

• Current‑gen consoles launched with SSDs and significantly stronger CPUs, creating a wider gap in capabilities.
• Live‑service design increasingly leans on large, seamless environments and complex simulation that scale poorly to older hardware.
• Studios are under pressure to ship frequent updates, and testing on legacy systems can be a bottleneck.

Growing Importance of Cross‑Progression

As more studios retire last‑gen versions of their games, account‑based progression becomes almost mandatory. Cross‑progression:

• Reduces friction for users upgrading hardware.
• Encourages continued engagement with the same game, even across platforms.
• Helps publishers maintain a unified player base.

Major platform holders and publishers have acknowledged this trend, with features like cross‑save and cross‑buy increasingly promoted as key perks for players.^2,3 Embark’s reliance on Embark ID fits squarely within this movement.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Will The Finals completely shut down in March 2026?

No. The announced change affects the PS4 version specifically. The Finals is expected to remain playable and supported on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC beyond that date.

What happens to my purchases on PS4?

Embark has stated that your progression and purchases are tied to your Embark ID, not the PS4 hardware alone. If you log into another supported platform with the same Embark ID, your items should be available there, subject to any platform‑specific restrictions. Check official Embark support channels for the exact list of transferable items.

Do I need to buy the game again on a new platform?

No. The Finals is a free‑to‑play game on all its supported platforms, so you will not need to purchase the base game again. However, you will need compatible hardware and any subscription services that may be required for online play (such as PlayStation Plus or Xbox Game Pass Core, where applicable).

Is Arc Raiders replacing The Finals?

Not directly. Both games target different experiences—The Finals focuses on competitive, destruction‑heavy arena battles, while Arc Raiders emphasizes co‑operative PvE action. That said, Arc Raiders’ strong performance likely influences how Embark allocates resources across platforms and titles.

Why is PS4 being dropped when many people still own the console?

Although the PS4 has a large install base, developers must weigh that against its technical limitations and the cost of multi‑gen support. With PS5 shipments ramping up and player spending increasingly shifting to newer hardware, studios like Embark are prioritizing platforms where they can deliver more ambitious updates with less compromise.⁵

Looking Ahead: A Studio Anchored in the Current Generation

The retirement of The Finals on PS4 marks a clear line in the sand for Embark Studios. The message is that the future of its shooters—whether competitive or co‑operative—lies firmly on current‑gen consoles and PC, where hardware can keep pace with evolving live‑service ambitions.

For PS4 players, the decision is understandably disappointing, especially so soon after the game’s last‑gen launch. But the combination of free access on newer platforms and cross‑progression via Embark ID lessens some of the sting, giving invested players a path forward if and when they upgrade.

For the industry at large, Embark’s move is another data point in a growing trend: live‑service games are transitioning off last‑gen hardware faster than traditional titles ever did. As games like Arc Raiders push technical boundaries and player expectations, the era of cross‑gen compromise is rapidly giving way to a sharper focus on the platforms that can fully support the vision.