 | |
| CASHOUT STATION | |
|---|---|
| Type | Arena object |
| Effect | Accepts the cash box |
| Cashout time | Min. 1m Max. 2m10s |
| Steal time | 6s |
| SFX 1 | Cashout in progress
|
| SFX 2 | Cashout being stolen
|
Cashout stations are objects that appear in the arena periodically. Inserting a cash box will start a cashout, during which time contestants must defend the cashout from being stolen by other teams. In Bank It, cashout stations are replaced by deposit stations that secure coins.
Overview
Cashout stations are stationary objects, though they can fall down and be tipped over by contestants. They cannot be damaged or destroyed.
Two cashout stations are always present in the arena. A cashout station will disappear upon completing a cashout, at which point a replacement appears at a random location elsewhere.
There are a few dozen fixed locations per arena where a cashout station can appear.
Each cashout station is identified by a letter on its indicator. This letter loops from A to D with every 4 spawns. Contestants can aim their pings at the indicator, which will place the ping at the location of the cashout station.
Cashout
When a cash box is near one of the sliding panels of the cashout station, it is automatically absorbed and a cashout begins. Contestants can hold the box near it themselves or throw it into the cashout station from a distance. The last team that held the box will be the first owner of the cashout.
At the end of the cashout, the current owner of the cashout will receive the cash box's value.
Duration
The duration of cashouts is consistent as long as there is enough time left in the round. Otherwise, overtime of up to +1:00 will be added.
| Game mode | Regular duration | Duration at 2:00 | Duration at 1:30 | Duration at 1:00 | Duration at 0:30 | Duration at 0:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quick Play, Tournament Finals | 2:00 | 2:00 | 1:30 + 0:30 | 1:00 + 1:00 | 0:30 + 1:00 | 0:00 + 1:00 |
| Tournament Knockout Round | 2:10 | 2:00 + 0:10 | 1:30 + 0:40 | 1:00 + 1:00 | 0:30 + 1:00 | 0:00 + 1:00 |
- A cashout will always try to take the full duration.
- If the remaining round time is shorter than the full duration, the cashout will finish exactly at the end of the round.
- An overtime will be scheduled of 1 to 60 seconds, depending on how much time is missing from the cashout duration.
- For example, if a cashout is started with 30 seconds left in the round, then the overtime will be scheduled at (or extended to) 60 seconds, making the total cashout duration 1m30s.
- Once the round goes into overtime, the other cashout station will disappear if it is not in a cashout.
- This makes it possible for two cashouts to have a different duration, making their progress bars move at different speeds.
- An overtime will be scheduled of 1 to 60 seconds, depending on how much time is missing from the cashout duration.
Stealing
While a cashout is active, it is owned by one of the teams, who will be rewarded with the cash value if they are still the owner at the end of the cashout. Contestants from other teams can interact with the cashout station for a few seconds to attempt a steal. However, during this time, the contestant cannot dodge (apart from toggling crouch) or retaliate against enemy attacks. If stolen successfully, the cashout ownership is transferred to the team of the contestant that stole it.
If a cashout station is in the process of being stolen, a loud alarm will sound to nearby contestants. The cashout progress bar in the top left of the screen will start to pulsate in red. The cashout indicator will also pulsate in red to the team that owns it.
Strategy
Defending
- Once a cashout is owned by the allied team, staying near the cashout makes it difficult to defend. It is recommended to defend it from behind cover instead, such as in an adjacent room, from where the cashout can be easily reached in case an enemy tries to steal it but enemies cannot spot and/or damage the defender.
- The strategy of taking cover behind the cashout while stealing it can be denied by tipping over the cashout station on its side, making it not tall enough to take cover behind.
- One method of knocking over the cashout station is to have two teammates attack it with Quick Melee at the same time.
- If the cashout is on a higher floor of a building or on a platform, allies with weapons or equipment that can affect the environment (such as the Heavy's Sledgehammer or the Medium's Dematerializer) can easily displace the cashout when an enemy is attempting to steal, which will cause it to fall. In most cases, this will interrupt the steal.
- Contestants typically call this "playing for the drop".
Attacking
- Before attempting a steal, contestants should position themselves relatively to the cashout station in such a way that it will provide them with the most cover from a potential enemy arrival, as the cashout station is indestructible.
- It is also possible to repeatedly start and stop crouching while stealing to deny potential headshots. This is especially effective against the SR-84.
- A Dome Shield, a teammate's Mesh Shield and/or goo can provide further cover to steal the cashout.
Trivia
- While a cashout is active, the cashout station plays a short loop of the main theme of THE FINALS, audible to nearby contestants.
- The fact that cashouts take 10 seconds longer in Tournament Knockout rounds is most likely to prevent a scenario where a 6th cashout is completed before the round ends. A 7th vault is not supposed to appear in Cashout games.