Zolgabar Command Set Brings Starbounder’s Archenemies to THE FINALS

Embark Studios is giving the villains their moment in the spotlight with the arrival of the Zolgabar Command Set in THE FINALS. Introduced through Update 11.9.0, the new store collection expands the game’s current spacefaring theme with a group presented as the recurring archenemies of Starbounder.

The official announcement deliberately treats the collection like the beginning of another take on a science-fiction film set. “And… Action!” sets the tone before Embark explains that Starbounder’s enemies have returned to interfere with his plans. Judging by the joke about the seventeenth attempt finally succeeding, this is apparently not their first failed scheme.

Rather than presenting the cosmetics as ordinary equipment, THE FINALS once again wraps its store content inside the fictional entertainment universe surrounding the Arena. Contestants are not simply purchasing another look: they are being invited to play the antagonists, sabotage the hero’s plans and claim the production’s spotlight for themselves.

Starbounder’s Enemies Take Control of the Production

The Zolgabar Command concept turns the usual heroic space-adventure formula on its head. Starbounder may occupy the traditional starring role, but this time the promotional focus belongs to the characters trying to stop him.

Embark describes the newcomers as Starbounder’s archenemies, establishing a clear rivalry without providing an extensive backstory. The name “Zolgabar Command” suggests an organised hostile force rather than a single independent villain, although the written announcement does not explain its hierarchy, objectives or precise connection to Starbounder.

What it does establish is a wonderfully theatrical tone. The opening call of “Action,” the reference to repeated attempts and the instruction to claim the spotlight all make the confrontation feel like part of a deliberately exaggerated serial. It evokes the kind of colourful science-fiction production where heroes escape impossible danger every week and villains immediately begin preparing their next supposedly infallible plan.

The seventeenth-attempt joke is particularly effective. It characterises the Zolgabar forces as persistent adversaries who refuse to accept defeat, but it also keeps them playful enough to fit the personality of THE FINALS. They may pose as a dangerous interstellar command, yet they are still performers in a production where spectacle is every bit as important as victory.

A Cosmetic Release Built Around Role-Playing

THE FINALS has consistently treated character customisation as more than a selection of unrelated clothing pieces. Its contestants can enter the Arena dressed as musicians, corporate agents, athletes, retro-futuristic explorers, criminals or improbable action heroes. The game’s virtual-show premise allows all of those identities to coexist without requiring every cosmetic theme to obey a single realistic setting.

Zolgabar Command takes advantage of that freedom by offering another recognisable role: the extravagant science-fiction antagonist. For players who have already embraced the space-oriented direction of Season 11, the collection provides the other side of that fantasy. Instead of becoming the heroic adventurer, they can represent the hostile command determined to ruin his mission.

That distinction is important in a game where players repeatedly see their own contestants during introductions, victory screens, emotes and team presentations. A strongly themed outfit can help create a complete character rather than merely changing a few colours. Coordinated squads can also use collections such as Zolgabar Command to present themselves as a single invading force when they enter the Arena.

Embark has not supplied a complete written list of the items included in the set. The Update 11.9.0 notes announce its arrival in the store and provide the narrative premise, but they do not confirm its individual cosmetic pieces, rarity levels or Multibucks price. Those details should therefore be checked directly through the in-game store rather than inferred from promotional imagery.

The Latest Chapter in Season 11’s Space Theme

The timing of Zolgabar Command is no accident. Season 11 has pushed THE FINALS far beyond the familiar confines of an ordinary televised competition and toward a much larger science-fiction production.

Previous releases during the season have included equipment and characters associated with orbital operations, futuristic law enforcement, deep-space hazards and sponsored extraterrestrial entertainment. Starbounder belongs naturally within that direction, while Zolgabar Command introduces the enemies required to turn a heroic journey into an ongoing conflict.

This villain-focused release also prevents the season’s space aesthetic from becoming too uniform. Science fiction in THE FINALS is not limited to clean exploration suits or optimistic visions of the future. It can also support melodramatic invaders, suspicious corporate technology, makeshift protection and intentionally theatrical weapons or accessories.

That variety matters for a live-service game whose store changes regularly. Two collections can share a broad outer-space theme while appealing to completely different players. Someone interested in practical astronaut equipment may favour one release, while a contestant looking for a louder and more theatrical identity can choose the antagonistic Zolgabar style.

Perfectly Matched to THE FINALS’ Fictional Game Show

The announcement’s filmmaking language fits especially well with the foundations of THE FINALS. Every match is presented as entertainment taking place inside a virtual Arena. Contestants chase objectives and destroy buildings while commentators, sponsors, crowds and production elements transform the competition into an enormous broadcast.

Zolgabar Command adds another layer to that fiction. Its characters appear to belong to a show within the show: science-fiction villains stepping onto the set while the wider combat game continues around them. The player therefore becomes a contestant, a performer and an antagonist at the same time.

This approach gives Embark considerable room for humour. A more conventional military shooter would struggle to introduce melodramatic space villains without undermining its setting. THE FINALS can make them part of the spectacle because its world already expects contestants to exaggerate their personalities for the audience.

The wording also implies that failure is part of the performance. If the Zolgabar Command has reached its seventeenth attempt to disrupt Starbounder, another defeat would not necessarily end the story. It would simply justify another episode, another plan and another opportunity to return to the Arena.

Zolgabar Command Does Not Change the Competitive Meta

The collection arrives alongside gameplay adjustments, but the official notes do not connect it to any new weapon statistics, gadgets, specialisations or competitive advantages. Zolgabar Command is presented as store content, meaning its purpose is visual customisation and character expression rather than changing how a contestant performs.

The mechanical changes in Update 11.9.0 are separate. Embark reduced the Zipline cooldown from 37 to 30 seconds and extended its maximum placement distance from 40 to 50 metres. Evasive Dash received another cooldown reduction, moving from six seconds to five seconds per charge. The Cloaking Device was also adjusted so that stationary cloaked players blend less effectively with their surroundings.

Those changes may influence loadout decisions and movement strategies, but choosing the Zolgabar identity remains a matter of style. Players can therefore build their preferred Light, Medium or Heavy setup while using the collection to create the appearance they want.

Update 11.9.0 Delivers More Than a Store Set

Zolgabar Command is only one part of the September 10 update. The Scorch Protocol Game Show Event has brought the Dragon back to World Tour, creating an additional environmental threat around Cashout Stations on several Arenas. Galaxy Estates, Kyoto, Las Vegas, Bernal and Monaco are included in the event’s current rotation.

The update also introduced the IVADA-sponsored Right to Strike Event Pass. It is available for purchase until October 1, after which owners can continue completing it at their own pace. A Legendary item waits at the end of its reward track.

Meanwhile, the Silent Cypher DLC presents a VAIIYA agent tasked with harvesting information from the competition. Unlike the limited written information available for Zolgabar Command, Embark has confirmed that Silent Cypher includes a complete outfit, the Legendary Decryptor Edge Sword, an Epic emote, a charm and 2,400 Multibucks.

There is also a new Red Broadcast Blaze Twitch Drops campaign running until September 24. Its rewards include appearances for the Hover Pad, Barricade and Tracking Dart, unlocked through one, two and four hours of eligible viewing respectively.

All of this makes Update 11.9.0 a mixture of themed cosmetics, event progression, balance work and technical improvements rather than a simple store refresh.

Price and Availability Details Remain Unconfirmed in Writing

Zolgabar Command was introduced through the store section of the official Update 11.9.0 notes, so players should be able to find the collection through THE FINALS’ in-game storefront following the update. However, Embark’s accompanying written announcement does not specify a Multibucks price, an end date or whether every displayed component must be purchased as part of one bundle.

Players interested in the collection should check the store listing before buying. The in-game page will provide the definitive item breakdown, rarity information and current price. It will also show whether individual pieces can be acquired separately.

Unless Embark announces a fixed removal date, it is best not to assume that Zolgabar Command will remain permanently available. THE FINALS regularly rotates featured store collections, and a cosmetic leaving the highlighted section does not necessarily follow the same schedule as an event or Event Pass.

The Villains Have Finally Claimed the Spotlight

Zolgabar Command continues Season 11’s interstellar storyline while giving players a distinctly different way to participate in it. Starbounder may still be the hero of the imagined production, but his persistent enemies now have their own costumes, their own entrance and another opportunity to interfere with the script.

More importantly, the collection understands the particular appeal of cosmetics in THE FINALS. Its purpose is not simply to make a contestant look futuristic. It offers a character to perform: a theatrical space villain returning for yet another attempt at destroying the hero’s plans.

Whether the seventeenth scheme finally succeeds will depend on what happens inside the Arena. Either way, the Zolgabar Command has arrived—and this time, the archenemies intend to keep the camera pointed at them.