Gears of War 4's August update stokes sniper battles with 2 new maps

The August update for Gears of War 4 is now available to download. While it's not as large as the recent June update, it does include some new multiplayer maps to check out — one of which represents some interesting opportunities for snipers.

The first new map is Canals, which is a returning map from the original Gears of War versus mode. The map takes place at night in the city of Timgad, setting up a perfect opportunity for sniper battles thanks to its long sight lines and numerous hiding places, Microsoft explains.

Meanwhile, the second map, Forge Blitz, is a modified version of Forge that adds some spice to the original formula. The map has been tightened up a bit to encourage players to be more aggressive by eliminating secondary entrances to the Control Room and providing less open space.

Lastly, August is the start of the "Summer of Gears." Each day in August, you can win 500 credits with your first win of the day. This month's craftable character has also been revealed as "Classic Commando Dom."

Dan Thorp-Lancaster

Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the former Editor-in-Chief of Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl