The Finals introduces the Ruby rank: room for only the top 500

The top of The Finals' Ranked Leagues has just gained another floor. As reported by The Loadout, the latest update from Embark Studios introduces the new Ruby rank, a tier arriving for Xbox and PS5 players after several weeks of the studio dropping hints about its existence. The idea is simple and brutal at the same time: above the highest rank we knew until now sits a step designed exclusively for those who place among the top 500 players on the leaderboard.

This matters because it changes how we understand the competitive ceiling of Embark's shooter. Until now, reaching the top of the Ranked Leagues was a clear goal; from this update onward, hitting the highest conventional rank is no longer the end of the road and instead becomes the doorway to an even more demanding fight. For a community that already described the mode as unforgiving if you don't play coordinated, Ruby is the official message that the competition is getting more intense than ever.

What you need to know

• New Ruby rank in The Finals' Ranked Leagues, placed above everything that already exists.
• It is reserved for the top 500 players on the leaderboard: racking up points isn't enough, you have to be among the absolute elite.
• The update is coming to Xbox and PS5, according to The Loadout.
• Embark Studios had spent weeks teasing the arrival of this tier before confirming it.
• Above all, it is a status symbol: a way to show off your skill level that very few will get to display.

What changes in the competitive climb

The concept of a rank limited to a fixed number of players is nothing new in competitive shooters, but in The Finals it has a special twist. Embark's game is built around environmental destruction, teams of three and near-mandatory coordination to perform at the highest levels. That means Ruby won't just reward the player with the best aim, but the one capable of maintaining sustained performance in an environment where a single uncoordinated teammate can sink an entire match.

The key difference from traditional ranks lies in the nature of the cutoff. A normal tier is earned by crossing a points threshold; a top 500 tier is kept only as long as nobody pushes you off the list. In other words, it's not about getting there, it's about staying there. Every lost match doesn't just cost you points: it can be the margin another player uses to steal your spot. That dynamic turns the upper part of the table into a constant competition among those who are already, on paper, the best.

Who it really affects

For the vast majority of the player base, Ruby will be something they see in clips and on other people's profiles, not their own. And that's fine: the whole point of a rank like this is precisely its exclusivity. Those who will really notice the change are the group already living in the previous top rank, who now have a renewed reason to keep playing instead of shelving their account once they hit the max. It also affects The Finals content creators, for whom a race to the top 500 is first-class narrative material.

Our take

Here at the Underworld Lordz editorial team, we think it's a smart move, though not without its risks. Elite ranks with a limited number of slots work because they give the most competitive players a carrot that never runs out: there's always someone behind you trying to take your spot. In a game like The Finals, which needs to keep its most dedicated community hooked, this could be exactly the incentive that was missing to keep the top of the table from emptying out between seasons.

That said, there's one criticism we can't let slide. A rank based on leaderboard position rather than actual skill level tends to reward volume as much as quality. Whoever can put in more hours has a structural advantage over someone who plays just as well but has less time available. For competitive players who juggle the grind with work, studies or content creation, that can turn Ruby into a goal that feels unfair rather than aspirational. It would be nice to see Embark find ways to make skill count for more than sheer availability.

For creators, on the other hand, the outlook is almost entirely positive. A race to the top 500 is content with a beginning, a middle and an end: climb series, live streams with a leaderboard spot on the line and a community following every match knowing exactly what's at stake. If Embark backs the rank with in-game visibility and some kind of cosmetic recognition worthy of it, Ruby could become one of the best organic marketing arguments The Finals has ever had.

What do you think?

The Ruby rank is here and the race for those 500 spots has begun. We're convinced it's a powerful incentive, but one with drawbacks for anyone who can't live inside the game. Do you think a top 500 truly measures who's the best, or just who puts in the most hours? Let us know in the team chat or on our Discord.