Call of Duty: Vanguard is a 2021 first-person shooter video game developed by Sledgehammer Games and published by Activision.[3][4] It is scheduled to be released worldwide on November 5, 2021, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X and S.[5] It serves as the eighteenth installment in the overall Call of Duty series. The game establishes a storyline featuring the birth of the special forces to face an emerging threat at the end of the war during various theatres of World War II across the globe
Campaign
According to the first revealed single-player campaign gameplay footage “Stalingrad Summer” captured in-engine, Vanguard will feature similar gameplay mechanics previously introduced in Modern Warfare, such as the player being able to mount wielded weapons to flat surfaces, interact with doors and execute takedowns. New gameplay features allow the player the ability to use a more advanced strategic approach in combat such as blind firing from behind cover, breaking through destructible environmental elements or creating new paths to complete objectives by climbing walls.[9][10]
Multiplayer
Vanguard’s multiplayer mode is slated to launch with 20 total maps, 16 of which are featured for core game modes, while the other 4 are for a brand new game mode titled “Champion Hill”, stated to be the next iteration of Gunfight, a 2v2 arena mode previously featured in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. The main goal of Champion Hill is, whether you play Solos (1v1), Duos (2v2) or Trios (3v3), is to survive as long as it takes to be the last man standing in a squad-based deathmatch, round-robin tournament where players combine strategy and tactics in a close-quarter, fast-paced gunplay. All eight squads share a pool of 12 lives (or 18 in Trios) between squadmates one by one, while simultaneously battling with each other across 4 uniquely staged maps specifically designed for this game mode. Once the lives are expended, the game is over and the last squad with remaining lives wins the tournament. Although every player starts with the same loadout and equipment, Buy Rounds “make the combat preparation more exciting” as during these rounds, in order to accommodate different playstyles, players can purchase more effective weapons, lethal, tactical gear and also perks with the available in-game currency acquired throughout the matches.[11][12]
For the first time in Call of Duty franchise, a new feature is introduced to Vanguard’s multiplayer matchmaking, called “Combat Pacing”, which allows the player to have more control over the intensity and density of core multiplayer game modes. Players can choose from three pre-defined pacing filters (Tactical, Assault and Blitz) favouring different playstyles in order to uniquely tailor the multiplayer gameplay experience. These preferences can also be mixed by selecting the “All” pacing option in the Quick Play menu. “Tactical” pacing offers a classic Call of Duty experience with traditional combat timing in a 6v6 lobby. “Assault” pacing on the other hand increases the lobby to 10v10 or 12v12 with a balanced, more action-packed combat throughout the maps. Lastly, the “Blitz” pacing offers the most intense, 24v24 player count, high-action lobbies with similar combat experience like Modern Warfare’s Ground War mode. Every combat pacing variations can be played on each of Vanguard’s multiplayer maps.[13]
Zombies
The cooperative Zombies mode returns in Vanguard, developed by Treyarch in collaboration with Sledgehammer Games. The mode is considered an expansion of the Dark Aether story, and acts as a prologue to Black Ops Cold War’s story.[17] At launch, the game features a new gamemode titled “Der Anfang”, which combines aspects of traditional round-based gameplay with the more recent objective-based gameplay of Outbreak and Onslaught, both new gamemodes introduced in Cold War. Gameplay elements from Cold War return in Vanguard, such as Essence and Salvage as currencies, and Dark Aether-powered field upgrades, in addition to classic Zombies gameplay items like perks, the Pack-a-Punch machine, and wonder weapons. A new gameplay feature, the Altar of Covenants, grants players randomized buffs in every match, allowing unique combat situations.