Call of Duty: Vanguard - All info about the release

Until now, only the release of the big shooter competitor Battlefield 2042 was known - but now fans of Call of Duty can breathe a sigh of relief. The first-person shooter from Activision will be released as usual in the fall season. We reveal what you can expect in Call of Duty: Vanguard.

Release: When will Call of Duty: Vanguard be released?

The release date is November 5, 2021. The fact that Call of Duty: Vanguard will be released on time despite the difficulties caused by the pandemic is only possible because several studios are working on the game. The main developer is Sledgehammer Games.

For which platforms will Call of Duty: Vanguard be released?

The first-person shooter will be released for both console generations - i.e. PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S - as well as for PC. A conversion for the Nintendo Switch has not been announced yet.

Activision has not yet commented on the system requirements of the PC version. However, since Vanguard is based on the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare () engine, we think it is possible that the minimum requirements will be similar to those of Modern Warfare.

Will Call of Duty: Vanguard support crossplay?

Yes, crossplay is enabled between PC and console players as well as between console generations. So you can easily play Call of Duty: Vanguard with friends who are on other platforms.

Call of Duty: Vanguard promises cinematic action in a historical setting.

Vanguard also supports cross-save so that your progress is always preserved. This means that your hard-earned unlocks will remain even if you switch platforms.

What is the campaign of Call of Duty: Vanguard about?

Numerous leaks have already predicted it: Call of Duty: Vanguard will once again transport you to the Second World War. And this time, you can expect not only the beaches of Normandy, but also locations on other fronts - including the Western Front, the Eastern Front, the Pacific and even North Africa.

Accordingly, you will experience the single player campaign from the perspective of four main characters:

  • Arthur Kingsley (paratrooper in the 9th British Parachute Battalion)
  • Polina Petrova (sniper in the 138th Rifle Division of the Soviet Union)
  • Wade Jackson (pilot in the Scouting Squadron Six unit of the U.S. Navy)
  • Lucas Riggs (sub-lieutenant in the 20th Battalion of the Australian Army)

All four characters are based on real people who actually fought in the war. For example, Polina is based on Soviet sniper Lyudmila M. Pavlichenko.

First info about the multiplayer in Call of Duty: Vanguard

Developer Sledgehammer Games focused on the single-player campaign and setting at the live reveal on August 19, 2021. The multiplayer, on the other hand, will soon be presented in a separate event. Nevertheless, we were able to gather some interesting information about the multiplayer.

What modes will there be?

So far, only one new mode has been teasedChampion Hill. According to the developers, this mode is a further development of the Gunfight mode known from Modern Warfare. Eight squads compete in Champion Hill in close quarter arenas.

Call of Duty: Vanguard lets you experience multiplayer battles with weapons from WW2.

We assume that classic modes like Free-for-All and Domination will be back.

How many maps will there be?

There will be a total of 20 maps at launch - 16 of which have been built for the regular Versus mode. The other four maps are believed to be exclusive to Champion Hill mode.

Return of the Weaponry

Weaponry - first introduced in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) - is making a return. This time, you'll be able to modify and upgrade historical World War 2 weapons with various attachments. According to the developer statement, new features have been added to the Forge in Vanguard. Exactly what these are is not yet known.

Gunplay improvements and more destructible environments

After the gunplay in last year's Black Ops Cold War was heavily criticized, Vanguard is once again oriented towards Modern Warfare in terms of weapon feel and recoil behavior. Guns like the MP40 or the PPSh-41 are supposed to have real "punch" this time. Sledgehammer Games also promises that the environments will be more reactive - for example, with more destructible objects.

What we know so far about the zombie mode in Call of Duty: Vanguard

Zombies are of course just as much a part of CoD as explosions. Fans of the Black Ops zombie modes have reason to celebrate: their developer Treyarch is also responsible for Vanguard's zombie mode.

Unfortunately, there are no screenshots of the zombie mode yet, except for this logo.

Vanguard's Zombie Mode is a prequel to the story of Black Ops Cold War's Zombie Mode. This makes it the first crossover between different Call of Duty universes! The core gameplay is also said to have been expanded with some "innovations" - we'll find out exactly what those "innovations" are in the fall.

Will Call of Duty: Vanguard be integrated into Warzone?

CoD: Vanguard will also be integrated into the battle royale shooter Call of Duty: Warzone, just like its two predecessors. However, this won't happen right at launch, but only when the new map for Warzone - developed by Raven Software - is released later this year.

In addition, the new map will also introduce a new anti-cheat system on PC. Your Battle Pass progress in Modern Warfare, Black Ops Cold War and Vanguard will continue to carry over into Warzone. Vanguard and Warzone will share free post-launch content like new maps, events, skins and more.

Will there be a beta?

A beta phase has been announced - however, we do not yet know when the beta will take place. It will be an open beta where everyone can participate. However, if you pre-order the game, you will get earlier access to the beta. It doesn't matter if you pre-order the standard edition or one of the deluxe versions.

If you don't have any plans on Sunday, August 22, 2021, there will be a Call of Duty Champions League livestream that day, where all registered viewers will get a chance at early access to the beta.

What editions can I buy?

There are several editions of Call of Duty: Vanguard, all of which come with various pre-order bonuses. This can be confusing, which is why we have summarized all the information about the different editions for you here.

Digital editions for Xbox, PlayStation and PC:

Digital Standard Edition (PS4, Xbox One and PC):

  • Call of Duty: Vanguard (PC, PlayStation 4 or Xbox One)
    • Note: This edition only includes the last-gen version of the game. However, you can play it on current-gen via backwards compatibility.
  • Frontline Weapon Pack
  • Can be upgraded to the cross-gen bundle after release if you want the versions tailored for PS5 or Xbox Series X/S.

Digital Cross-Gen Edition (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X)

  • Versions of Call of Duty: Vanguard for PlayStation 4 and 5 or Xbox One and Series X/S
  • Five hours of double weapon experience points in Call of Duty: Vanguard and Warzone
  • Frontline weapons pack

Ultimate Digital Edition (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC)

  • Call of Duty: Vanguard Cross-Gen Bundle
  • Three operator skins and three weapon build plans
  • Battle Pass bundle (Battle Pass for one season with 20 level ups).
  • Ten hours of double XP for Call of Duty: Vanguard and Warzone
  • Frontline weapon pack

This is what the pre-order skin from the Frontline Weapons Bundle looks like.

All versions grant you advance access to the open beta. Furthermore, you will receive the Night Raid Master Art Weapon Builder, which you can now use in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and Warzone. As a special extra, you will also receive the operator Arthur Kingsley - who will also be playable in Warzone and Black Ops Cold War later on.

The retail versions will also allow you advance access to the beta and offer separate bonuses. As soon as these are known, we'll update the article.

Note: The standard retail version for Xbox One cannot be upgraded to the Xbox Series X version. The PS4 disc version, on the other hand, can be upgraded to the PS5 version.

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