Arena Updates: A Deep Dive!
2025.10.02
Let’s take a look at the changes!
Update 8.3 brings a round of map improvements aimed at addressing long-standing pain points and giving players more tactical options. Our focus this time is on Seoul, SYS$HORIZON, and Nozomi/Citadel.
With the introduction of Smooth Destruction and having the time and space to create more cohesion across the maps, improve traversal, and weed out the pain points thanks to so much player feedback, we’ve got more work to do on the horizon!
This blog aims to show you the work we’ve been doing and highlight how small tweaks can yield big results in three specific areas that have been a big part of the debate in our Community of players for a long time.
From Midas and Mart, Level Designers for THE FINALS, let’s take a look at the changes happening today!
Seoul | Hospital Roof
Let’s start with the Hospital Roof in Seoul - a location which has proven particularly difficult to attack, especially against a prepared defense. Internally, we explored a number of solutions. At one point, we even considered an entirely new floor for stealthy players, along with adding Arena Tool Kit Containers and more structural cover.
Ultimately, we found that these changes muddied the core challenge: a dangerous gauntlet that players can overcome with clever positioning, Gadgets, and timing. The surrounding area was built to support this high-stakes crucible, and our fix needed to embrace and clearly communicate that challenge to players.
These main adjustments are released now, in Update 8.3. Smaller quality-of-life changes, like adding more slanted surfaces for clever jump-pad placement, will be included in future updates.
Here’s what we’ve done for 8.3:
To support more options for a safe crossing, we've reduced the exposed hospital roof by 8 meters and added a 16-meter overhang at the end, effectively shortening the exposed area from 60 meters down to 36 meters. This change brings Ziplines and even well-placed Gateways within range, allowing teams to bypass the exposed area entirely. A challenging new Jumppad climb could even land you and your team directly on the new overhang.
To help teams get to safety quicker, and provide new flanking opportunities, an additional doorway has been added to the side of the back wing. We also redesigned and clustered the cover in this area to make it more reliable and easier to strategize around.
SYS$HORIZON | Campus
The two outer corner Cashouts on Campus have been notoriously difficult to contest. This update targets both the Cube Garden and Voxel Bridge corners to make these areas more balanced and versatile.
Cube Garden Corner
Previously, this space would quickly flatten out and become dominated by the “Big Cube” next to the rooftop. We wanted to make this area less frustrating for close-range playstyles, and draw out fights a bit longer. We aim to achieve this by providing more reliable cover so players can more meaningfully choose whether to defend the corner or take up the high ground on the surrounding rooftops, depending on the preferred playstyle.
Here’s how we did it:
Increased the health of the large cubes from 1000 to 2000 for consistency with other sturdy geometry.
Split several extra-large cubes into smaller sections.
Added new cubes for extra cover.
Raised part of the ring surrounding the ball to provide more defensive options.
Reduced the size of Big Cube to make it less of a dominant vantage point.
These updates are fairly minor, but hopefully have a solid impact on slowing down how quickly the area gets stripped of cover. The aim is to keep the fights more interesting and make both defending and attacking this Cashout Station less one-dimensional.
Voxel Bridge Corner
Just like the Cube Garden, the Cashout in the Voxel Bridge Corner often lacked effective approaches for attackers, especially once the Cashout Station dropped onto the street below, making fights too predictable.
To remedy that we:
Added a secondary voxel bridge underneath, connecting to a vent that leads into the classroom.
Placed extra cover along the bridge and street underneath.
The extra layer and cover introduce more flanking possibilities and open up for more dynamic strategies to effectively attack the Cashout.
NOZOMI/CITADEL | Pushing Cybercafe
In NOZOMI/CITADEL, the zipline between the corner of Apartments and the Cybercafe has always been a high-risk option. You could plummet to your death when a defender removed it mid-travel, or lose the opportunity for traversal entirety, forcing attacking teams to approach the Cybercafe head-on. This would make it very difficult to cross The Rift unscathed.
We’re replacing this zipline with jump pads to provide a reliable option that delivers you to the other side every time, and offers more opportunity to flank from the side.
Approaching the Cybercafe should now feel less restricted, with attackers gaining a dependable option to break through defenses without being forced into the front-on battle every time.
What’s Next
We’ll be closely tracking how these changes affect the experience. Expect more refinements in upcoming patches!
Keep sharing your feedback! It helps us improve current Arenas and also informs our plans for the Arenas of the future.
SEE YOU IN OUR ARENAS, CONSTESTANTS!
