When it was first released, Splatoon was a bit light on content. There were only a few playable maps, a couple of different weapon types and a limited offering of customization options. In the following months, however, Nintendo introduced a ton of new content into the game: new modes, new weapons and new maps have all debuted since Splatoon's May release date.

The August update is a perfect example of just how much new stuff Nintendo is adding to Splatoon: not only are new weapons and outfits on the way, but fan-requested modes and new ranks will be available as part of next month's update. These aren't just simple tweaks of how the existing modes work, either: Splatoon will finally receive a host of new private match options, meaning that playing with friends won't be such a hassle.

For example, Squad Battle is an oft-requested mode that focuses on groups of friends hopping online to fight against other, similarly sized teams. For the first time since the game launched, groups of two to four will be able to enter ranked matches as a team – typically, such a mode would be included alongside the game's launch, but anyone who's been waiting for such a mode should be happy to see Squad Battle finally make it into the game.

Private Battle, on the other hand, is for when you want to play with just your friends. Think of them as custom matches: teams can be made from any number of players, win conditions can be tweaked and the rigid structure of other modes is basically nonexistent.

Ranks and leveling are also receiving a big boost: along with a special S+ rank, Splatoon's level cap will be more than doubled from 20 to 50. It's a huge leap, and anyone who's already hit the level cap will quickly learn that they have a bit more work to do.

Of course, the new weapons are where it's at. Sure, there are more than 40 new pieces of customization gear, but the Slosher and Splatling Gun are what fans will really want to get their hands on.

The Slosher is ... well, it's a bucket. Not much has been revealed in terms of details, but given the fact that players literally splash players with paint from a bucket, it's safe to assume that the Slosher is designed for close-quarters encounters.

The Splatling Gun, on the other hand, looks like it's designed for pure devastation. It's basically a paint-filled minigun, and it's as awesome as it sounds. You can catch brief glimpses at both weapons in a new Japanese TV commercial for the game, but it's definitely a 'blink and you'll miss it' situation (thanks to IGN for the video).

Splatoon has had a surprisingly successful launch for Nintendo – better yet, it's given gamers a glimpse of what sort of DLC strategy they can expect from the publisher. If all Nintendo games are ready to give out this much free content, Wii U owners should definitely be excited for what's to come.

Expect to see the next big content update for Splatoon to hit on Aug. 5.

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