After a troubled relaunch, Splitgate Arena Reloaded adds an Arena Royale mode later this week

Developer 1047 Games will add an Arena Royale mode to Splitgate Arena Reloaded later this week.

Arena Royale allows 24 players to team into six groups of four, and is "built to play at a similar pace and length to a traditional arena match". With this mode, as long as at least one member in a team remains alive, the rest of the squad is able to respawn. Well, at least until the final circle. When that arrives, the respawns end, "and it's all about survival". Ooh.

Arena Royale will allow for a better flow of action when it goes live on 22nd January, 1047 says, while also reducing downtime "significantly".

"Matches take place within a single biome," it explains, "keeping the experience tight and focused. This allows Arena Royale to emphasise constant action, fast fights, and moment-to-moment decision making rather than long stretches of setup or traversal. The result is a faster, cleaner take on battle royale that still feels unmistakably Splitgate."

Alongside the new mode, Splitgate Arena Reloaded's forthcoming update also adds two new maps, known as Trihard and Runway. Trihard takes players to the clouds, while Runway is set in a neon cityscape "inspired by the energy and density of Shinjuku". There's also a new endgame mastery camo on the cards, as well as a limited-time event - Teabag Takeover. Yes, that's actually what it's called, and yes, it's what you think it is.

"This new Limited Event is a celebration of a long-forgotten sign of respect. Some might even call it an elegant greeting, for a more civilised age," 1047 says. So, basically, players jump into matches and "teabag their opponents to earn points toward unlocking new teabag themed rewards".

Teabag Takeover arrives 23rd January. In the meantime, you can find more details about Splitgate Arena Reloaded's update in the video below.

Splitgate Arena Reloaded started life as Splitgate 2, but after the sequel failed to hit the mark, 1047 took it back into beta last July, resulting in a number of layoffs at the studio. In November, it announced Splitgate 2 would relaunch in December, and it arrived with its new name, Splitgate Arena Reloaded.

Since then, player numbers on Steam haven't been great, but the developer has said these charts "don't measure fun".