Splatoon's August update bringing new weapons, modes and gear for free

Splatoon's Aug. 5 update will bring two new matchmaking modes, weapon types, increase the level cap and add 40 pieces of gear, Nintendo announced today.

The multiplayer-focused shooter's new Squad Battle matchmaking mode will allow players to create a squad and play in Ranked Battle, instead of being paired with random teammates. Private Battle mode will support custom matches for two to eight friends.

After the update, Regular Battle and Ranked Battle modes will see their level caps raised from 20 to 50, and players will be able to reach a maximum rank of S and S+, both of which are higher than the current A and A+ ranks.

On the weapons front, she Slosher will introduce a bucket-like projectile that hurls paint forward at great distances and will be useful for splashing enemies in sniper perches. The other weapons, the Splatling, is Splatoon's equivalent of a rapid-fire Gatling gun.

Gear that spans the continuum from a leather jacket to a sushi chef costume will also be available.

The impending update is part of Nintendo's free post-release content for Splatoon. Nintendo announced the summertime content in May shortly before the game's release. You can watch a video overview of Nintendo's plans below. The company said today that future updates will include the Rainmaker Ranked Battle mode, as well as new maps and weapons.

For more on the game, be sure to read Polygon's Splatoon review.