September's Gears of War 4 update is here

Prepare for more smoking chainsaw-guns, brutal executions and gory multiplayer action as Gears of War 4 has received the promised September update. The Coalition has posted all the details on Xbox Wire, and the notable inclusions are two new maps, 500G of new Achievements, as well as several adjustments to multiplayer, including Ranked Season 2.

One of the two maps is Mercy, a fan favorite from Gears of War 3. This is the hometown of Dominic Santiago's wife Maria, but unlike last time, it's now winter. Some of you surely recall the tough-as-nails battles in the church and the elevated center where there's always action since people tend to battle for the higher ground.

The second is called Harbor Haze and The Coalition says it introduces a brand-new mist mechanic to make it a lot harder to see your opponents. Expect close quarter combat and stealth kills even when outside in huge open areas.

As usual, both maps are available first to people with the season pass but will be on offer for everyone on September 12. The matchmaking in the game has also got rid of the region locked system in favour of something the developers are calling "Quality of Service". That basically means just because someone is close, doesn't mean you'll have a smooth ride online, but it will instead match you with someone who has a similar connection as yourself.

Check out the video below to see a short presentation on the Gears of War 4 September Update. They also offer a lot of information on Ranked Season 2 and a glimpse of the future now that Gears of War 4 is almost one year old. Head over this way to find out more.