The Finals: How to Add Friends and Build Your Ultimate Squad

The Finals is a fast-paced, free-to-play combat game that emphasizes teamwork and strategic gameplay. To truly excel and dominate the arenas, building a strong squad with your friends is essential. This guide provides a comprehensive, step-by-step walkthrough on how to add friends in The Finals, covering various platforms and troubleshooting common issues. Whether you’re on PC, PlayStation 5, or Xbox Series X/S, this guide has you covered.

Why Playing with Friends is Crucial in The Finals

Before diving into the technical aspects of adding friends, let’s discuss why playing with a coordinated squad is so important in The Finals:

• Communication: Real-time communication allows you to strategize, coordinate attacks, and react to enemy movements far more effectively than relying solely on in-game pings.
• Role Specialization: With friends, you can assign specific roles (e.g., heavy damage dealer, medic, support) to each player, optimizing your team composition for various game modes.
• Synergy and Coordination: Knowing your teammates’ playstyles allows for better synergy, leading to coordinated pushes, defensive maneuvers, and strategic objective captures.
• Fun and Engagement: Playing with friends significantly enhances the overall enjoyment and engagement with the game. Shared victories and hilarious moments are part of the experience.
• Competitive Advantage: A well-coordinated squad will always have a competitive edge over random players who lack communication and teamwork.

Step-by-Step Guide: Adding Friends in The Finals

The Finals utilizes a cross-platform friend system, meaning you can add friends regardless of the platform they’re playing on. Here’s how to do it:

Method 1: Using the In-Game Friend Request System

1. Launch The Finals: Start the game on your respective platform (PC, PS5, or Xbox Series X/S).
2. Navigate to the Social Menu: Once you’re in the main lobby, look for the “Social” or “Friends” option. This is typically located in the upper-right corner of the screen, indicated by an icon that represents friends (often two silhouettes).
3. Access the Friend Request Tab: Within the Social menu, you’ll find several tabs. Select the “Add Friend” or “Friend Request” tab. This tab is dedicated to sending and receiving friend requests.
4. Enter Your Friend’s Username: In the designated text box, type in your friend’s exact username. Be careful to enter it correctly, as even a minor typo can prevent the request from being sent to the right person. Usernames are case-sensitive, so pay attention to capitalization.
5. Send the Friend Request: After entering the username, click the “Send” or “Add” button. The game will then send a friend request to the specified user.
6. Confirmation Message: You should receive a confirmation message indicating that the friend request has been sent successfully.
7. Wait for Acceptance: Your friend will need to accept the friend request from their end. Once they accept, you’ll both appear on each other’s friend lists.

Method 2: Accepting Friend Requests

1. Navigate to the Social Menu: As mentioned before, access the Social menu from the main lobby of The Finals.
2. Check the Pending Requests Tab: Within the Social menu, look for a tab labeled “Pending Requests,” “Friend Requests,” or something similar. This is where you’ll find all incoming friend requests.
3. Review the Requests: A list of players who have sent you friend requests will be displayed. Review the list and decide which requests to accept or decline.
4. Accept or Decline: For each friend request, you’ll have the option to either “Accept” or “Decline.” Click the appropriate button based on your decision.
5. Confirmation: If you accept a friend request, the player will be added to your friend list, and you’ll be added to theirs.

Method 3: Adding Friends Through the Recent Players List

This method is useful if you’ve recently played a match with someone you enjoyed playing with, but didn’t get their username.

1. Navigate to the Social Menu: Again, start by accessing the Social menu from the main lobby.
2. Find the Recent Players Tab: Look for a tab labeled “Recent Players” or “Players Met.” This tab displays a list of players you’ve recently encountered in matches.
3. Select a Player: Browse the list and select the player you want to add as a friend.
4. Send a Friend Request: Once you’ve selected a player, you should see an option to “Add Friend” or “Send Friend Request.” Click this button.
5. Confirmation: A friend request will be sent to the selected player. They’ll need to accept it for you to become friends in the game.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Sometimes, adding friends in The Finals can be problematic. Here are some common issues and their solutions:

• Incorrect Username: Ensure that you’re entering the correct username, including capitalization and any special characters. Double-check with your friend to confirm the exact username.
• Friend Request Not Sending: If the friend request fails to send, it could be due to a temporary server issue. Try again later. Also, make sure that the user you are trying to add hasn’t blocked you.
• Friend Request Not Receiving: If your friend isn’t receiving your friend request, ask them to check their privacy settings. Some players may have their friend request settings set to restrict who can send them requests.
• Crossplay Issues: Although The Finals supports crossplay, ensure that crossplay is enabled in your game settings. Otherwise, you might not be able to find friends on other platforms.
• Game Bugs: Occasionally, game bugs can interfere with the friend request system. Restarting the game or your device can sometimes resolve these issues.

Crossplay Compatibility and Settings

The Finals boasts full crossplay compatibility, allowing you to team up with friends regardless of their platform. However, crossplay might be disabled by default, or it might be necessary to configure it properly. Here’s how to ensure crossplay is enabled:

1. Access the Game Settings: Navigate to the game’s settings menu. This is usually found in the main lobby or pause menu.
2. Locate Crossplay Settings: Look for a section labeled “Crossplay,” “Gameplay,” or “Online.”
3. Enable Crossplay: Make sure the crossplay option is enabled. It might be a simple toggle switch or a checkbox.
4. Apply Changes: Save your settings and exit the settings menu.

Important Considerations for Crossplay:

• Platform-Specific Settings: Some platforms might have their own crossplay settings that need to be enabled in addition to the in-game settings. For example, on PlayStation, you might need to enable crossplay in your PlayStation Network settings.
• Communication: When playing with friends on different platforms, using a third-party voice chat application like Discord can be more reliable than in-game voice chat.

Building Your Ultimate Squad

Adding friends is just the first step. Building a successful squad requires careful consideration of team composition and roles. Here are some tips:

• Diversify Roles: Aim for a balanced team composition with players specializing in different roles, such as damage dealing, healing, and support.
• Communicate Effectively: Use voice chat or text chat to communicate constantly with your teammates. Coordinate attacks, share information about enemy positions, and call out strategic plays.
• Practice Together: Regularly play together to develop synergy and learn each other’s playstyles. The more you practice as a team, the better you’ll perform in matches.
• Adapt to the Meta: Stay up-to-date with the current meta (most effective tactics available) and adjust your team composition and strategies accordingly.
• Have Fun: Remember that the goal is to have fun. Don’t take losses too seriously, and focus on improving as a team.

Advanced Tips for Squad Play

Beyond the basics, here are some advanced tips to further enhance your squad’s performance:

• Strategic Loadouts: Coordinate your loadouts to complement each other. For example, one player might focus on long-range engagements, while another focuses on close-quarters combat.
• Map Awareness: Develop a strong understanding of the maps and use this knowledge to your advantage. Know the best routes, cover points, and objective locations.
• Objective Control: Focus on controlling key objectives and denying them to the enemy team. This can involve setting up defensive positions, ambushing enemies, and coordinating pushes.
• Adaptability: Be prepared to adapt your strategies based on the situation. If your initial plan isn’t working, be willing to change your approach.
• Review Gameplay: After matches, review your gameplay to identify areas for improvement. Watch replays, analyze your mistakes, and discuss them with your teammates.

The Importance of Communication Tools

While The Finals has in-game voice chat, dedicated communication tools like Discord can significantly enhance your team’s coordination. Here’s why:

• Reliability: Third-party voice chat applications are often more reliable than in-game voice chat, especially during intense matches.
• Audio Quality: Dedicated voice chat apps typically offer better audio quality, making it easier to hear and understand your teammates.
• Advanced Features: Many voice chat apps offer advanced features, such as noise cancellation, push-to-talk, and customizable audio settings.
• Cross-Platform Compatibility: Discord and similar apps are available on multiple platforms, making them ideal for crossplay communication.

Building a Community

Playing with friends is great, but expanding your network and building a community around The Finals can take your gaming experience to the next level.

• Join Online Communities: Participate in online forums, social media groups, and Discord servers dedicated to The Finals.
• Recruit New Members: Look for players who share your interests and playstyles. Invite them to join your squad and become part of your community.
• Organize Events: Host regular gaming sessions, tournaments, and other events to bring your community together.
• Share Knowledge: Share your knowledge and experience with other players. Help them improve their gameplay and learn new strategies.
• Be Respectful: Treat all players with respect, regardless of their skill level or background. A positive and inclusive community is essential for long-term success.

Staying Updated with Game Changes

The Finals is a live service game, meaning it’s constantly evolving with new updates, balance changes, and content additions. Staying informed about these changes is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge.

• Follow Official Channels: Follow the official The Finals social media accounts, forums, and developer blogs for the latest news and announcements.
• Watch Streams and Videos: Watch streams and videos from professional players and content creators to learn new strategies and stay up-to-date with the meta.
• Read Patch Notes: Carefully read the patch notes for each update to understand the changes and how they might affect your gameplay.
• Experiment with New Content: When new content is added to the game, experiment with it to see how it can be incorporated into your strategies.

Conclusion

Adding friends in The Finals is a straightforward process, but it’s a crucial step towards building a strong squad and maximizing your enjoyment of the game. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you’ll be able to easily connect with your friends, coordinate your strategies, and dominate the arenas. Remember to communicate effectively, practice together, and stay updated with the latest game changes to maintain a competitive edge. So, gather your friends, build your ultimate squad, and prepare to conquer The Finals!

By understanding the nuances of adding friends, troubleshooting potential issues, and leveraging crossplay compatibility, you’ll be well-equipped to build a formidable squad and dominate the competition. The Finals rewards teamwork and coordination, making friendships a valuable asset in your quest for victory. So, go forth, connect with your friends, and embark on an unforgettable gaming journey together!