Call of Duty this year is reportedly returning to WW2 with the name 'Vanguard'

Call of Duty: WWII
Call of Duty: WWII (Image credit: Activision)

What you need to know

  • Call of Duty releases a new game every single, and 2021 will be no different.
  • According to a new report, 2021's Call of Duty may return the series to WW2 yet again.
  • Not all the details are confirmed, but it may be set in an alternative timeline where WW2 didn't end in 1945.
  • The subtitle 'Vanguard,' has also been confirmed, but not many other details are currently known.

Few things are as consistent as the Call of Duty franchise, which introduces a new entry in the series every single year. Last year brought us Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, a mildly disappointing entry due to its lackluster technical performance in multiplayer and zombies. This year, Activision is reportedly returning the Call of Duty franchise to WW2 again, according to Eurogamer.

It hasn't been that long since Call of Duty took place in that time period, with Call of Duty: WWII being generally well-liked at the time. This time around, we don't have a ton of details about how this foray into WW2 will differ. There have been reports that this Call of Duty will explore an alternate timeline where WW2 did not end in 1945 and instead continued into the 1950s, but Eurogamer disputes this leak and reports that this year's Call of Duty will have a traditional WW2 setting.

Eurogamer reports that the subtitle for the game may be "Vanguard," but the full title hasn't been solidified yet. All that we know for certain is that Activision is looking to release this Call of Duty in late 2021, as per usual. Sledgehammer, the developer that handled the last WW2-themed Call of Duty, is reportedly the lead studio working on this year's Call of Duty.

While Call of Duty continues to rely on yearly releases, Call of Duty: Warzone (a free-to-play battle royale) has undoubtedly shifted Activision's focus for Call of Duty in the last few years. It's unclear how or even if the next Call of Duty will integrate into Call of Duty: Warzone like Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War did, but the chances are high that it will in some way.

At the end of the day, these are all leaks, and we'll have to wait for Activision to confirm the next Call of Duty game. Whatever it ends up being, it's almost certain it'll make its way onto our list of best shooter games for Xbox.

Zachary Boddy
Staff Writer

Zachary Boddy (They / Them) is a Staff Writer for Windows Central, primarily focused on covering the latest news in tech and gaming, the best Xbox and PC games, and the most interesting Windows and Xbox hardware. They have been gaming and writing for most of their life starting with the original Xbox, and started out as a freelancer for Windows Central and its sister sites in 2019. Now a full-fledged Staff Writer, Zachary has expanded from only writing about all things Minecraft to covering practically everything on which Windows Central is an expert, especially when it comes to Microsoft. You can find Zachary on Twitter @BoddyZachary.