THE FINALS Help Center

Last Changed: 2025-08-07

1. Introduction & Explanation

This rulebook (”rulebook”) outlines the structure and principles behind all sanctioned competitive play within THE FINALS (”THE FINALS”). It is designed to ensure fairness, transparency, and accessibility in the competitive ecosystem. It applies universally unless a specific tournament provides an additional or modified ruleset.

1.1 Purpose

These rules are intended to provide clarity and consistency for all participants - whether you are a player, team manager, event organizer, or spectator. They reflect our vision for esports in THE FINALS and serve as a foundation for tournaments, leagues and community-driven events.

We believe that competitive play should be exciting, accessible, and rooted in the unique mechanics and world of THE FINALS. With that in mind, we invite you to read this rulebook carefully and join us in shaping a vibrant and respectful esports ecosystem.

1.2 Authority

This rulebook is issued by Embark Studios AB (hereafter referred to as "Embark," "we," "our," or "us"), the developer and publisher of THE FINALS. In cases where esports competitions are hosted by approved third-party entities ("Organizers"), this rulebook applies unless otherwise stated in an officially licensed ruleset.

1.3 Rulebook Adjustments

Embark may update, amend or supplement this rulebook from time to time; and may interpret or apply this rulebook by releasing bulletins, notices, explanatory videos, online postings, e-mail and/or other electronic communications that provide instructions and guidance to participants.

Embark also reserves the right to make judgments in its discretion concerning situations that are not explicitly outlined, or detailed, in this rulebook (and in extreme cases Embark reserves the right to make judgments that depart from this rulebook), in order to preserve fair play and sportsmanship.

1.4 Core Values

THE FINALS ecosystem for esports is built upon these core values:

• Merit Based Competition: A player’s success in THE FINALS will be earned through performance, not financial power or exclusive relationships.
• Transparency: All formats, seeding methods, and ranking calculations will be publicly documented and visible to everyone.
• Integrity: We will maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards cheating, match-fixing and conflicts of interest.
• Accessibility: Every team should have a path to compete, regardless of size or backing, wherever we can accommodate them.

1.5 Our Commitment

Our esports ecosystem will be built to:

• Minimize gatekeeping and ensure true open qualification pathways.
• Resist influence of third-party partnerships that undermine integrity.
• Protect the long-term competitive scene to the best of our ability.

1.6 Scope

This rulebook serves as the guiding framework for all officially recognized THE FINALS esports events. It is designed to be adaptable, supporting a wide range of competition formats and scales, including but not limited to:

• Community-led Online or Offline Tournaments.
• Partnered, Sponsored, or Collaborative Competitions.
• Showmatches, Invitationals, and Exhibition Events (where relevant).

The goal of this rulebook is to maintain core competitive standards such as fairness, integrity, and player protection, while still offering flexibility to organizers of all sizes and levels.

Organizers who wish to run events under the THE FINALS esports umbrella are encouraged to align with this rulebook. Compliance is expected for events seeking official recognition, seeding, prize support, or integration into potential global ranking systems.

Any organizer or player is expected to read, understand and follow the rules contained within this document. Failure to comply with our rules may result in disqualification, penalties, or bans as outlined in later sections.

1.7 Terminology

The following terms apply consistently across all sections of this rulebook and should be interpreted according to these definitions unless otherwise stated in a specific tournament ruleset.

Definitions for common terms:

• THE FINALS: The game developed and published by Embark Studios AB.
• Game: A single match or instance of competition in THE FINALS.
• Player: A registered participant.
• Starting Player: One of the three main competitors fielded during matches.
• Substitute Player: A backup who may replace a starter under defined conditions.
• Team: The group of up to four registered players (three Starting Players and one Substitute Player) competing together in a tournament.
• Region: The geographic designation of a team, determined by the majority residence of its starting players. Includes Americas (North America: United States, Canada, South America), EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa), and APAC (Asia-Pacific: East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Oceania, and Australia/New Zealand).

2. Eligibility

This section defines who is eligible to compete in THE FINALS esports events and the expected standards of conduct for all players, coaches, and team staff.

2.1 Player Eligibility Requirements

To compete in any sanctioned THE FINALS event, a player must:

• Be at least 16 years old on the date of their first match, unless a higher minimum age is required by local law.
• Have a valid and verified THE FINALS account in good standing.
• Not currently banned or suspended by Embark.

2.2 Regional Eligibility

• Teams must declare a primary region for online events based on majority player residence.
• All players must compete from approved regions; EU, Americas and APAC. Players may not be legal residents of unapproved regions or countries subject to restrictions.

All eligibility determinations are at the sole discretion of Embark and organizers.

2.3 Staff and Coach Eligibility

• Coaches and team staff are subject to the same eligibility standards as players.
• Staff may not have active bans, match-fixing allegations or any major unresolved community reports against them.
• Coaches must be registered to the team in advance and may be restricted during live matches based on tournament rules (for example, stage access, communication limitations).

3. Code of Conduct & Enforcement

All participants in THE FINALS esports ecosystem, meaning players, coaches, managers, staff and community organizers, are required to adhere to the highest standards of fair play, respect, sportsmanship and professionalism.

The following conduct is strictly prohibited, and engaging in such conduct may result in disqualification, suspension, or other penalties (as set forth below), at Embark’s sole discretion:

• Boosting or account sharing.
• Threats or intimidation toward any participant, official or event staff.
• Violation of platform’s or Embark’s terms of service.
• Cheating of any kind, including using third-party tools, exploits or unauthorized hardware or software.
• Match manipulation, including collusion, throwing or signal-sharing.
• Harassment, hate speech, or discriminatory language (in voice, text, social media or in person).
• Abusive behavior towards opponents, teammates, officials or event staff.
• Unsportsmanlike conduct, including intentional disconnects.
• Participating in, facilitating, or promoting unlicensed or informal gambling related to THE FINALS matches, including private wagers or group bets.
• Sharing insider or non-public match information for the purpose of influencing bets or gambling outcomes.

3.1 Communication & Public Behaviour

Players are representatives of both their team and the competitive ecosystem. The following is expected at all times:

• Respectful communication in all official chats and lobbies.
• No inflammatory or toxic behaviour during live streams, broadcasts or interviews.
• No leaking internal match information, roster moves, or disciplinary matters prior to official statements.

3.2 Cheating

Players must compete to the best of their ability at all times and may not break the rulebook or omit information from Embark in order to try to or gain an advantage. Any form of cheating will not be tolerated. Cheating includes, but is not limited to:

• Stream sniping or ghosting, or any general attempt by a player to spectate their own match or get information from another person spectating the match.
• Providing or seeking match advice from another person during a match except with respect to team tournaments that explicitly allow team communication; provided that any attempt to obtain extra information from a teammate that would not otherwise have been available to such person via the game client or tournament-authorized team communication tools shall be considered a violation of this section, including any sharing of one teammate’s game client screen with the other teammate; provided, further, this section shall not apply to press obligations.
• Any attempt to modify the game client, play on an unofficial game client, or play with software or hardware that grants extra information not normally provided by the game client. Players may be required to install software on their computers for the duration of the tournament which is specially designed to detect cheating. Some third party software programs are not considered cheating. They include: VOIP solutions such as Discord; keyboard or other equipment drivers and software; any third party software specifically installed by the organizers to facilitate tournament play.
• Impersonating another player in a tournament, playing under a false name.
• Attempting to damage or alter equipment to trigger a delay of the tournament or gain any other advantage.
• Exploiting or intentionally using any in-game bug to seek an advantage. Exploiting is defined as intentionally using any in-game bug to seek an advantage. Penalties for exploiting will be at the sole determination of Embark
• Influencing or manipulating a tournament game or match so that the outcome is determined by anything other than its merits.
• Collusion, match fixing, or any other action to intentionally alter, or attempt to alter, the results of any game or match, including losing a game or match with another player in order to advance one or the other’s rank or standing.
• Attempts to interfere with or degrade another player’s connection to the game service through Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) or any other means.
• Lying to or omitting information from tournament officials.
• No player shall communicate with members of other teams in a way that suggests collusion, match manipulation, or strategic coordination. This includes jokes, sarcasm, or private messages that imply helping another team qualify. Even if not serious, such comments may be reviewed and penalized if they impact the integrity of the tournament.

3.3 Illegal Conduct

Participants must comply with all applicable laws at all times. A Player shall not engage in any activity or practice which (i) brings Player into public disrepute, scandal or ridicule, or shocks or offends a portion or group of the public, or derogates from Player’s public image, or (ii) is, or could reasonably be expected to be, detrimental to the image or reputation of, or result in public criticism of or reflect badly on Embark or organizers, or any of their respective representatives, the tournament.

For the avoidance of doubt, Player’s affiliation with individuals, entities or brands that are detrimental to the image or reputation of the Embark, organizers or the tournament, as determined by Embark or organizers, will be deemed as a violation of this provision and this Rulebook. A non-exhaustive list of such types of misconduct are as follows:

• Actual or threatened violence toward any person, including other Player’s.
• Sexual assault and other types of sexual offenses;
• Illegal possession or distribution of a weapon;
• Possession, use or distribution of performance-enhancing substances;
• Conduct that poses a danger to the safety of another person;
• Theft and other property crimes;
• Crimes involving dishonesty.

3.4 Anti-Harassment

Embark is committed to providing a competitive environment that is free of harassment and discrimination. Player’s are prohibited from engaging in any form of harassment or discrimination (either in-game or outside the game), including without limitation that which is based on race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other class or characteristic.

These standards apply both in and out of competition, including public broadcasts and social platforms.

3.5 Disciplinary Actions

Violations may result in the following disciplinary actions, depending on severity and context:

• Match or round forfeiture.
• Tournament disqualification (DQ).
• Temporary or permanent player bans.
• Forfeiture of prizes or earnings.
• Suspension from future events.

3.6 Investigation Process

• Incidents will be reviewed by the tournament administration team.
• Players or teams will be notified, and given the opportunity to respond.
• Sanctions will be published via an official notice when appropriate.
• Any investigations shall not be conducted by participants of the tournament.

3.7 Appeals

• Affected parties may file an appeal within 48 hours of a ruling.
• Appeals must include relevant evidence or rationale for review.
• Appeals will be reviewed by the tournament organizer.
• Rulings after appeals are final.

4. Roster Rules

This section explains the rules behind managing a roster for all officially sanctioned THE FINALS esports events, outlined in [1.6 Scope].

4.1 Team Composition

• Each team must consist of three (3) starting players, and may optionally include up to one (1) substitute player.
• One (1) optional coach may be registered. Coaching access is subject to venue, production, and broadcast limitations, and may vary by event.
• At least two (2) of the starting players must reside in the same declared primary region at the time of roster submission. This determines the region the team will represent for the duration of the tournament.
• A substitute player does not count toward regional composition.

For live in-person events, tournament organizers are encouraged to provide travel and accommodation for each team’s three (3) starting players, where feasible. Teams must declare their starting players prior to the travel deadline. Any substitute players or coaches who wish to attend must make their own arrangements, as their travel and lodging may not be covered by the event.

4.2 Substitutions

Substitutes may only participate if:

• A registered starter is unable to play due to a documented emergency or other admin-approved reason.
• The substitution is logged and approved by admins before match start.
• The team continues to meet the [4.1 Team Composition] and regional requirements.
• Each team’s substitute must not alter the team’s regional designation. For example: If a team qualifies as EMEA (with two EMEA starters); the active line-up must always include at least two (2) EMEA players, including after substitution.
• A team’s regional designation becomes fixed at the time of Open Qualifier roster submission and remains unchanged for the duration of the tournament, regardless of future substitutions or player changes.
• For individual players, region is defined by their current primary residence at the time of roster submission, subject to admin review. Dual-region players must commit to a single region per tournament cycle.

4.3 Multi-Team Ownership & Conflicts

To preserve fair play and competitive integrity, the following rules apply to team ownership and related affiliations during any THE FINALS tournament:

• No individual, company, or affiliated entity may own, fund, control or materially influence more than one team in a single tournament operated within THE FINALS.
• “Control” is defined as any financial stake over 10%, board seat, operational involvement, or contractual influence over player selection, coaching or match participation.
• Organizations may not enter multiple teams under any brand, affiliate or academy. All such entities must be independently registered and declared prior to tournament start.
• Commercial sponsors (e.g. hardware or energy drink brands) may sponsor multiple teams only if they exert no influence over competition-related matters. All such relationships must be publicly disclosed and are subject to review.
• Violations of this policy will result in disqualification, loss of prize money, potential bans from future events, and public reporting of the breach.

To ensure fair competition, staff such as coaches, analysts, and managers are expected to work with only one team per tournament.

• For officially sanctioned or ranked tournaments, staff may not serve across multiple teams under any circumstance.
• In community-run or non-sanctioned events, we encourage the following best practices where feasible:
  • Any shared analyst or support roles should be fully disclosed.
  • Individuals should avoid operational or match-day roles with more than one team.
  • No confidential materials (e.g. strategy) are shared between teams.

4.4 Disqualification Conditions

Teams may be disqualified for:

• Using ineligible or undeclared players.
• Failing to field a full roster at match time.
• Tampering with roster documentation or misrepresenting identities.

5. Sponsorship & Partner Rules

This section outlines acceptable sponsor categories and partner expectations for tournaments, teams, and broadcast content involving THE FINALS. The aim is to protect the integrity while offering flexibility to event organizers and participants.

5.1 General Sponsorship Standards

All sponsors and partners involved in any tournament, team, or broadcast related to THE FINALS must:

• Comply with Embark’s Terms of Service and, End User License Agreement, and Privacy Policy.
• Not damage the reputation or public perception of THE FINALS, Embark, organizers, or the competitive scene.
• Be fully disclosed during tournament registration or partnership applications.
• Tournament organizers are responsible for ensuring that all associated sponsors meet these standards.

5.2 Prohibited Sponsorship Categories

The following industries and sponsor types are strictly prohibited in all community and official events:

• Illegal products or services.
• Pornography or sexually explicit content.
• Dating apps or services.
• Alcohol, tobacco, or recreational drugs.
• Firearms, ammunition, or explosives.
• Cryptocurrency, NFT, or any financial services.
• Political parties, campaigns, or advocacy groups.
• Any brand in conflict with ESRB/PEGI or regional age rating of THE FINALS.

These restrictions apply to all promotional content, streams, team jerseys, overlays, and related media. If an organizer is unsure whether a sponsor falls within restricted categories, they are encouraged to seek clarification from Embark Studios before entering into an agreement.

5.3 Sponsor Branding Rules

Sponsors are welcome at THE FINALS events and may be featured on event-related materials, provided they meet the following guidelines:

• Sponsors may appear on team materials, overlays, broadcast assets, or giveaways if approved in advance.
• Sponsor names may not appear in the official event title. For example; Not Allowed: THE FINALS (Sponsor Name) Championship. Allowed: Playoffs presented by (Sponsor Name).
• Sponsor materials must not imply that an event is officially endorsed or operated by Embark unless under contract.
• All community events must include the disclaimer: ”Not sponsored by or affiliated with Embark Studios AB.”

5.4 Multiple Sponsorships & Conflicts of Interest

To protect competitive integrity, any organization that sponsors multiple teams or events must ensure:

• All team sponsorships are purely commercial (e.g. gear, branding) with no operational or strategic input.
• All sponsorship relationships and ownership stakes must be fully disclosed during event registration.

5.5 Prohibited Competitive Influence

An organization, sponsor, or affiliated entity must not exert competitive influence, directly or indirectly, over more than one team participating in the same tournament.

Prohibited behaviors include, but are not limited to:

• Shared coaches, analysts, or strategic staff across multiple teams.
• Financial pressure or contractual terms that impact in-game decisions.
• Any form of collusion to manipulate seeding, ranking, or qualification outcomes.

Violations of the above rules may result in:

• Disqualification of all related teams.
• Suspension or revocation of sponsorship privileges.
• Bans or further disciplinary action against individuals or organizations involved.

Embark reserves the right to request additional information, conduct independent reviews, or require separation of entities in cases where a sponsorship or partnership may raise competitive concerns.

For questions regarding eligibility, branding, or sponsorship conflicts, please contact Embark at: esports@embark-studios.com

6. Anti-Corruption & Conflicts of Interest

This section outlines the standards and rules for preventing corruption, influence abuse, and conflicts of interest in all competitive environments of THE FINALS.

6.1 Ownership and Team Affiliation Restrictions

To avoid potential manipulation or unfair advantages:

• An organization may only field one team in each tournament cycle (including all qualifier stages). This includes teams with shared owners, managers, coaches, branding, social media, facilities, financial support or legal contracts.
• In rare cases, a second roster affiliated with an organization may still compete in a tournament, provided the team is released temporarily, or loaned to a separate entity or competes without organizational backing (known as org-less).
• To be eligible, the second team must meet the following criteria;
  • No shared staff, funding, infrastructure, or performance incentives may remain tied to the original organization.
  • The team must not use the original organization’s branding, resources, or public affiliations in any form.
  • The arrangement must be submitted to Embark for review and receive written approval before registration.
• Players who are members of the Embark Creator Programme (ECP), including those designated as “Creators” or “Partners”, are permitted to participate in official tournaments, but shall not receive any preferential treatment or operational advantages.
• All tournament operations, rulings, seeding, and administrative decisions shall be conducted independently of ECP status.
• Participation in ECP is considered a commercial and content-based relationship only, and does not affect competitive eligibility, rankings, or access to support services unless explicitly stated in a tournament rulebook.
• Embark reserves the right to disclose ECP affiliations for transparency purposes, and review or restrict involvement if conflicts of interest or undue influence are identified.

This ensures that players are not excluded due to prior contracts or affiliations, while maintaining competitive integrity and eliminating potential conflicts of interest.

7. Transparency & Rankings

This section covers how teams are ranked, how data is shared, and how competitive fairness is maintained through open ecosystems.

7.1 Merit-Based Qualification

• All teams must earn their place in tournaments through performance. Rankings, points, and invitations must reflect consistent and fair competitive results.
• All forfeits, regardless of stage, match or context, shall be recorded as official losses and factored into rankings and qualification.
• Any tournament awarding THE FINALS ranking points or qualification status must include at least one open qualifier pathway, representing a minimum of 20% of the overall teams invited.
• Event organizers may fill remaining slots via invitations, partnerships, or prior rankings, provided the system remains transparent, accessible and competitive.
• Ranking points may only be earned in officially sanctioned or recognized events.

These rules are designed to give all teams and players, no matter their resources or backing, a fair and meaningful chance to compete in THE FINALS esports, through open and accessible pathways.

8. Prize Distribution & Entry Fees

Community tournaments are encouraged to focus on accessibility, fairness, and local engagement. To protect player interests and regulatory compliance, the following limits apply:

8.1 Community Tournament Limits

Community tournaments are considered small-scale, non-commercial events and must meet the following limits:

• Participant Cap:
  • Up to 200 participants for in-person events.
  • Up to 300 participants for online tournaments.
• Entry Fees:
  • Organizers must be of legal age in their jurisdiction.
  • Entry fees must not exceed $20 USD per participant.

These events are intended to foster grassroots competition and should prioritize accessibility and fairness.

8.2 Community Prize Pool Limits

To ensure consistency and regulatory compliance, community-run tournaments are subject to the following restrictions:

• Max prize per event: $5,000 USD (cash or equivalent value).
• Max annual prize pool (per organizer): $10,000 USD.
• Non-cash prizes (e.g. hardware) count toward this cap based on fair market value.

Organizers exceeding these limits must obtain an official license or partnership agreement from Embark Studios.

8.3 Official Tournaments

Licensed or official tournaments are not subject to the above prize or entry limits. These include:

• Embark hosted events (e.g. Majors).
• Licensed third-party events.
• Official partner tournaments.

Prize pools for such events are determined individually and must comply with regional regulations and payout timelines.

8.4 Transparency & Prize Fulfilment

All tournaments (community or official) must:

• Publish full prize pool and distribution structure before event start.
• State all eligibility criteria for earning a prize.
• Deliver prizes within 30 days of event conclusion.
• Comply with tax reporting or invoicing as required by law.

Non-compliance with prize delivery may result in revocation of tournament rights and potential legal action.

8.5 Entry Fee & Monetization Restrictions

Community organizers may not:

• Charge more than the allowed entry cap.
• Offer seeding advantages or special access for extra payment.
• Gatekeep participation behind additional paywalls, subscriptions or “premium” brackets.

Broadcasts of community events:

• May not be paywalled (e.g. no pay-per-view or subscriber-only streams).
• Must remain publicly accessible on approved platforms.

8.6 Brand Usage and Naming

Community tournaments may not:

• Use Embark, THE FINALS, or any game characters in the title of their event.
• Imply official endorsement, sponsorship or affiliation.

However, they may reference THE FINALS as the game being played, and use approved logos to indicate game involvement. All promotional materials must clearly state: ”Not sponsored by or affiliated with Embark Studios AB.”

9. Non-Disparagment

Participants have the right to express their opinions in a professional and sportsmanlike manner; provided, however, that Participants shall not make public statements that call into question the integrity or competence of match referees or the Administration.

Participants shall not at any time make, post, publish or communicate to any person or entity or in any public forum any false, defamatory, libelous, or slanderous remarks, comments or statements concerning the Administration, THE FINALS, any of their respective representatives, or the Tournament.