It’s finally here, Call of Duty: Vanguard has been officially revealed. With the reveal, first truly tangible official information about the contents is finally available. The release date is now known as well. Find out here what to expect in Multiplayer, Singleplayer, and yes, even in the Zombies mode of the new CoD starting November 2021.
Many have been waiting for this: The reveal of the new Call of Duty 2021 named Vanguard has just taken place, numerous details have been disclosed, and there was a reveal trailer. The information should temporarily satisfy the initial hunger of fans and finally answer some burning questions officially. One of the most exciting questions is traditionally about the release date – how long do we have to wait for the release?
The Call of Duty Vanguard release date: The new CoD-Vanguard will be released on November 5, 2021.
Now that this is clarified: Below you will find the most important available information on CoD Vanguard compactly summarized. Here’s a look at the campaign.
CoD Vanguard – General Information
On which platforms will CoD Vanguard be released? Call of Duty: Vanguard will be available for the PS5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Battle.net.
CoD Vanguard Pre-Order and Beta: All information about pre-order bonuses, prices, and editions as well as information about early access to the open beta of Vanguard can be found here: Call of Duty: Vanguard pre-order – Editions, prices, pre-order bonuses, beta
What about post-launch content? Vanguard will also have a packed calendar of free post-launch content alongside Warzone, including
- new maps
- new modes
- new playlists
- time-limited events
- seasonal events
- community celebrations
- and more
The focus in the battle royale will shift from Cold War to Vanguard, with the seasons and battle pass likely shared. By the way, old cosmetic content from Cold War and Modern Warfare will remain in the game and usable in Warzone. Progress should also remain cross-title across the 3 main titles (Vanguard, Cold War, Modern Warfare) that are then interconnected with Warzone. You will be able to earn XP and level the battle pass in all 4 games – even though the new content will likely specifically target Vanguard and Warzone.
Technical Details: The essentials in brief: Vanguard is built on an enhanced engine from CoD Modern Warfare developed in 2019. The gunplay is very much reminiscent of Modern Warfare and builds on its system but has been expanded and improved in many areas.
For example, as in MW 2019, it is possible to reload the weapon tactically while keeping it aimed, you can rest the weapons (now more generously) or shoot blindly over cover.
In addition, Vanguard offers more destructible environments than any CoD before. Tables (with everything on them), chairs, bookshelves, boarded-up windows – all of this can be extensively destroyed by gunfire or explosions, providing more immersion and tactical possibilities:
- Books, apples, white bread, tomatoes, wine bottles fly around
- Smashed window coverings, shelves, partitions, or other furniture open up new sightlines and shooting areas depending on the level of destruction, or even pathways, making each match play slightly differently, as the map changes with every match due to destruction.
Although it doesn’t reach the level of Battlefield (you cannot break through stone walls or completely flatten buildings), the destruction still looks cool and very immersive and also has an impact on gameplay.
Also interesting: Vanguard is supposed to run at 60 FPS on all consoles. The PC version aims to provide a fully optimized experience and is being developed by Beenox.
My personal highlight was an enemy German soldier who moved behind a bedsheet hanging on a clothesline, and whose silhouette was dynamically projected onto the fluttering piece of laundry in the wind. Some scenes looked almost photorealistic, and some colleagues even skeptically asked whether it was actually a live mission we were watching and not a rendered cutscene.
In short: At least visually, all fans of Call of Duty should expect a real highlight on (a powerful) PC and the current console generation, that is Xbox Series X and PS5.
By the way, it’s not just me who sees it this way, but also many others who have already experienced the new CoD – for example, the well-known leaker Tom Henderson:
What is CoD Vanguard about? The new CoD Vanguard takes place in World War II, as expected, but NOT in an alternative reality like Wolfenstein, as some leaks suggested. The game is historically inspired but does not depict real events or figures from World War II.
Players will experience the origins of military special forces as we know them today through the story. In Multiplayer, players will become special forces operators. A zombie experience is also included.
CoD Vanguard – What the Singleplayer Offers
The Story of Vanguard: The campaign revolves around the birth of special forces. This is experienced through the eyes of a multinational group of soldiers, who, as Task Force One, fight their way to Berlin.
The team, consisting of a Brit, a Russian, an American, and an Australian – all playable characters – fights across the 4 most important and decisive battlefields of World War II:
- Eastern Front
- Western Front
- Africa
- Pacific
Ultimately, they are headed to Berlin to sabotage a potentially war-stopping secret project of the Nazis led by the fictional Gestapo chief Heinrich Freisinger.
CoD Vanguard – What the Multiplayer Offers
Traditional Multiplayer: In MP, you will play as the special forces whose origins you experience in the campaign.
The main pillars of classic multiplayer are:
- Vanguard comes with an impressive 20 multiplayer maps at launch. 16 of these are 6vs6 core maps, and the remaining 4 are intended for a smaller format. This should initially satisfy most fans, as the last time a CoD title launched with 16 6vs6 maps was Modern Warfare 3 in 2011. So, it will be the largest CoD of the last 10 years. For comparison: Black Ops Cold War launched last year with a total of 8 maps.
- New tactical gameplay: The popular Gunsmith feature from Modern Warfare is returning, but with more options. For example, there will be individual ballistics and various types of ammunition and calibers. Additionally, there will be so-called reactive environments that will allow for an unprecedented level of destruction in the game environment.
- Because of this and completely new modes, new play styles will be introduced into the game
- One of these modes is the special Champion Hill mode. According to the official Call of Duty blog, this is an evolution of the 2vs2 gunfight modes from Modern Warfare. Champion Hill is supposed to deliver fast action in small squads, where 8 teams compete against each other in a series of 2vs2 fights. The last team standing wins. More information is expected in a standalone multiplayer reveal.
You decide how you want to experience Vanguard: In Vanguard Multiplayer, there will be 3 different Combat Pacings that will decide how you experience the new CoD – depending on your individually preferred play style and pace. This aims to offer a high degree of variety – ideally for every taste.
- Blitz
- In this casual-heavy, short-lived experience, you can expect an endless and maximal number of players on a map, so you’ll always have someone in your sights, with little limitations – pure chaos and non-stop action.
- Tactical
- The complete opposite of Blitz – the intensity of combat is the focus here. You encounter enemies less frequently, every bullet counts and is deadlier, and everything is much more tactical. Basically similar to Hardcore.
- Standard
- the previously known, normal way to play Call of Duty – not too chaotic, not too fast, not too slow/tactical.
Warzone: The in-house battle royale Warzone continues to act as a link between the major annual releases and will connect Vanguard, Cold War, and Modern Warfare.
Further detailed information can be found in this separate article: Warzone brings with CoD Vanguard finally what everyone wants – Anti-Cheat & new map
CoD Vanguard – What We Know About Zombies
First Zombies Crossover: CoD Vanguard will also offer a Zombies experience. Within the popular mode, the prologue to the Zombies story in Black Ops Cold War will be told.
The cool thing is: Treyarch, essentially the “fathers” of the Zombie mode, are leading the development of the crossover and are helping to link Vanguard’s undead story with that of Cold War.
- A continuous, cohesive story is supposed to emerge – but there will also be a brand-new zombie experience with innovative developments in core gameplay
- Traditionally, in Vanguard Zombies, it will also be about surviving an relentless assault of the undead.
What do you think of the new Call of Duty 2021 so far? Are you interested in Vanguard or does a setting in World War II not appeal to you? Or are you only interested in the battle royale Warzone? Let us and other readers at MeinMMO know in the comments.
