The Finals “unable to add friends” bug: Possible fixes, reasons, and more

The Finals, a brand-new first-person shooter multiplayer game, has been a dominant force in the gaming industry since its Closed Beta release. As we move into the Open Beta, the game has definitely garnered a lot of attention, making it one of the top-played games across all platforms.

Being in Open Beta, The Finals definitely has no shortage of bugs. The latest issue that seems to have surfaced in the game lately is associated with adding friends. Our article will explore the reasons associated with this problem and seek to offer players viable solutions.

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How to fix the “unable to add friends” bug in The Finals

While there is no concrete reason associated with this bug, there are speculations that indicate that this issue pops up due to a de-sync between Embark Studios client and the Steam client.

Multiple users have reported that the first instance of running The Finals is usually when this error occurs. However, there have been instances where this bug occurs even upon booting the game multiple times.

Until official confirmation by Embark Studios, there can be no sure-shot way of knowing what causes this bug. However, our guide will try to help players overcome the issue.

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1) Restart your game

As redundant as it seems, restarting the game is quite an easy and effective fix for this bug. A simple reboot can correct whatever hampers this connection between Embark's Client and the Steam Client, allowing you to connect to a lobby with your friends.

If this doesn't fix the issue, we urge you to go the extra mile and reboot Steam as well. Upon doing so, you should be able to bypass the “unable to add friends” bug and continue playing with your friends, and moreover, add whoever you wish to the friend list.

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2) Verify the integrity of game files

Verifying integrity of Finals files on Steam (Image via Valve and Embark Studios)

Often, due to unprecedented conditions, a game's download might get hampered, leading to a compromised integrity of the game files. A quick and easy fix is to simply verify the same using Steam's very own verification tool.

This would lead to the client running a full check-up on The Finals' game files and accordingly downloading or repairing any file that might have been missing or compromised in the system. This should fix the bug as well.

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3) Re-download the game

This solution is an extension of the previous step, seeking to correct any issues that might be plaguing the users. A clean and fresh reinstallation of The Finals should cleanse it of any client-side (user-side) errors, making the game playable.

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Note that being in Open Beta, the game is bound to have a few bugs, and until a fix is issued by the developer, some of these bugs may not be amended.

For more news, stay tuned to Sportskeeda.