Right on schedule and very soon after the initial announcement, the Arena War DLC for GTA Online is now available.

Bringing an entirely new form of entertainment to Los Santos, Arena War lets you dial the brutality up to the maximum. With new game modes, vehicles and content, the new update is adding dozens of hours of playtime to a game already overflowing with content.

The main attractions in Arena War are the various explosive game modes set in the titular arena. There are a total of 7 modes which let you work your way through your Arena War career, a new progression system being introduced by this DLC. The seven modes break down as follows.

Carnage

Carnage is a typical free-for-all deathmatch scenario where the only rule is to survive. You win this mode by being the last one standing, but everyone will be hell-bent on making sure that doesn't happen. Use the weapons of your deadly vehicle to crush, shoot or ram your opponents into submission.

Flag War

Another classic game mode tailored to fit vehicular combat, this is a standard team-based 2-flag CTF mode. You need to grab the enemy flag and take it back to your base without getting killed while trying to prevent the opponents from grabbing your flag.

Wreck It

A standard circuit race mode made somewhat less standard by a bunch of traps making your life harder. To further differentiate this from a reskinned stunt race, Rockstar applied some dodgeball rules too - players who get knocked out will be transferred to a spectator booth, where they also happen to have access to trap controls and other goodies that can help them further impede those players still in the race.

Tag Team

A team-based mode which sees one player from both teams in the arena at any given time. The active player is tasked with destroying the other player, while the other team members wait in the spectator booth where they can control weapons and traps to help their warrior.

Games Masters

Another team-based mode sees one team out in the field, while the others are given map-editor powers over the arena. While the team controlling the vehicles tries to hit checkpoints, the other team can edit and customize the traps and layout of the arena to impede them. At the end of each round, the teams switch roles.

Here Come The Monsters

A timed mode which sees one team controlling heavy-duty Monster Trucks, while the others a put in small and fragile, yet speedy and nimble cars. On a timer, the monsters need to crush the enemy team, however, if even one small car survives, the monsters lose the round.

Hot Bomb

Having a ticking bomb in your trunk ain't no fun. You need to make sure you're not the poor soul with it when it goes boom, and the only way to offload the bomb if you have it is by crashing into another player.

All Arena War game modes pay out double RP and GTA$ this week.

Even in those game modes where the spectator lounge doesn't have a direct role, getting eliminated will boot you there nonetheless, allowing you to observe the outcome of the round. You can also treat yourself to some refreshments or spin the Arena War Wheel in the hopes of gaining a prize in spite of losing.

Though Arena War waylays the recent trend of all GTA Online DLC having a business angle, you still get a new progression system. While all game modes are automatically available to all players, actually buying the arena vehicles for general use or customizing them necessitates an Arena Workshop. Here you can upgrade or trick out your rolling death machines and track your career as an entertainer.

If you have a workshop and progress with your career, you'll earn Arena Points. These points can then be used to unlock special content like exclusive upgrades and outfits that can't be bought with regular currency. You'll also unlock trophies which get you bragging rights.

Arena War adds a total of 12 Contender vehicles, including the Bravado Sasquatch, a huge armored heavy-duty death machine. All Contender vehicles can be upgraded, and their appearance customized by choosing between three styles: Apocalypse, Future Shock and Nightmare.

Players who jump straight into the new content during launch week will also be treated to a free bonus. If you log in until the 17th of December, you'll get a pair of t-shirts - one with an Annis logo, and the other with a Bravado logo. Weapons, ammo, MK II upgrades and throwables are also on discount this week to further fuel the carnage.