Activision Blizzard has pulled off a coup with their new shooter Call of Duty: Vanguard (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X). A YouTube video meant to promote the shooter has almost 10 million views on YouTube. However, critical voices are also mixed among the comments, questioning whether the video is still in good taste or if it commercializes and dramatizes a real war too much.
What kind of video is it?
- The video is titled “Vanguards of Photography – WWII Like Never Seen Before – Call of Duty: Vanguard”
- The video was released on October 21, 2021, and has since garnered 9.95 million views. It has received 7,730 likes and 1,147 dislikes so far.
- In the video, professional war photographers evaluate the authenticity of the graphics of CoD Vanguard. They praise the game: It fulfills the dream of many journalists to be able to photograph World War II. Through a special technique, they are given the opportunity to experience CoD Vanguard as if they were there; they are allowed to take photos.
“Which war would you like to have photographed?”
This is the idea of the video: In the video, professional war photographers are introduced, who have reported on military conflicts in areas like Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Lebanon, or Jordan.
They are asked which war they would have liked to take photos in. They agree: World War II. With CoD Vanguard, this should now be possible. Through a virtual camera, the photographers should gain access to the game engine and take photos as if they were in World War II.
One then sees how the photographers curiously navigate through a kind of holo-deck, crouching, searching for unique perspectives, and taking photos.
This is supposed to be the message of the video: Activision Blizzard wants to make it clear with the video:
- Your Call of Duty: Vanguard provides authentic insights into conflicts – it withstands scrutiny through experienced eyes
- Call of Duty: Vanguard is visually truly impressive and delivers breathtaking images of a military conflict and its various locations
- Call of Duty: Vanguard offers a new, unique experience – War has never been seen like this before
“New level of tastelessness”
What is controversial about it? The video clearly emphasizes the impact and fascination of an actual war, where millions of people died. For some, it appears that this bombastic staging glorifies violence and war, commercializing history and fates.
The US site PC Gamer states about the video that with it, marketing has reached a new level of “tastelessness.” Particularly the phrasing “the epic intimacy of World War II” is criticized by the magazine. It is said that the video is “dramatic and overzealous like any CoD trailer.”
Furthermore, it is mentioned that Activision is auctioning off photos from the video to support US veterans. This is seen as a clever move to shield itself from accusations that the marketing is too extreme.
In the YouTube comments, there are cynical or ironic remarks that receive a lot of agreement:
- “Imagine if the producers also start firing real weapons to get the full immersion!”
- “That is war! That is real” – guy in a pink bunny costume covered in G-Fuel stickers runs around at superhuman speed carrying an MG-42.”
- “Soldiers in WW2: Trying hard not to die – The photographer: Hahaha, the camera goes click-click”
However, these are relatively few voices; most comments on YouTube are positive. They praise the game’s graphics. The thought that the advertisement might be tasteless occurs to few.
Many praise the graphics of the video. They are pleased that with CoD Vanguard, the focus apparently lies more on the single-player campaign than on the multiplayer and the zombie mode.
What’s behind it: It’s always a balancing act between glorification and authenticity when depicting war.
Movies like “Saving Private Ryan” radiate a morbid fascination with the dimensions of war, celebrating attacks on positions, explosions, bomb impacts, heroic sacrifices, and the courage of soldiers. They also repeatedly show the horrors of war, the suffering of individuals.
Most viewers and gamers likely refuse to see these works as anything other than entertainment products. They apparently want to keep the fun and fascination intact.
Objectively speaking, Activision Blizzard has pulled off a real PR coup with the video, showing that they are giving their target audience what they want, and that is a spectacle.
With Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, the protests before release were significant:
Russian Twitch streamer quits CoD: Modern Warfare – in protest
