How to fix THE FINALS not launching error

Is THE FINALS refusing to launch for you? While launch hiccups are commonly observed in online multiplayer titles, luckily, these aren’t difficult to troubleshoot and get rid of, and our guide will help you do just that. 

Embark Studios’ THE FINALS was launched across PC, Xbox, and PlayStation on Dec. 7, making the exciting combat-centered gameshow officially available to players across the world. Unfortunately, besides the perfect concoction of shooting, sandbox, and fast-paced mechanics the game offers, players have reported facing a number of issues, including those that interfere with its launch process.  

A lot of factors can prevent THE FINALS from launching on your platform, but whatever the cause, here are all the workarounds you need.

THE FINALS: How to fix the not launching error

1)  Restart your PC or console

The first thing to try—and that almost always works for me in case of a launch error—is restarting your PC or console. Power down the console or PC from the main switch and let it be for a few seconds before booting it up again.   

It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact thing interrupting THE FINALS’ boot process, especially if the launcher doesn’t return a message demonstrating the exact problem. Rebooting your system closes all running applications and refreshes the processes that were running on it, which, in turn, mitigates any existing glitches or bottlenecks prevailing in it. Thus, rebooting should be an effective answer to the launch error in most cases. 

2) Run the game as administrator (PC only)

Another workaround that I’ve found incredibly useful when games refuse to launch involves using the Run as administrator launch option available on Windows PCs. For this, close THE FINALS and its launcher. Also make sure its launcher isn’t running in the background: Open up the Windows System Tray on the bottom right of the home screen, right-click on the launcher icon if there, and click on Exit.

Now, right-click on THE FINALS’ launch app icon and select Run as administrator. This should help solve the launch error for PC users.

3) Close all unnecessary apps

Just keep Steam and THE FINALS (just THE FINALS if on a console) running. If closing unnecessary background apps—common examples being Discord, Spotify, stat trackers, and recording apps—helps solve the problem, you’ve found your culprit right there. 

If you want to know for sure which app is causing it to keep using others, you’ll have to adopt a trial-and-error method. Close the apps one by one, while checking if it solves the launch error after you exit an app.

Some third-party applications may contain undetected glitches or bugs, causing THE FINALS’ launcher to misbehave. You can report the same to the developers of the application, so they can release a patch to fix it.

4) Not enough system memory

Your system might be running out of memory while trying to satisfy your multitasking needs, thus causing the launch error. According to its PC specs listed on Steam, THE FINALS needs at least 12GB RAM to run smoothly, so unless you have a lot of system memory to spare, avoid running too many background applications when playing the game.

5) Verify integrity of game files

Sometimes, it’s just a corrupt file throwing a tantrum and causing a launch error in the process. Fixing it isn’t much of a headache but only if you’re on PC.   

On PC, you can try verifying the integrity of THE FINALS’ files: Open your Steam Library, right-click on the game name, select Properties, click on the Installed files tab, and then select Verify integrity of game files. Allow the process to complete, and then try launching the game again.

On consoles, you’ll have to delete the game and reinstall it to make sure there are no corrupt files. It’s a hectic process and might not always yield results, so first make sure it’s a problem on your side and not because the server is down. 

6) Check for existing issues that might be breaking the server

You can always visit THE FINALS’ social page on X (formerly Twitter) to rule out internal factors like known issues or bugs, server maintenance, upcoming patches, and others. Also, if a lot of players in your region are facing the same issue, it’s likely not your fault. In this case, no amount of troubleshooting from your side will help fix the launch error. All you can do is wait. 

7) Update system software and drivers

Outdated software and drivers can also be the culprit behind THE FINALS’ launch error. On PC, you might want to keep Windows and graphics drivers updated to the latest version. On consoles, make sure to complete all available system software updates, including ones related to security. Check if the issue persists after completing pending updates.

If none of the shared workarounds brought positive results, we recommend reporting the problem to Embark Studios Support because it’s likely internal or complicated.