In case you haven't noticed, it's 2017, which means a brand-new year of Gears of War 4. 

Today, developer The Coalition announced that Series 2 is here, meaning new content and updates for the game. This month 280 new cards will be introduced, two of the most popular maps in the franchise's history will be dropped, and other hotly requested features will be delivered.

Here's the rundown:

Thirteen new characters will be released for series 2, including the first delivery of Legacy Characters in Gears 4. Armored Anya and Armored Sam are back and drapped in their Gears of War 3 armor, as well Zombie Minh sporting Raam's blade-sized hole in his chest. The Coalition also said it has a surprise legacy character that will be returning as a Scarp-only Card "very soon."

Additionally, there are over 260 new Weapon Skins to collect across 13 full weapon skin sets. According to The Coalition, these new weapon skins and sets offer you new ways to display your style out on the battlefield. Because rule number 4: style points matter wherever you are.

All Series 2 cards are available via the standard Gear Packs, or can be crafted via Scrap. Gear Packs have also been changed following fan feedback. You can read about the exact changes over on the game's forums. Below, is an image of the some of the above mentioned content:

gears-of-war-4

Two "fan-favorite" maps -- Blood Drive and Clocktower -- are now available for free for Season Pass holders, and will come to everyone else on January 17th, also for free. Below, you can see their related trailers, and read their related descriptions:

Blending together the best of Gears 2’s original take and the Gears 3’s re-imagining, Blood Drive in Gears of War 4 brings back intense, center-map pillar fights with the improved flow of its refined sibling. Spawn at the Diner or the Morgue, then head to the city streets to battle it out over the Longshot and Overkill.

Clocktower also returns to Gears of War 4, re-imagined as the stunning Bank of Bronn as it’s slowly claimed by the Swarm. The imposing classic Gears architecture brings back memories of the battles you know and love, from the intense close-quarters combat in the lower streets to the Lancer-heavy crossfire at the Bank entrance.

Speaking of Season Pass holders, The Coalition also announced that Series 2 Airdrop for Season Pass holders will be loaded with twenty Gear Packs containing sixty random cards from the Series 2 Characters and Weapon Skins. The Airdrop will come to January 13th, or instantly for anyone who buys the Season Pass after said date. In addition, Season Pass holders will also now be able to log in and claim a bonus Bounty Gear Pack every Friday.

Lastly, new features are incoming. Alongside the release of Series 2, Title Update 3 is coming and bringing with it the highly-request feature of quit penalties. A new "timeout" matchmaking system will now punish players who leave. If you leave accidentally, no worries, as the new system comes with a "Join in Progress" feature that gives you the chance to rejoin in a short, unspecified, amount of time.

Full information on the update can be found via the full patch notes on the game's forums.