Unlike some games, though, there's a shot at redemption. A Join in Progress feature gives players the opportunity to return to a match within 5 minutes of leaving, erasing their penalties in the process. This will be helpful for quitters who regret their impulsive decisions, but it'll be particularly important for anyone who drops unintentionally (say, due to a flaky internet connection).

Other improvements? Two classic maps, Blood Drive and Clocktower, are coming to multiplayer. The Gears team also hopes to improve its eSports standing with a revamped spectator mode that shows more info while simultaneously shrinking the visual clutter. And if you're a fan of collectibles, Title Update 3 will add 13 new characters and over 260 weapon skins. In other words: the Coalition clearly wants to keep you playing past the holidays.