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Everything we know about Call of Duty Season 5’s midseason update

eternalrhage@gmail.com (Cole Martin) — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 21:22:38 +0000

Call of Duty: Vanguard and Warzone Pacific are halfway through their final season, and it is time for one last midseason update before the sun sets over Caldera. With the impending launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022) on the horizon players of Call of Duty: Vanguard will no longer receive post launch content for the game as battle passes and new seasons pick up for Modern Warfare 2 in November. Warzone Pacific will retire the current name, as well, and become known as Call of Duty: Warzone Legacy once Warzone 2.0 officially releases as part of Modern Warfare 2’s Season 1 content.

But for now, both games still have a few more weeks of life left in them, and a few changes players can look forward to as it all comes to an end. Season 5’s midseason update will go live on both Call of Duty: Vanguard and Call of Duty: Warzone on September 28.

Call of Duty: Vanguard — Multiplayer changes

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Vanguard’s Multiplayer fans can look forward to one last map making its way into the rotation. Fight it out in a post-apocalyptic Mediterranean fortress that is being held together by old ship parts and crumbling walls. The decrepit battlefield features an abandoned graveyard as well as a central Chapel which provides long sight lines covering the entire map for those looking for an adequate sniper’s nest. More close-quarters combat can be expected around the upper Market or Scrapyard. Fortress is a versatile map that works well with nearly any loadout, making it an ideal place to try on the two new weapons coming to Season 5, the Lienna 57 LMG and the BP50 Assault Rifle.

The Lienna 57 is a compact LMG designed for high accuracy at sustained fire during midrange gunplay and favoring stability over speed. However, leveling the Lienna 57 allows for more attachments that can convert the LMG into a more suitable weapon for midrange play or a deadly accurate powerhouse at long range.

The BP50 is a fully automatic bullpup assault rifle that achieves a high fire rate without having to sacrifice accuracy at long ranges. However, the rifle is notoriously ammo-hungry, and players may want to pair it with Scavenger to keep the clip from running dry.

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In addition to Fortress and two new weapons, a few more Operator Bundles will be making their way to the franchise store for use in both Vanguard and Warzone. To continue with the villainous theme of Season 5, antagonists from Call of Duty: Ghosts and Call of Duty: Black Ops III — Gabriel Rorke and He “Seraph” Zhen-Zhen, respectively — will be joining the operator roster to finish out Task Force Tyrants. Both will be available in their respective bundles at the launch of the midseason update.

To flesh out the available Four Horsemen-themed bundles, the Tracer Pack: Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Pestilence Ultra Skin Bundle will be making its way to the store with two legendary weapon blueprints, including green phlegm tracers, legendary charms, a calling card, and more. Purchasing any of the Four Horsemen bundles before October 26 will unlock additional rewards, including four legendary calling cards, emblems, and the “Red Steed” legendary charm.

These items will be rewarded in late October, just as everybody’s jumping ship to Modern Warfare 2 on October 28. No bundles currently offered for Vanguard or Warzone will transfer to Modern Warfare 2 or Warzone 2.0 once they launch.

Call of Duty: Warzone — Resurgence Supreme

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Next to nothing is changing for Call of Duty: Warzone as the game slowly fades into its upcoming Legacy status. It seems as though the Heroes vs. Villains event that finished at the beginning of Season 5 remains the actual Last Stand, as there will not be a specific event for the midseason update. Players can expect a new limited-time mode with Rebirth Island: Resurgence Supreme, however.

Resurgence Supreme hopes to draw the focus away from loadouts by filling the map with epic quality or higher loot, including popular weapon blueprints. Health points will see an increase, and extraneous items removed. The countdown for Resurgence has also been increased; however, the value of carrying out actions like opening supply boxes or killing enemies has been doubled for balance. Players who win a match with at least 15 eliminations will earn the “Resurgence Trials Victory” calling card.

Call of Duty: Warzone playlists have been rotating daily since the start of Last Stand, and players can expect the playlist rotations to continue as all of the classic fan favorite modes including Clash, Rebirth Blood Money, Golden Plunder, and more show up for encores.

Call of Duty Warzone Points

Top off your COD point total before the sun sets on Warzone Legacy. Scoop up the last battle pass or add one of the final operator bundles to your armory to go out with a bang.

Available from: Xbox | Battle.net | Amazon

Call of Duty Season 5: Last Stand — Everything you need to know about the new maps, modes, and Operators

eternalrhage@gmail.com (Cole Martin) — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 22:00:00 +0000

Following the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) and the introduction of Warzone in the spring of 2020, post-launch support for Call of Duty has looked different than what many people may remember. No longer does the franchise release DLC map packs as they did during the Xbox 360 and early days of the Xbox One. Instead, Activision and the developers behind the FPS have adopted a seasonal battle pass system and introduced microtransactions for Operator bundles and customization items as a revenue stream while additional weapons and maps are touted as free content drops.

Players who picked up Modern Warfare (2019) and Black Ops Cold War (2020) saw both games supported for an entire year post launch, with Black Ops Cold War receiving six seasons of content and even some additional maps and Zombies support beyond that. However, it appears Call of Duty: Vanguard — which has suffered from poor sales and general disinterest by the player base — will not enjoy that longevity as Season 5: Last Stand will serve as the final content drop ahead of the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 in October.

Call of Duty Season 5: Last Stand — Release date

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Call of Duty: Vanguard players will be able to download the update for Season 5: Last Stand beginning at 9 a.m. PT on Aug. 23. Call of Duty: Warzone players will be able to download the update at 9 a.m. PT on Aug. 24. Following the roll out of the updates to their respective platforms, Season 5: Last Stand content for both platforms will go live on Aug. 24.

Call of Duty Season 5: Last Stand — Vanguard multiplayer

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As with previous seasons, Season 5 will add two new maps to Call of Duty: Vanguard’s multiplayer rotation. The first map, Beheaded, will pit players against one another in a small section of a war-torn Times Square. This small map, built around fast paced and close-quarters combat, has players battling it out in the glow of neon lights surrounded by recognizable establishments from New York including the fallen head of the Statue of Liberty.

As part of the mid-season update expected at a later date, a second map titled Fortress will make its way to Vanguard. Fortress is a medium-sized map with close-quarters-focused interior zones and rooftop access alongside a maritime graveyard. The fortress incorporates an old ship into its own design, opening the battlefield up to a variety of playstyles and combat scenarios.

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Five new weapons will be making their way to the gunsmith over the course of Season 5 beginning with the EX1 and RA 225 at launch. The EX1 is a prototype of an energy rifle because it appears that Sledgehammer, themselves, have forgotten that Vanguard is set during World War II. The EX1 eschews traditional bullets for a battery system that is extremely customizable and effective at long range. While the EX1 does not run out of ammo in the traditional sense, the player can exhaust its battery and kick off a cool down period and battery reload sequence that can be time consuming and dangerous in the heat of battle. Gunsmith customization like the Heat Muzzle, Burst Barrel, or Charge Sniper Barrel give players control over charge capacity and playstyle.

The RA 225 will also be joining the armory at the launch of Season 5. A small, lightweight SMG with a high rate of fire and even higher recoil, the RA 225 offers quick handling and is guaranteed to overpower an enemy in close or midrange battles. Like all other weapons there are customizable attachments available in Gunsmith to adjust the SMG’s power, handling, and accuracy.

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Players will be able to get their hands on a third weapon during the launch window, as well, though it will not be immediately available. The Valois Revolver is a combination knife and revolver, giving players the opportunity to take out a combatant with a single hit melee while also having six rounds in the chamber with which they can finish off a previously wounded enemy with ease. Players will need to complete one of two challenges to unlock the Valois Revolver or purchase a bundle that includes it from the franchise store. In multiplayer, the challenge is to simply acquire 15 melee eliminations. Zombies players will need to work a little harder for that unlock, however, by getting 1,000 eliminations using a pistol that has been pack-a-punched.

The BP50 and the Lienna 57 assault rifles will round out the new weapon lineup for Season 5 with both being launched later as part of the midseason update.

Fans of Ranked Play will also be receiving a new season which will feature 4v4 matches that use the same settings, map limitations, and modes as the 2022 Call of Duty League. Exclusive camos, charms, emblems, and weapon blueprints can be unlocked by players who best their foes and secure top placements and wins during the new season. All players’ skill ratings and divisions will refresh for Last Stand. A new Top 250 Skill Division and Leadboard will also be launching on Aug. 31.

Call of Duty Season 5: Last Stand — New Operator bundles

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Call of Duty has a long history of infamously cruel antagonists, and now players can jump into Call of Duty: Vanguard or Warzone as four of the franchise’s big bads. Special Operations Task Force Tyrants consists of Raul Menendez, Khaled Al-Asad, Gabriel T. Rorke, and He “Seraph” Zhen-Zhen.

Fans of Call of Duty: Black Ops II will remember Nicaraguan-born Raul Menendez as the leader of the Menendez Cartel, which he took control of following the assassination of his father by the CIA. A charismatic but hostile political activist, Menendez became the leader of a social movement, Cordis Die, which he then drove to terrorism following the death of his sister. During the events of Black Ops II, Menendez orchestrated a terror attack on major cities across the U.S. and China using automated drones.

Reigning terror on the battlefield along Raul Menendez at launch will be Khaled Al-Asad, a native of Urzikstan and part of the Al-Qatala terrorist group. Following the death of Al-Qatala’s leader during the events of Modern Warfare (2019), Al-Asad took control of the organization and turned militants into an army with which he invaded Verdansk while launching a gas attack. Al-Asad is the second of Modern Warfare’s “Four Horsemen,” paling only in comparison to Vladimir Makarov, whom players are anticipating will be in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 this fall.

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Later, with the mid-season update, two more memorable villains will join Task Force Tyrants. Gabriel Rorke, a Marine captain, famously killed the leader of the Federation in Call of Duty: Ghosts before being left behind by his squad during extraction. After being captured by the remains of the Federation and brainwashed, he betrayed the team of Ghosts that he once led and paved the way for the Federation to occupy the United States. Task Force Tyrants will be wrapped up with the release of Seraph, the daughter of a high-ranking officer for the 54 Immortals who was raised in the Singapore Quarantine Zone and first appeared in Call of Duty: Black Ops III. Seraph is a brutal enforcer for the 54 Immortals, quieting dissent within the ranks. Her dedication is so deeply ingrained in her that she voluntarily had one of her arms removed to receive a cybernetic limb in its place.

All Operators from Special Operations Task Force Tyrants will be playable in both Call of Duty: Vanguard and Call of Duty: Warzone.

Call of Duty Season 5: Last Stand — Warzone

(Image credit: Activision)

The legendary villains of Special Operations Task Force Tyrants want to see Caldera come to an end, and it is up to the players to decide whether they will help the antagonists or try to save the Pacific Island from certain destruction. Thanks to support from Beenox, the giant volcano point of interest at the heart of Caldera has seen high volcanic activity, and players can expect a major geological event to occur at Peak when Season 5 launches. Following this event Peak will be dramatically changed, and lava will begin running down the mountainside in all modes. The storm that has been haunting the island has come to pass, but the sun will struggle to shine through the smoke and volcanic ash. The gulag will also undergo changes as it gets a new volcano-inspired theme.

New items will also be available as loot across the island. A new Doomsday Station can be found in the primary Battle Royale mode on Caldera that will call in enemy helicopters to deploy enemy AI that will attack your position. Defend the station and yourself to receive powerful loot as well as a unique Watch cosmetic. Only one station will be available on the map per match, and players must pay $10,000 to activate it.

If looting with less effort is more your forte, the new Supply Box UAV killstreak may come in handy for you. Activating the Supply Box UAV killstreak assists players in finding more items by marking unopened supply boxes on the tac map for 15 seconds. It will be available in buy stations and as loot from supply boxes. On extremely rare occasions, players may be able to track down the Personal Supply Box, which will include their favorite loadout weapons and a huge XP boost for the player’s squad.

Lastly, a new field upgrade known as Rage Serum has found its way to the island thanks to Raul Menendez’s forces discovering a new mineral on Caldera. Rage Serum will allow players to become violently unstable which leads to enhanced melee damage, increased lunge distance, and enhanced stun power while fighting with melee weapons or fists. Operators who have ingested rage serum can be countered with stuns or flashes, and they are much louder than their counterparts. Small crates of Rage Serum can be found around the island, and the upgrade was developed with support from Toys for Bob.

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Warzone fans will get to try out all of these new mechanics in a limited-time mode that will be available at launch called Operation: Last Call. Inspired by Search and Destroy, players will have the option to choose where they want to defend Caldera by defusing bombs or detonate said bombs in order to sabotage the pacific island. There are two different outcomes for players to witness at the end of a match, depending upon their efforts, performance, and how much chaos they create during the fight. During Operation: Last Call players will need to be mindful of the lava rocks spewing from Peak. A volcano meter will be added to the HUD to track current volcanic activity and increasing smoke in the atmosphere helps set the scene.

In addition to the new mode, a limited-time Heroes vs. Villains community event will be coming to Warzone, as well. Players will be tasked with choosing their side and then collecting Villain or Hero tokens in all game modes by eliminating opponents and scavenging supply boxes. As a reward the tokens provide a discount for Faction Bundles at the buy stations. Purchasing a faction bundle then provides further discounts on one item across all other stations. Following the event, the winning team’s weapon blueprint will be distributed to all players. Additional exclusive rewards like animated calling cards, weapon charms, melee weapon blueprints, and custom watches can also be unlocked during the event. The midseason update for Season 5 will bring additional modes and challenges to Caldera and Rebirth Island at a later date.

Call of Duty Season 5: Last Stand — Zombies

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Season 5 will bring with it the thrilling conclusion for Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Zombies mode in “The Archon.” Developed by Treyarch Studios, Vanguard’s Zombies mode has had a tumultuous development cycle with players lamenting the loss of round-based gameplay when the game initially launched. Treyarch Studios hunkered down and went radio silent for a spell, even going so far as to skip releasing any new Zombies content during previous seasons. With Season 4, however, a fully rebuilt round-based Zombies experience set on a remastered Shi No Numa from World at War finally made its way into the wild.

Treyarch’s efforts to right the wrongs for Vanguard’s Zombies continues with Season 5, as they take the feedback received following the launch of Terra Maledicta to return players to the sands of Egypt but with new round-based gameplay in mind. Following the completion and release of the remastered Shi No Numa experience, Treyarch’s teams were head down reworking Terra Maledicta as part of “The Archon” conclusion, complete with a new visual style, new Dark Aether intel, and new secrets. A new Main Quest will go live on Aug. 24 at 9 a.m. PT, and players can expect to be tasked with completing new challenges including the Trials of Sacrifice, Resilience, and Mindfulness before they can complete the mission to stop Von List.

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Players will also find themselves able to wield three different Wonder Weapons in Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Zombies mode all on the same map for the first time. The Ray Gun, Wunderwaffe DG-2, and Decimator Shield will all be available as part of Season 5: Last Stand. Twenty new season challenges will also be available to help players earn bonus XP and unlock calling card rewards, as well as new camo challenges for Season 5’s newest weapons.

With The Archon serving as the end to Vanguard’s Zombies storyline, the team at Treyarch are expected to go radio silent once more as they retreat to work on upcoming Call of Duty content for future titles.

Call of Duty: Warzone Points

Don't miss out on the premium cosmetics or new battle pass coming during Season 5. Top off your COD Points total to get the most out of the finale.

Buy from: Xbox | Battle.net | Amazon

Activision Blizzard Q2 earnings fall due to Call of Duty decline

samuelwtolbert@gmail.com (Samuel Tolbert) — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 21:05:08 +0000

What you need to know

Activision Blizzard reported its Q2 2022 earnings for the quarter ending June 30, 2022.
At $1.64 billion, revenue for the quarter dropped year-over-year.
This drop was primarily due to lower engagement with Call of Duty.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is slated to launch on Oct. 28, 2022.

Call of Duty is still a juggernaut, but performance from the latest game is significantly lower than in 2021.

Activision Blizzard shared its financial results for Q2 2022, which details revenue for the quarter ending June 30, 2022. The company saw $1.64 billion in revenue for the quarter, down year-over-year from $2.29 billion in Q2 2021. This drop is primarily attributed to lower engagement with the Call of Duty franchise, which was even seen back in the company's Q4 2021 financials.

Sales of the 2021 title Call of Duty: Vanguard have been softer than sales of other Call of Duty games across the last couple of years, especially the 2019 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, which is the best-selling Call of Duty game of all time, reaching over 30 million copies sold in its first year.

Looking ahead, Activision Blizzard is planning to launch Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 on Oct. 28, 2022. It'll be accompanied by Call of Duty: Warzone 2. There are also multiple upcoming games from Blizzard Entertainment, with Overwatch 2 launching on Oct. 2, 2022 as a free-to-play game, and action-RPG Diablo 4 slated to release at some point in the first half of 2023.

Activision Blizzard is also expanding heavily, claiming that its workforce has expanded 25% year-over-year. The company also recently acquired Proletariat, a studio in Boston that will be integrated into Blizzard Entertainment to support the upcoming World of Warcraft: Dragonflight expansion, which is currently scheduled to arrive at some point before the end of the year.

Activision Blizzard is currently in the process of being acquired by Microsoft for almost $69 billion. The deal is currently undergoing regulatory review and is slated to finalize before June 30, 2023.

Call of Duty Season 4 midseason update: Terminator deploys, new Cursed Ground event, Desolation map, and more

eternalrhage@gmail.com (Cole Martin) — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 11:00:35 +0000

It has become a tradition for each new season of Call of Duty to get a midseason update that refreshes the game with new content for those still grinding out their battle pass levels.

Occasionally, these refreshes come with exciting events that change the landscape of Warzone, much like Season 3’s Operation Monarch, which brought Godzilla and Kong to the Pacific island of Caldera. The planned event for Season 4’s Mercenaries of Fortune storyline seems to be more subdued, however.

Players of Call of Duty: Warzone will notice the most changes during the midseason refresh, with a new Cursed Ground event taking place alongside a host of new items that can change the tide of the battle. Call of Duty: Vanguard fans aren’t left out in the cold, as they will also notice playlist changes, new weapons, and a whole new multiplayer map. And for those who have yet to get their fill of crossover characters, there will be two new operator bundles joining the store that will bring the T-800 and T-1000 terminators to both Warzone and Vanguard.

Call of Duty Season 4 update — Release date and time

(Image credit: Activision)

As is customary, Call of Duty: Vanguard players will receive the midseason update first on July 26 at 9 a.m. PT. Call of Duty: Warzone Pacific players will receive the update on July 27 at 9 a.m. PT. Once the update is deployed for Warzone Pacific, players on both platforms will receive new playlists and a new assault rifle to unlock. While the Terminator operator bundles are expected as part of the midseason refresh, they will not be available until a later date.

Call of Duty: Vanguard — Multiplayer changes

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The most notable change to Call of Duty: Vanguard will be the addition of Desolation to map rotation. The new medium-sized multiplayer map features the flaming remains of a crashed airplane on a cliff along with a maze-like village carved out of the nearby mountainside. A series of shanties and tight alleyways provide close-quarters combat scenarios on the ground, while rooftops and walkways provide more opportunities for longer ranged combat. At the center of the map is an era-appropriate listening center, which is certain to be the heart of the battle zone.

Weapon-wise, the new Vargo-S assault rifle will show up on the battlefield. This aggressive AR with a high fire rate may seem underpowered compared to its counterparts, but a good Gunsmithing configuration can go a long way toward customizing it to your playstyle. Attachments that improve handling and recoil can improve the Vargo-S for quick, SMG-like midrange play, while a scope and stability can help this little AR go the distance. The Vargo-S can be unlocked for free via in-game challenges or by purchasing one of the gun’s weapon blueprints.

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The Vargo-S will serve as the favorite weapon for the third and final operator for Task Force Immortals, Ikenna Olowe. He joined the war effort as a battlefield engineer from Nigeria, where he excelled at chess and mastered strategy and Gidigbo, "a martial battle of wits." Players who purchase the Ikenna Olowe operator bundle from the store and use the Vargo-S with the Operator equipped will receive a bonus Operator and Weapon XP.

Ikenna Olowe is not the only new operator to be hitting the store. Both the T-800 and T-1000 Terminators based on the 1991 action film, Terminator 2: Judgment Day will be joining the fight in two limited-time bundles that will be available throughout the month of August.

The Tracer Pack: Terminator T-800 Mastercraft Ultra Operator Bundle will feature 10 items, including the ultra-rare “Model T-800” Operator. The T-800 will have its own finishing move, play of the game, and MVP highlight reels only available with Call of Duty: Vanguard. It will also include the Neural Net Processor ultra assault rifle weapon blueprint, the Coltan Alloy and Motorhead legendary blueprints, a charm, animated emblem, and infrared optics reticle, which will be available to use in both Vanguard and Warzone.

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In opposition to the T-800, the Tracer Pack: Terminator T-1000 Ultra Operator Bundle will also include 10 items. Like the T-800 bundle, the T-1000 bundle will include a finishing move, play of the game, and MVP highlight reel only usable in Call of Duty: Vanguard. The included Liquid Metal SMG, Persistent Mission assault rifle, and Identity Theft LMG blueprints, as well as the Alternative Future watch, animated emblem, and calling card will all be available for use in both Vanguard and Warzone Pacific.

Call of Duty: Vanguard Multiplayer Free Access Week

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If you haven't yet had the opportunity to try out Call of Duty: Vanguard's multiplayer and newly revamped Zombies modes, you can do so for free starting July 20 at 10 a.m. PT until July 26 at 8 a.m. PT. During the free trial week, all of Vanguard's multiplayer maps and playlists are free, including the brand-new USS Texas 1945 map and Blueprint Gun Game mode.

The limited-time free access week also allows players to check out the newly reimagined Shi No Numa Zombies map, a reimagining of the ground-based zombies experience created and popularized in Call of Duty: World at War.

Vanguard's Free Access Week is available on all platforms.

Call of Duty: Warzone — Zombie takeover

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Season 4 of Call of Duty: Warzone, the popular free-to-play battle royale title, brought with it a new resurgence map titled Fortune’s Keep, the first to be introduced since the original Rebirth Island was added with the mode. Players quickly discovered an easter egg on Fortune’s Keep where lighting candles in the Graveyard, followed by paying respects at a creepy-looking gravesite, would spawn a zombie into the match. It didn’t take long for players to break the easter egg and discover a glitch that allowed the map to be flooded with zombies.

While it seems the glitch has been patched, the upheaval has led to a limited-time Cursed Ground event for Call of Duty: Warzone. Fortune’s Keep has been stocked with a supply cache of cursed chests that players can discover for high-value loot and power-ups, but only if they can survive the horde of zombies unleashed once the chest is opened. Zombies will continue to spawn in the vicinity of the cursed chests, releasing wisps as players eliminate them.

Collect enough wisps during the time limit to be rewarded with cash, killstreaks, equipment, and even perk tokens, but don’t lose sight of the circle or potential enemies looking to cash in on your efforts.

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Fortune’s Keep is not the only map to be overrun by the undead. Rebirth Island will also be getting a reimagined event of Beenox’s Zombie Royale called Rebirth of the Dead. Ten four-player squads will deploy onto Rebirth and battle it out with both living and undead Operators. Players who are eliminated return as zombies who can eliminate remaining humans, although they can also revive as an Operator by locating four antivirals. These can be found in crates and at Buy Stations. Eliminating an Operator will provide two.

Zombies are now powered with a special edition finishing move, and pulling it off successfully on an unsuspecting Operator will net instant revival and the animated Head Scratcher calling card. Unlike regular royale and resurgence modes, players may want to stick around and spectate once eliminated. Rebirth of the Dead will feature an infection meter that gradually fills up during a match. Once the infection meter is full, those still spectating will return to the match for one last ditch attempt at victory.

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The Cursed Ground and Rebirth of the Dead events are sure to draw in hardcore Zombies fans to Warzone, and now with the midseason update, those players will also be able to show off their Zombie prowess via their weapon camos. Those who have unlocked camos in Vanguard Zombies, including the Golden Viper, Plague Diamond, and Dark Aether sets, can now use them on Vanguard’s weapons in Warzone.

If you prefer crossover events to Zombies, a new Iron Trials-inspired mode will be coming to Caldera to celebrate the launch of the aforementioned Terminator Operator bundles. The Titanium Trials: Endurance event will see players base armor threshold increased to 300 HP to simulate the toughness of a Terminator model. The Tempered perk, which allows players to reach full armor status with only two shields instead of three, will appear more frequently as ground loot. Each player will begin with a Self-Revive Kit, and core health regeneration will take longer to restore. This results in a high skilled, high-time-to-kill limited game mode.

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To compensate for this new balance, Titanium Trials will feature an all-new custom-built loot table with exceedingly rare Redacted Weapons that are more powerful than Loadout Weapons. There will also be fewer resources on the map as a whole to reward more aggressive players. Loadout costs will begin at a higher price point than in a standard match and will gradually decrease throughout the battle.

Titanium Trials: Endurance will go live on August 11 and will only be available for two weeks. Eight event-related challenges will be available to unlock during this time and will reward players with double XP tokens, the Titanium Chrome and Liquid Chrome weapon camos, battle pass tier skips, and Terminator 2: Judgment Day-themed calling cards. Additional secret rewards may also be available for dedicated players.

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Players who tend to overstay their welcome and get too close to the collapsing circle on Caldera may find the new portable redeploy balloons useful. Redeploy balloons are a vital means of navigating Warzone’s largest map, and now, players can pick up portable versions that allow them to deploy a balloon anywhere with a clear sky above.

The balloons remain inflated for 30 seconds and can offer a quick escape route in a stressful situation, but they can be accessed by anybody who comes across them while inflated, which means a safe escape is still not a guarantee. Additionally, enemies can destroy portable redeploy balloons, and only have half as much health as a standard balloon. Portable balloons are also limited in height, although their portability and ease of deployment make up for the shortcoming.

Not to be outdone in mobility, players can also now make use of the nitrous boost in the four-person armored SUVs to help escape a tight situation or quickly mow down unsuspecting enemies.

Call of Duty Season 4: Mercenaries of Fortune brings big changes to Warzone and Vanguard

eternalrhage@gmail.com (Cole Martin) — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 20:07:30 +0000

Call of Duty Season 3: Classified Arms brought interesting changes to Call of Duty: Vanguard and Warzone Pacific with the inclusion of new field upgrades, weapons, and of course the Operation Monarch event that brought Kong and Godzilla onto the battlefield. There was even an opportunity for players to run for charity through the Call of Duty Endowment’s Veteruns event. All good things must come to an end, however, and as the sun sets on Season 3 there’s still plenty more for players to look forward to before the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 this fall.

Now it’s time for Season 4 to shine, however, and all that glitters may actually be gold as we see the Tier 1 Operators of Vanguard dissolve their loyalties in a bid to get rich quick. The Mercenaries of Fortune event is a massive update for the popular first-person shooter franchise.

Call of Duty Season 4: Mercenaries of Fortune release date

Both Vanguard and Warzone players can expect to see Mercenaries of Fortune content go live in their games on June 22. Vanguard players will receive the update first on June 21 at 9 a.m. PT with Warzone players receiving the update on June 22 at 9 a.m. PT at which time the content will be unlocked for both platforms.

Call of Duty: Vanguard Season 4 — Multiplayer gets new maps, modes, and operators

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Vanguard’s Multiplayer fans will get two new free maps as part of the Mercenaries of Fortune season. USS Texas 1945, a reimagining of the U.S.S. Texas map from Call of Duty: WWII, will be available at launch and will challenge Operators to fight it out on a battleship just off the coast of Caldera. The map is well suited for long-range engagements on starboard and close-quarters combat amidst the interior cabins.

When the midseason refresh hits, players will get a second map, Desolation. This small- to medium-sized map is set in a dense village in the Pacific surrounded by large mountains. A central build surrounded by creekside fortifications will offer a variety of combat engagements.

Four new weapons are coming to multiplayer and Warzone alike. At launch, players can unlock the Marco 5, a high-mobility SMG that has high hip-fire accuracy and close-range stopping power. These are ideal for run-and-gun players who will be rushing into close quarters combat with the enemy. The Marco 5 does have noticeable recoil and severe damage fall off at longer distances, so keep this little guy close to your hip. Better yet, keep two as the Marco 5 is the first Vanguard weapon to feature the Akimbo proficiency.

(Image credit: Activision)

If you prefer suppressive fire, the UGM-8 is a highly mobile LMG with an equally high fire rate that can lay down serious suppressive fire against your foes. The UGM-8 is ammo hungry, so it is best paired with Fully Loaded or Scavenger to prevent the well from going dry in the middle of a fight. The UGM-8 will be available at the launch of Season 4. Later in the season, the Vargo-S assault rifle will join the armory. The Vargo is a versatile workhorse AR with a high-fire rate, steady aim and quick reload even before it has been kitted out. Players can also expect to see the Push Dagger on the battlefield, a stealthy new melee tool with a T-shaped grip that allows for increased push power.

The blueprints for these new weapons just may show up in Blueprint Gun Game, which will be making its Vanguard debut during Season 4. The first operator to progress through all 18 diverse weapons gets to claim victory. Eliminating an enemy cycles the player to the next weapon, while melee kills setback other players without advancing the aggressor. The final elimination requires taking out another player with a throwing knife for the win. There’s no perks, killstreaks, or custom loadouts allowed.

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Of course, you can’t have a new season of content without new operators. Special Operations Task Force Immortal joins the lineup of playable Operators, with the legendary quartermaster Captain Butcher at the helm. Captain Butcher is the founder and recruiter for the Special Operation Task Force. Later in the season, Callum Hendry and Ikenna Olowe will be available to purchase in their respective Operator bundles.

Call of Duty: Vanguard Season 4 — Zombies gets Shi No Numa remake

(Image credit: Activision)

After going radio silent during Season 3, Treyarch Studios has returned with the long-anticipated zombies update for Call of Duty: Vanguard. Round-based zombies are long overdue, but the wait may have been worth it as the classic Shi No Numa map from World at War returns. Players can conquer the “Swamp of Death” in classic round-based Zombies game play with a new main and side quests, a new Wonder Weapon quest, and fresh intel.

Shi No Numa will bring with it a new zipline system to fast travel around the map, while classic traps like the flogger and electro-shock will return for players to gain a tactical advantage over the dead. The map will tie in features from Vanguard’s standard zombies modes like exchanging sacrificial hearts at the Altar of Covenants and the Tome of Rituals to keep things fresh.

Call of Duty: Warzone Pacific — New Fortune’s Keep map comes to play

(Image credit: Activision)

When it was originally unveiled, we anticipated that Fortune’s Keep would be a replacement map for Rebirth Island. It appears, however, that Raven Software and the additional support studios currently working on Warzone have learned their lesson about permanently removing maps following the destruction of Verdansk as Fortune’s Keep will simply be joining the weekly playlist rotation alongside Rebirth Island and Caldera instead of replacing either of them. Rebirth Island will temporarily be unavailable following the update, but players are advised to keep an eye on the weekly playlist updates for details on when it will return in rotation.

Fortune’s Keep is centered around a luxurious town, featuring a mercenary hideout built on the pinnacle. The map will be roughly the same size as Rebirth Island with four points of interest for players to actively fight for control of. One POI, Town, is inspired by colorful Mediterranean villages and features charming cobblestone alleyways and flat rooftops to give Operators those long sight lines they crave. The town’s center is built around an old fortress, which is sure to provide a hot spot as players battle for the control of the bell tower.

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If the town is too hot, players can cool off in the waters surrounding Smuggler’s Cove, an abandoned shanty town loaded with supplies and loot possibly left behind by pirates long gone. This area offers twisting grottos and sea caves for those who crave close-quarters combat while a lighthouse provides a lookout or sniper’s nest. In addition to the cove, the Winery is a point of interest that harkens to classic multiplayer three-lane map layouts while providing cover and plenty of looting opportunities. An underground cellar is loaded with supplies, while a nearby camp offers a helipad and military tents.

The island’s namesake is the fourth point of interest for players. A massive medieval fortress has been converted to a headquarters for mercenaries with multiple watchtowers that allows those in control of the Keep to defend it. However, cleverly placed redeploy balloons can allow operators to fly over the walls, and of course there’s a tunnel system on the island for subterranean infiltration.

Fortune’s Keep, developed for Warzone by High Moon Studios, will serve as a map rotation for the popular Resurgence Mode and will receive a new contract before other modes and maps as well as a cash extraction event. The new Black Market Run contract is similar to the current Supply Run contracts, but will give players an opportunity to purchase off-market loot by reaching a dedicated Black Market Buy Station. This includes items like the Sequencer Grenade, Nebula V minigun, Foresight, a Specialist Bonus, or classified weapons.

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During Resurgence matches, mercenaries who are straggling will be given the opportunity to airlift their cash off of Fortune’s Keep; however it is possible for other operators to ambush these players. A flare signal will mark potential extractions, and should you take out the team before their loot leaves the air you can take it for yourself.

Fortune’s Keep isn’t the only map change coming to Warzone. Caldera will be getting a new point of interest that former Verdansk players are sure to recognize: Storage Town. Caldera will be getting a large overhaul throughout Warzone’s remaining seasons, and the return of Storage Town kicks that makeover off. Store Town will be added between the Mines, Airfield, Village and Dig Site on Caldera and will mostly as veteran players remember it. Storage lockers will spread out across the area filled with contracts and loot while with a few large warehouses on the outskirts of the POI. Unlike Verdansk, where the locale surrounding Storage Town was mostly flat, the terrain around the POI on Caldera will feature steep cliffs in the middle of the island, adding verticality.

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A drought on Caldera has dried up the rivers, marking the start of just over a dozen point of interest changes that are to come to the landscape. The vegetation on Caldera has been cleared by half to allow for better sightlines across the island. Additional pathways are also more prevalent, with scaffolding being added to the side of Capitol Buildings and Gondola Station, offering more movement options for operators. There are also rumors of new Mercenary Vaults for players to find and gain access to.

With new changes to the map comes new opportunities for how to travel from coast to coast. While Redeploy Balloons and vehicles are already littered about, players can anticipate the addition of a new armored SUV in Caldera later this season. The armored SUV will feature a dedicated rooftop turret, room for Operators to use their own weapons, and a nitro boost for instant acceleration for a limited time. Stay frosty, though, as EMP grenades are also making their way to the battlefield and will be able to disable vehicles and disrupt player HUDs.

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Plunder game modes will be getting ATMs that will occasionally spawn bags of gold that players can collect for extra cash. Additionally, a limited time Golden Plunder mode will offer the Blood Money experience with more competition. Player counts will be increased to 120, drop more cash on death, and will need $5,000,000 before they can declare victory. ATM machines on the map may begin to malfunction, spewing out endless amounts of cash while a golden keycard will hold the potential to unlock a bunker full of valuable new loot.

All of this will be capped off with a Mercenaries of Fortune event with eight challenges for Operators to complete. Rewards include weapon camos, reticles, charms, emblems, stickers, and a legendary animated calling card. Completing all eight challenges nets the player the coveted gold skin for the armored SUV.

Call of Duty Points

Top off your Call of Duty Points stash so that you can pick up the Season 4 Battle Pass or add Special Operation Task Force Immortal to your roster.

Buy from Xbox | Amazon | Battle.net

Call of Duty Season 3 Classified Arms Reloaded brings a midseason refresh to Warzone and Vanguard

eternalrhage@gmail.com (Cole Martin) — Wed, 25 May 2022 16:30:29 +0000

With Operation Monarch having come to a close, fans of Call of Duty: Warzone Pacific and Call of Duty: Vanguard can look forward to the upcoming midseason refresh for Season 3: Classified Arms. Classified Arms Reloaded plans to change the way that players traverse Caldera with an all-new underground transit system while also bringing an all-new map to Vanguard’s multiplayer mode. In addition to map changes, players can also anticipate a slew of quality-of-life updates such as a new squad HUD.

Call of Duty: Vanguard players will receive the update for Classified Arms Reloaded on May 24 at 10 a.m. PT while Call of Duty: Warzone players will update at 9 a.m. PT on May 25.

Call of Duty: Warzone Pacific changes: Transit system, high value loot zones, and more

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Operation Monarch may be over and done, but one of the gameplay changes introduced will be here to stay. High Value Loot Zones will now appear in all standard battle royale matches. Locations designated during a match as a High Value Loot Zone will have a dollar sign as part of their label on the map.

In Classified Arms Reloaded players can also discover rickety mine carts below the surface that can now be used as a fast travel system. Support developers Toys for Bob have crafted this new Underground Transit System which will feature 14 access points across Caldera hidden carefully below Nebula 5 bunkers.

Doors for the mine-cart hub rooms can be found inside each of the bunkers. Seven other access points can be found across the map, as well. Players can locate seven small hatches that will lead to the mine-cart hub area where they can then access a map of the system. Each hub location will coordinate with a letter and number on the player’s tac map. To navigate via mine cart to a new hub area players just need to interact with the circular hatch and then walk toward the cart. Doing so triggers the destination to show on your screen so you can check your map. However, there will be no way for players to know whether an enemy team is waiting for them on the other side.

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Call of Duty: Vanguard players are already familiar with the Serpentine perk, but with the Season 3 Reloaded update Warzone players can finally add this sniper countering perk to their loadouts. Serpentine will reduce incoming damage from bullets, explosives and fire by 20% when equipped if a player is sprinting. Shooters who pop an enemy with serpentine equipped will receive a snake indicator so they know what has happened and can follow up with another shot. Serpentine will be available for the Perk 1 slot, so players will need to consider whether it's worth giving up meta-popular perks Cold Blooded and Double Time if they want to take it on.

Along with Serpentine, Warzone players can look forward to the addition on three new tokens. The Gulag Entry Token, which features the infamous post-death symbol, will bind to a player upon pick up and affords the player re-entry to the gulag upon death. Similar to the Gulag Entry Token players can also be on the hunt for Redeploy Extraction Tokens. These have previously been seen in Warzone and they allow a player who is eliminated to return to the battlefield without having to fight out of the Gulag or be purchased by your squad mates.

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For both of the new tokens players will only be able to carry one at a time, and they can not be transferred between squadmates. If you pick one up or are holding a token after the gulag closes then you will receive cash compensation in its place. These tokens can be found in battle royale matches in both Rebirth Island and Caldera.

Players can also expect to find new Perk Satchels on both maps in addition to these new tokens. A new speed boost buff will also be available across all matches, now. Speed Boost buffs were previously limited to Clash mode and can be located in supply boxes. Supply boxes will also be spitting out a new field upgrade — the Radar Jammer — so that players can scramble enemy TacMaps and prevent incoming killstreaks within a short radius. You’ll want to use caution when dropping a radar jammer, however, as players equipped with the Engineer perk can hack it for their own squad.

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If Limited Time Modes are your cup of tea and you’re heartbroken at the conclusion of Operation Monarch, you can take a moment to breathe a sigh of relief. The launch of Classified Arms Reloaded will bring with it the limited time mode Champions of Caldera. Designed as a high intensity mode for solo players, Champions of Caldera will throw 150 maximum players onto the map with a single, constantly closing circle in an all out brawl for victory. All operators drop into Caldera with their custom loadout, a gas mask, and a single redeploy token.

Champions of Caldera will offer an altered loot pool to emphasize more uncommon equipment while Buy Stations will be stocked with Advanced UAVs, Explosive Bows, and even the Specialist Bonus. All player kills in this mode immediately refill player health, equipment, and ammo to encourage aggressive, fast-paced gameplay.

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Rebirth Island will also be getting a brand-new in-game event. Developed by Beenox, the new Occupation Scan event is the result of upgrades to Rebirth Island that included radar towers. At random points during Rebirth Resurgence matches, players will be warned of an incoming Occupation Scan. Any players who do not go prone for the duration of the scan will be pinged on the TacMap for all players to see.

Call of Duty: Vanguard changes: New multiplayer map and weapon

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Classified Arms Reloaded is a bit light on new content for Call of Duty: Vanguard but multiplayer fans can expect one new map as part of the update. Sphere is a compact, two-story map that will feature a mock coal mining village on its top level complete with wooden buildings, crates, and natural formations. Underground, however, players will find a mine, concrete tunnels, workshop, and even a central laboratory.

To go with a compact map players can also add the H4 Blixen SMG to their loadouts. The hard-hitting medium ranged firearm is perfect for delivering a three-shot kill but balances its power out by having a slower fire rate. However, the Blixen also offers more bullets per magazine and better Vertical Recoil Control, ADS speed, and reload quickness than the comparable Owen gun. To unlock the H4 Blixen players will need to get 3 slide kills in a single match 15 times, or purchase a to-be-released bundle later in the season.

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Task Force Harpy will be closed out following Season 3 Reloaded with the release of masked fighter Kim Tae Young. Tae Young dons a Dokkaebi mask and has a reputation among the Korean people as a local folk hero. She will come complete with a 20-level Operator XP progression track that unlocks several Operator Skins, but players will need to purchase a bundle to unlock her in Vanguard and Warzone.

There were no updates announced for Call of Duty: Vanguard's zombies or Ranked Play modes as part of the midseason refresh. Both of these modes are under development by Treyarch Studios, who has been mostly radio silent since mid-April as they work on bringing round-based Zombies and a reimagining of the classic Shi No Numa map to Vanguard sometime later in 2022. Treyarch also continues to support Black Ops Cold War into its second year, possibly due to the low sales of Call of Duty: Vanguard.

Call of Duty Season 3: Everything we know about the Classified Arms update

eternalrhage@gmail.com (Cole Martin) — Wed, 11 May 2022 16:00:00 +0000

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

The multiple studios behind Call of Duty: Vanguard and Warzone Pacific have officially released the Season 3 roadmap for the popular franchise. Like with the previous seasons, players can expect a collection of brand-new content along with a new Battle Pass and limited-time events to keep the first-person shooter fresh.

Season 3 has been dubbed Classified Arms and will introduce the newest task force, S.O.T.F. 008, to both games. At launch, players can join the fight as American sniper Mateo Hernandez while ace pilot Florence Carter and the mysterious vigilante Kim Tae Young will join the lineup later in the season.

Call of Duty Season 3: Classified Arms release date

Lead studios Sledgehammer Games and Raven Software, along with support from Treyarch and Toys for Bob, have put together some pretty monstrous content for Call of Duty: Vanguard and Warzone Pacific for Season 3. The Classified Arms update for Season 3 will launch for Call of Duty: Vanguard on April 26 at 9 a.m. PT with Warzone Pacific's update dropping the following day on April 27 at 9 a.m. PT.

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Season 3 will also feature a limited-time event titled Operation Monarch, in which Godzilla and Kong will be revealed as part of a new game mode for Quads in Warzone Pacific. The Operation Monarch event will launch on May 11 at 9 a.m. PT, though there are plenty of Easter eggs to search for on Caldera leading up to launch.

Call of Duty: Vanguard Season 3 multiplayer changes

At the launch of Season 3, Call of Duty: Vanguard players can expect to receive the newest map — a small map featuring a mock city designed for a 1950s movie set. Mayhem is designed to appeal to those who love the frantic close-quarters combat of maps like Das House and Shipment with a three-lane design and open roof. Set inside of a warehouse, the map is a small-scale replica of a large city complete with multiple destructible elements.

Once the mid-season refresh rolls around, Vanguard will receive a second free map titled Sphere. Sphere will also embrace the small-map playstyle, encouraging fast-paced, close-quarters combat in a secret underground weapons lab. This map will eschew the classic three-lane system, however, as it will feature dual layers to expand the play zone.

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

If the constant barrage of grenades being slung around on small maps has been a source of contention for you, then you may be excited to hear that the Classified Arms update will bring a new field upgrade to Call of Duty: Vanguard. Trophy systems are being added to multiple to help players repel frag grenades, sticky bombs, and No. 69 Stung grenades while in the air. Unlike new equipment that was added in previous systems, players will not need to progress through the Battle Pass before unlocking the trophy system. It will be available to all players at launch.

In addition to the new field upgrade, players can expect four new weapons as part of the Classified Arms Battle Pass. The M1916 marksman rifle, a semi-automatic rifle, will drop at launch and is the favored weapon for new operator Mateo Hernandez. If you prefer a more full-auto experience, however, the Nikita AVT assault rifle will also be available at launch. The Nikita AVT will be the fastest-firing assault rifle in Call of Duty: Vanguard, making it a great choice for SMG fans who would like a little more range. Later in the season players will be able to pick up the Junkyard Jet Sledgehammer and the H4 Blixen SMG for all the close-quarters combat the new maps will bring.

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Players who participate in the Ranked Play beta can expect Season 2 rewards to be dished out right as they dive in to earn the new rewards for Season 3. Classified Arms will include two new fully configured blueprints featuring black and orange camos that can be used for all weapons along with other charms, emblems, and other rewards. The start of Season 3 will bring a complete reset with a fresh start to Ranked Play as it leaves behind its beta status. Ranked fans can also look forward to a new Call of Duty League bundle showing up in the store midseason, which will allow them to adorn their weapon of choice with a pro player's signature.

Lead studio Sledgehammer Games has released several updates to address balancing issues as well as hotfixes for visual glitches. During the course of Season 2 Reloaded an Experimental Playlist was added to Vanguard where players could provide live feedback. This has led to some changes being made in multiplayer's spawn logic among other updates. Sledgehammer will release the Season 3 patch notes for Call of Duty: Vanguard closer to the update's launch.

Call of Duty Season 3 zombies changes

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Zombies mode for Call of Duty: Vanguard has been in the hands of Treyarch Studios, and their plans for content throughout 2022 are fairly extensive. With Classified Arms, players can equip the newest weapons that the Battle Pass has to offer in their favorite zombies loadouts to tackle the 20 new season challenges. Completing the challenges will net customization rewards like calling cards and bonus XP. The KG M40 and Whitley from Season 2 will also be added to Zombies with the Season 3 update.

Changes to Call of Duty: Vanguard's zombies mode is a bit lighter than in previous updates as Treyarch Studios has announced that they are working on a classic round-based zombies mode for Vanguard. Season 2's "Terra Maledicta" was the last official seasonal update for the mode as development focuses on a reimagined "Shi No Numa" update. "Shi No Numa" initially released with Zombies in Call of Duty: World at War, and Treyarch Studios plans to rerelease the map for Vanguard in its classic scope, complete with new wonder weapon quests, classic traps, Easter eggs, and a new story line tying into the Dark Aether saga established in Black Ops Cold War.

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

In an unusual turn of events, Treyarch announced they were also releasing new content for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War during Season 3, including several updates to Outbreak and Onslaught modes for Black Ops Cold War's Zombies. Outbreak Collapse, a limited-time mode that has players surviving increasingly intense waves for 10-minute rounds, will be releasing on all platforms late April. Onslaught players will also receive several limited-time modes throughout the year, with Onslaught Mystery Munitions being the first up. Mystery Munitions will arm players with a random weapon on spawn that will be randomized following the completion of each surge.

In addition to the new Zombies content for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Treyarch is also planning to release a remake of the classic Black Ops map, Jungle, for Cold War's multiplayer.

Call of Duty: Warzone Pacific Operation Monarch and new Points of Interest

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Ancient secrets are lurking below Caldera, and Season 3 aims to bring some of the biggest changes to the free-to-play battle royale's Pacific Island since its launch. As a storm brews in the sky, phosphate mining operations on the island have led to the discovery of giant skulls, rib cages, and the remains of Serpentine creatures. The mining company ultimately abandoned the area, and now players can actively battle it out amongst the remains at the Monarch Dig Site. The new point of interest will be located between the Mine and the Ruins. Players will be able to fight amongst excavation equipment, tents, and massive skeletons. Dig Site is a surprisingly vertical area, however, so don't linger in the open too long.

The dig site is not the only new point of interest, however, as the fortification project on the Peak has been completed. Buildings don a fresh coat of paint bearing the symbol of a global organization known as Monarch, a cryptozoological defense force. Players can make use of exterior and interior ascenders to get to the roof tops where they can parachute to a wide variety of other areas on the island, though they do risk being shot down by looking at the skies.

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Caldera's Runway has also undergone a face lift to include new barracks, hangers, and other structural additions that replaced jungle overgrowth and abandoned homes. Decommissioned planes and guard towers also provide players with new combat scenarios. If you prefer the Lighthouse to the Runway, be forewarned that shifting tides has changed the access paths for this POI as a new sandbar now provides a link between the structure and the main island. The sandbar features multiple moored ships and vehicles can cover the area, though drivers may want to watch out for the dreaded "sinking" feeling.

All of these changes to Caldera are a gear-up to the special limited-time event Operation Monarch on May 11. Operation Monarch will include a time-limited game mode where squads of four will drop into smaller sections of Caldera in a 60-player match with a Resurgence-like rule set. While the main goal to be the last team standing is always the focus of Warzone, players will find a little extra help in their efforts to survive thanks to Monarch Intel. Collecting Monarch Intel will allow players to charge a special meter that unlocks killstreaks and loadout drops, much like in the classic Power Grab mode fans are already familiar with. Monarch Intel can be found in supply boxes, special drops, and as loot from fallen enemies.

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Both titans will begin each match of Operation Monarch in an enraged state known as Titan Frenzy. During the Titan Frenzy events, players are at risk of being attacked by Godzilla and Kong as they thrash about Caldera. While you may be tempted to run from their rage, it is beneficial to stay and fight the titans as the team who dishes out the most damage to either one during a Frenzy will automatically receive the Monarch S.C.R.E.A.M. Device. Players in control of a S.C.R.E.A.M. Device have control of the respective Titan and can unleash Godzilla's Heat Ray breath or a powerful ground pound from Kong as a killstreak against their foes. The S.C.R.E.A.M. killstreak will have a cooldown period to prevent being used in succession to spam the map, however.

The Operation Monarch limited-time event will feature eight challenges with players receiving charms, emblems, stickers, and calling cards as rewards for completing certain tasks. Completing all eight tasks rewards players with the special "Ancient Rivalry" Marksman Rifle blueprint. In addition to the challenge rewards, all players who participate in the Operation Monarch event will receive calling cards, player titles, and charms. There are also secret rewards for those who engage both Titans.

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Support studio Toys for Bob has been hard at work creating a new Gulag experience that will finally make its way to Warzone Pacific in Season 3. The Hold is a symmetrical arena based in the belly of a ship moored just off the coast of the island, with identical hallways surrounding an otherwise open space.

Rebirth Island will also see some changes following its recent reinforcement, with some Operators now being required to undergo an EXFIL mission prior to the collapse of the final circle. Support studio Beenox is currently working on the midseason refresh update for Rebirth Island, and players can expect more information at a later date.

Call of Duty: Warzone Points

While a portion of Call of Duty: Vanguard and Warzone Pacific's Season 3 content will be available to players for free, a large part will be locked behind the Battle Pass paywall. Pick up 2,400 COD Points to purchase the Battle Pass bundle for tier skips and to access all of what Season 3 has to offer.

Call of Duty: Vanguard

Multiplayer and zombies content for the Classified Arms update requires Call of Duty: Vanguard to play. If you intend to play on Xbox Series X or Series S, this is the version of the game to grab. You'll want it to look and run as smoothly as possible, which does mean it'll be a bit more expensive.

Call of Duty: Vanguard Season 2 Reloaded — Release date and everything we know

eternalrhage@gmail.com (Cole Martin) — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 15:30:02 +0000

Call of Duty titles typically enjoy a 60-day life cycle for their seasonal drops, giving players plenty of time to dive in and knock out the Tier 100 Battle Pass that is offered alongside the season's free content. To keep things from feeling stale during that 60-day cycle, the developers began introducing mid-season refreshes which would add additional content halfway through a season to lure back wayward players. Season 2 is no exception, and there are plenty of big changes coming to Call of Duty: Vanguard and Warzone with the upcoming update.

Call of Duty: Vanguard and Warzone Season 2 Reloaded release date

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

The new content for Call of Duty: Vanguard and Warzone Pacific will be free to all players, with the exception of Operators and weapon bundles, which can be purchased in the franchise store, and will be available following staggered title updates. Call of Duty: Vanguard players will notice an update go live at 9 a.m. PT on March 22. Warzone Pacific players will receive an update later at 9 a.m. on March 23.

Call of Duty: Vanguard new mode, vehicles, and Operators for mutliplayer

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

The new update will give players of Call of Duty: Vanguard a chance to jump into an Arms Race, a 12v12 mode on the brand-new map Alps. Arms Race in Vanguard will not resemble the previous Arms Race limited playlist mode that debuted in Call of Duty: Black Ops II. For Vanguard, players instead will need to traverse the frozen tundra using the vehicle's weapons at their disposal to capture bases located inside of five of the seven mountainside fortresses. Two bases will be decommissioned at random at the start of the game.

Capturing a base will provide a respawn point for eliminated teammates in addition to the option to spawn on a squad member. Once captured, the defense systems of a base will activate and protect the team spawning inside with gates that close whenever enemy players are near. Friendly bases also contain buy stations, similar to what fans of Vanguard's Champion Hill mode are already familiar with, which use in game cash earned by capturing objectives to purchase weapon loadouts, killstreaks, and other beneficial items. Buy Stations also include the vehicles for purchase, making it easier for players to traverse the largest map in Vanguard's current lineup.

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Among the vehicles players will be able to call in are motorcycles, CD12 transports, and tanks. Motorcycles are free for all players at all times, allowing players an opportunity for a quick escape or to get to an advantageous spot for attacking another base. However, the low price tag, speed and agility that a motorcycle can offer come at the cost of safety and durability. It only takes one well-placed rocket or a few armor-piercing bullets to lead to an untimely demise for the two operators on a motorcycle.

Players looking to take more squadmates along for their ride or are seeking out some extra durability may want to consider buying up a CD12 transport, a four-seater squad vehicle that players of Warzone may have previously driven across Verdansk and Caldera. If you need more firepower, however, the new tanks may be better suited for your efforts. Tanks are the only vehicle in Arms Race to come equipped with weaponry, and they are considerably more durable than the CD12 or motorcycle. They are, however, considerably more expensive and are limited to just one operator who serves as both the driver and gunner.

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

While Arms Race and Alps are the extent of free content releasing with the mid-season refresh, players can expect a barrage of new bundles to hit the franchise store including the third and final members of Task Force Yeti, Gustav Dos Santos. On April 19 at 10 a.m. PT, players will also be able to pick up the Snoop Dogg Operator Bundle, complete with a playable operator for the D-O-Double-G himself. This is not Snoop Dog's first rodeo as he previously lent his voice to a downloadable voice pack for Call of Duty: Ghosts nearly 10 years ago.

The Snoop Dogg Operator bundle will be a complete bundle featuring 10 items in total with three of them being exclusive to Call of Duty: Vanguard. It will also feature a full progression track with 20 levels and challenges that will unlock weapon XP for Snoop's preferred weapon, three alternate outfits, and additional cosmetics. The Operator will also have a collection of voice lines recorded by Snoop Dogg.

Call of Duty: Vanguard ranked play update

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Treyarch Studios collaborated with Call of Duty League to bring ranked play with league standards to Call of Duty: Vanguard's multiplayer as part of the initial Season 2 launch. Ranked Play, currently in beta, has seen its fair share of setbacks and issues, however. It was initially delayed due to a game-breaking issue that only cropped up when the mode was tested live. Additionally, players were unable to jump into ranked play if they had members in their squad who were outside of their current Skill Division. Current Skill Division restrictions were as follows:

Players in Master & Challenger can only party up within 500 SR.
Players in Expert & Elite can only party up within 1000 SR.
Players below Expert can party up without restrictions.

Treyarch plans to loosen these restrictions as part of the Season 2 Reloaded update, with the following changes being made to parties:

Players in Master & Challenger can form parties with players up to one adjacent Skill Division away.
Players in Elite can form parties with players up to two adjacent Skill Divisions away.
Players below Elite can party up without restrictions and can party with players who haven't yet completed their seasonal skill evaluation matches.
Party Restriction rules are determined by the highest Skill Division represented in the party.

A new "My Career & Rewards" menu will also be making its way to Ranked Play, allowing players to access details regarding their current Rank and Skill Division along with a rewards screen detailing upcoming Season Two rewards and progress toward them. The Skill Division screen will provide players additional information on their current skill division and progress toward the next tier promotion.

Call of Duty: Vanguard new covenants for zombies

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Ranked Play is not the only thing Treyarch has to offer in Season 2 Reloaded as the studio continues to provide support for Call of Duty: Vanguard's zombies mode. While there are no maps coming in the mid-season update, players will find the new Armaguerra 43 SMG that will be in both Zombies and Multiplayer modes and a new Sacrifice Objective will be adding more challenges to "Der Anfang". Two new Covenants will also be added to Zombies as part of the mid-season update.

The first covenant, Critical Expertise, will allow noncritical hits a chance to become critical with the chance for a crit hit and damage increasing depending on the covenant's rarity. Critical kills with Killing Blow equipped will also return ammo. The second covenant, Explosives Expert, allows player explosions to do more damage to enemies while taking less self-imposed damage. As with Critical Expertise, the amount of damage and protection afforded by Explosives Expert is based on the covenant's rarity. Splatterfest and Energy Mine explosion damage will be increased by the covenant; however the splash damage from the Ray Gun is not affected.

The oft-requested option for a Dedicated Server pause in solo games is finally be adding to zombies as part of Season Two Reloaded alongside additional bug fixes that will be detailed more at a later date. Players in solo matches and singleplayer private matches will be able to pause for up to two hours total per match while players who are offline or playing local matches will be able to pause indefinitely.

Call of Duty: Warzone Pacific Rebirth Reinforced event

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Fans of Call of Duty: Warzone will get a chance to see Rebirth Island — the smaller, secondary map previously released as an alternative to Verdansk — get its first big update since its initial release. The skies will be sunnier and clear, allowing players more visibility as they make their way to the two new ships docked at the harbor, freshly repainted water tower, and the revamped Stronghold. Stronghold replaces the previous Security Area, an otherwise uninteresting point of Rebirth Island that was known for being the longest lying section of the map with very few multistory buildings.

Stronghold now features two new reinforced structures, including an extended checkpoint gate with garages, administrative buildings, and walkways over the main booth. The item is now well stocked with supply boxes and item spawns and is an ideal location to engage in close-quarters combat. Rebirth's lone communication tower is now being replaced by a radar building on a raised concrete platform. The comms station includes an observation deck with great sightlines overlooking the Base Camp and Living Quarters.

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Docked near the Factory and the Control Center, are two large supply ships floating in the harbor of Rebirth Island. Both the top and bottom decks of these ships can be explored by players willing to parkour their way across shipping containers or drop down from higher elevations to reach them. Players will also be able to explore the Prison Yard, which is undergoing construction to be further reinforced. Caldera's redeploy balloons will be making their way to Rebirth Island as part of the update; however they will have a shortened ascension cord to limit how much height players can gain due to the smaller size of the map.

Changes to the map are not all players can expect in Warzone Pacific. Alongside the standard issue Resurgence and Mini Royale modes, players can look forward to three previously released modes making their return throughout the remainder of Season 2, with slight changes to reflect the "reinforced" status of the map. Rebirth Resurgence Solos takes the incredibly popular Resurgence mode that first debuted in 2020, Resurgence Solos allows players to drop in without a squad to a fast-paced respawn-enabled deathmatch where there can be only one winner. This solo variant will only give players one free respawn, and additional respawns will need to score points via kills and contracts to earn additional respawns.

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Rebirth Blood Money will also be added to the playlist rotation, adding a new twist to gameplay mechanics from Plunder. In Plunder, eliminating an enemy would only net a player whatever money the enemy had on them when they were felled. Blood Money changes this by guaranteeing a cash payout per elimination. Rebirth Payload will bring in an objective-based mode to Warzone Pacific and will be limited to 12v12 gameplay with three full squads fighting across preset routes where they will escort or stop trucks from reaching their specific designations.

Season 2 Reloaded will provide a series of challenges for players, the completion of which unlocks new cosmetic items and a legendary LMG blueprint. A special Community Challenge will also be introduced, the first of which will encourage the entire Warzone community to earn kills on Rebirth Island. If enough kills are earned following the update, then all those who participated will receive 25,000XP and unlock the use of new Weapon Trade Stations on the island. These trade stations will allow players to give up their weapon in exchange for one of lesser quality and other additional items depending on the original weapon's rarity. This can include cash, armor satchels, self revives, and kill streaks.

Rebirth Island's revamp and community challenges are being handled by developer Beenox, who plans to release three more community challenges following the completion of the first. Each community challenge is expected to grant XP and additional features including Communication Stations, Armored Transport Vehicles, and special unannounced rewards that will be revealed at a later date.

Call of Duty: Vanguard

If you intend to play on Xbox Series X or Series S, this is the version of the game to grab. You'll want it to look and run as smoothly as possible, which does mean it'll be a bit more expensive.

Call of Duty Vanguard gets ranked play in middle of the night update

eternalrhage@gmail.com (Cole Martin) — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 18:15:08 +0000

What you need to know

Treyarch Studios and Call of Duty League have collaborated to create a League approved Ranked Play mode for Call of Duty: Vanguard.
The ranked playlist was expected to launch in beta on Feb. 17 at 9am PT but had to be delayed at the last minute due to a stat-breaking bug.
Treyarch announced in the middle of the night on Feb. 17 that the Ranked Play was live, but other bugs persist.

Much like the announcement for its delay, the announcement that Call of Duty: Vanguard's Ranked Play beta was live came as a late night tweet from the official Treyarch Studios Twitter account. The mode was originally intended to launch earlier in the day on Feb. 17, but playtesters uncovered a stat-breaking bug that only presented itself in the game's live environment. This bug forced Treyarch to delay the release of ranked play, and at the time there was no information provided as to when players could expect it to go live.

Ranked Play Beta is NOW LIVE!

Grab the latest #Vanguard update, restart your game, and start climbing. pic.twitter.com/BTzPErLEt4Ranked Play Beta is NOW LIVE!

Grab the latest #Vanguard update, restart your game, and start climbing. pic.twitter.com/BTzPErLEt4— Treyarch Studios (@Treyarch) February 18, 2022 February 18, 2022

Ranked Play for Vanguard is a collaborative effort between Treyarch Studios and Call of Duty League to introduce a skill based rank playlist to multiplayer that mirrors the official ruleset of competitive tournaments. In addition to the Call of Duty League's restrictions, Treyarch has included some of their own ranked play weapon and equipment limitations.

Source: Treyarch Studios (Image credit: Source: Treyarch Studios)

The list of additional restrictions includes the following:

BAR
Cooper Carbine
PPSh-41
Welgun
KGm40
All Magazine attachments
Pistol Aattachments that increase Rate of Fire
Shrouded Sniper Proficiency
Smoke Grenade
Gammon Bomb
Sticky Bomb
Mechanic Perk
Armory Perk

Treyarch has said that any future post-launch weapons and equipment will need to be evaluated according to Call of Duty League standards to determine if they are competitively viable before they can be introduced into ranked play.

Players can expect future weapons to only be added to the mode on a case-by-case basis. Some currently restricted weapons and perks are still showing as available in ranked play, but Treyarch expects to patch this bug in a future update. Players who attempt to join a ranked game with a loadout containing restricted items will find that those items are replaced with default items when they spawn.

A similar UI glitch is also resulting in restricted map names being listed in the ranked play tutorial, and is also expected to be patched later. Ranked play is in beta, and as such the mode can be expected to change based on feedback from players, as well as the Call of Duty League.

Call of Duty: Vanguard gets ranked play beta for multiplayer

eternalrhage@gmail.com (Cole Martin) — Fri, 11 Feb 2022 21:21:00 +0000

What you need to know

Ranked Play will launch in beta for Call of Duty: Vanguard's multiplayer on Feb. 17.
Weapons, attachments, equipment, and killstreaks will be limited to match Call of Duty League standards.
Players will unlock seasonal rewards as they progress their skill divisions, rankings, and tiers.
Ranked Play is being spearheaded by Treyarch.

Call of Duty League, in partnership with Treyarch, has officially announced that Ranked Play will be coming to Call of Duty: Vanguard as a beta mode on Feb. 17, three days after the launch of Vanguard's Season 2 content.

Ranked Play will pit players against each other in a 4v4 playlist that features CDL Hardpoint, CDL Search & Destroy, and CDL Control matches with limits and rules that mirror those used by the Call of Duty League.

All players will find that weapons and equipment are all unlocked regardless of their multiplayer progression, but they will also find that there are no shotguns or LMGs allowed in these playlists. Other killstreaks, attachments, and weapons are similarly restricted. However, players will be able to unlock weapon blueprints, camos, charms and more as seasonal rewards by progressing through Ranked Play's divisions and tiers.

Players jumping into Ranked Play will play five Skill Evaluation matches after which they will start to earn Skill Rating points following each win. A player's skill rating will be visible to everybody so that they know who they're going up against and can track their own progress easily. As players rack up skill rating points they'll progress through Skill Divisions and Tiers, earning rewards for every five levels.

Player rewards include weapon blueprints, camos, charms, calling cards and emblems. Those that manage to make it to the max rank of 50 will be rewarded with an exclusive "Ranked Royalty" Operator skin for Solange. All players of Ranked will receive an animated emblem that reflects their final Division placement. Later in the season, players who manage to win 25 matches at the Master Skill Division or higher will a limited edition "Ranked Legend" operator skin for Solange. Ranked Play will also feature Bi-weekly Ladder events — one beginning on Mondays and the other beginning on Fridays — which will provide additional rewards for players.

Treyarch plans to expand on Ranked Play as 2022 progresses, with plans to introduce a new Top 250 Division leaderboard, as well as plans for future content in Season 3 and beyond.

Call of Duty 2022: Infinity Ward and Activision start teasing 'new generation' CoD

jez@windowscentral.com (Jez Corden) — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 15:16:39 +0000

Activision has made no secret of the fact Call of Duty: Vanguard sales didn't meet expectations. One could argue that the appetite for WW2-themed games has waned in recent years, although one could also argue that Call of Duty itself is saturating its own market. As demands for infinitely-increasing content continue, faced with competition from itself with Warzone and others like Apex Legends and Fortnite, it's perhaps something of a relief for Activision that EA's competing Battlefield 2042 turned out to be such a disaster, and Halo Infinite has yet to receive new content.

Call of Duty: Vanguard has improved since launch, with many bugs fixed, server stability improved, and so on. Activision has already teased what fans can expect from CoD: Vanguard's next season as well. Now, Activision and Infinity Ward are teasing the next Call of Duty too, likely slated for the holiday season of 2022.

A new generation of Call of Duty is coming soon.

Stay frosty.A new generation of Call of Duty is coming soon.

Stay frosty.— Infinity Ward (@InfinityWard) February 3, 2022 February 3, 2022

The mention of "new generation" has been taken by some to indicate that past-gen consoles like the PS4 and Xbox One may be cut off from this year's Call of Duty, but that's as of yet unconfirmed. What is confirmed is that Infinity Ward is at the helm. The legendary studio is arguably responsible for blowing up the franchise back in the day with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and it seems entirely likely that the next CoD will take on a modern-day or near-future styling.

Call of Duty has a bit of an existential crisis revolving around it. It's a bit tough to innovate when you're tasked to build a new take on the aging franchise year in, year out, which has led some to postulate whether or not Microsoft may drop the forced annualization of the franchise. Indeed, if you missed it, Microsoft went ahead and dropped over $70 billion dollars on Activision Blizzard a couple of weeks ago, potentially giving it control of the world's biggest and most profitable shooter franchise. Microsoft has indicated that it intends to keep CoD multi-platform, but future Call of Duty titles could end up day one in Xbox Game Pass. It's unlikely that this year's CoD will find itself into the service, though, given how long it'll take for the deal to go through. But who knows?

In any case, stay tuned to Windows Central for all the latest on Call of Duty and beyond.

December 2021 NPD: Halo Infinite was the second best-selling game of the month

samuelwtolbert@gmail.com (Samuel Tolbert) — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 17:09:16 +0000

What you need to know

The NPD group shares monthly data for the best-selling games of the month in the U.S.
According to the December 2021 NPD report, Call of Duty: Vanguard and Halo Infinite were the first and second best-selling games of the month.
The Nintendo Switch and PS5 tied in terms of dollar sales for the best-selling console of the month.

The NPD group shared the results for December 2021 and the year of 2021 as a whole, per NPD analyst Mat Piscatella. Much like in November 2021, the Nintendo Switch was the best-selling console in terms of units sold. Amazingly enough, in terms of dollar sales, the Nintendo Switch and PS5 were tied for the month.

As for games, Call of Duty: Vanguard was the best-selling game of the month, followed closely by Halo Infinite at the number two spot.

December 2021 NPD: Here are the top 20 games sold in the U.S.

Call of Duty: Vanguard
Halo Infinite
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl*
Madden NFL 22
Battlefield 2042
Mario Kart 8
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Mario Party Superstars*
NBA 2K22*
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
FIFA 22
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate*
Minecraft
Far Cry 6
Just Dance 2022
Forza Horizon 5
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy
Ghost of Tsushima
Super Mario 3D World*
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild*

That's all for this month's results!

Fight the Banished

Halo Infinite campaign

A new Great Journey awaits

Halo Infinite's campaign has a great story, incredible gameplay, and breathtaking presentation. It's everything a Halo fan could want, and we can't recommend it enough.

Call of Duty: Vanguard Festive Fervor event rings in the holidays

eternalrhage@gmail.com (Cole Martin) — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 20:00:02 +0000

Sledgehammer Games is turning on the holiday cheer with the mid-season event for Call of Duty: Vanguard and Warzone. As of Dec. 17, players can now enjoy hunting down Elf Team Six, take on the mighty Krampus, or pick up one of several new holiday-themed bundles from the store. Some of our favorite maps and game modes will also be receiving festive makeovers, and there will be additional gifts specifically for players who own Call of Duty: Vanguard.

Call of Duty: Vanguard holiday event changes

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Especially on the Vanguard multiplayer map, Shipment, which has been redecorated and renamed for the Festive Fervor event. Say hello to Shipmas, an idyllic winter wonderland with a fine layer of snow, beautifully decorated Christmas trees, and carefully wrapped shipping containers. In addition to Shipmas, objective-based modes in multiplayer may notice some other changes. Santa's sleigh can be seen delivering delicately wrapped care packages (complete with a red-nosed reindeer in the lead), and even Zombies' "Der Anfang" will see a more seasonally appropriate Stalingrad.

Vanguard players will also have the opportunity to enjoy a limited-time mode for multiplayer. Armageddon mode will see the return of what players of previous Call of Duty titles may remember as Drop Zone, a semi-objective centric mode where players fight to take control of designated areas on the map that are designed for care package drops. Care packages are dropped on a timer until a set number of them are collected by players, which will trigger the zone to move to a new location on the map. Teams can only score points via kills, but killstreak kills will earn extra points.

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

In addition to the new mode, regular game modes will see an invasion from Elf Team Six, a crew of little green troublemakers scattered around maps. Their mischievous giggles can be heard throughout matches, and should a player find and destroy an elf they will be rewarded with kill streak progress and additional score at the end of the game.

It isn't all sugar plums and elf giggles, however. The absolutely terrifying Christmas creature known as Krampus is also making its way to Call of Duty. Elf Team Six may reward good players with a kill streak, but Krampus has a taste for vengeance on all those slackers who join Objective lobbies and then just farm for kills. Players at the bottom of the leaderboard in a match may find themselves being stalked by Krampus, and may even fall prey to the monster's terrifying finishing move.

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

To reward players for engaging with the new content added for the holiday event, a series of six limited-time event challenges have been added for Multiplayer and Warzone both. These challenges include basic, easy-to-complete tasks like opening seasonally themed care packages and simply playing on Shipmas. Players will be rewarded with a Battle Pass Tier Skip, double XP, and cosmetic rewards.

Call of Duty: Warzone holiday event changes

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Warzone's new Pacific locale does not seem like the most Christmas-y of destinations, but that hasn't stopped an invasion of exquisitely decorated fir trees from dotting the landscape. Players should consider keeping an eye on their mini map, as a new tree icon can symbolize the location of one of these Christmas trees somewhere on the map.

Players who find and manage to hold the Fir Tree's zone for a period of time will find themselves showered in several supply boxes and holiday crates. These gifts may contain legendary items, limited-time rewards, or a lump of coal. Naughty players cursed with a lump of coal will want to stay on high alert, as the mythical Krampus will be lurking about Caldera and Rebirth Island both. Unlike in Vanguard, Krampus will choose his targets a bit more randomly in Warzone, but players with coal are at an increased risk of drawing the beast's ire.

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Once a player is in the Krampus' crosshairs they will have three minutes to evade or destroy the creature. Killing the Krampus will reward a player squad with a special permanent reward. Krampus has other surprises in store throughout the event, as well, including daily modifiers like increased chances for legendary loot and discount squad buybacks.

Elf Team Six will be making their presence known in Warzone, as well. Much like in Vanguard, these pesky elves will be lurking around the map, making a ruckus whenever a player is within 10 meters of one. Destroying elves as a squad will unlock rewards such as double XP tokens and calling cards. Warzone players will also be able to participate in the reward challenges available to Vanguard players with unlockable rewards for performing tasks like dealing damage to Krampus or just for dropping in and playing during the event's run time.

Call of Duty: Vanguard ownership gifts and price cuts

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

The release of Call of Duty: Vanguard has been rocky, coming on the heels of an announcement that the state of California was suing the franchise's publisher, Activision, for alleged labor violations. The lawsuit, coupled with general apathy toward the series, and employee walkouts calling for the resignation of Activision's CEO may have all played a part in a lackluster turnout for Vanguard. The uncharacteristically low sale numbers may be the driving force behind some of Sledgehammer Games' tactics to encourage fans to finally pick up a copy of Vanguard.

Players who own Call of Duty: Vanguard or purchase the game prior to Dec. 30, 2021, will receive a few Battle Pass-centric rewards, including:

10 Battle Pass tier skips for Season 1
10% global player, weapon, and Battle Pass XP boost
24 Vanguard-themed rewards from Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War's Season 6 Battle Pass.

Those eligible for additional XP and Battle Pass tiers can look forward to receiving their items Dec. 16-31, 2021. For those still on the fence as to whether Vanguard is worth their time, a free multiplayer trial is also active until Dec. 21 at 10 a.m. PST.

Call of Duty: Vanguard

Rise up and experience the fight against the Nazis on all four battlefronts through the eyes of four different Spec Ops characters. Call of Duty: Vanguard will feature a full campaign, fresh multiplayer experience with 20 new maps on launch, along with the new Champion Hill mode, and the prequel to the Dark Aether story in Zombies.

Call of Duty: Vanguard and Warzone — Season 1 release date and everything we know

eternalrhage@gmail.com (Cole Martin) — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 01:00:02 +0000

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Much like seasonal content released in 2019's Modern Warfare and 2020's Cold War, Vanguard's Season One will launch with a battle pass full of cosmetics alongside new maps and weapons. Call of Duty: Warzone, too, will benefit from the new season as players finally get to put boots on the ground in the new Caldera map for the free-to-play battle royale.

The release of the new battle pass and additional content comes as the game's publisher, Activision, continues to struggle with lawsuits alleging labor violations and calls for the CEO to resign amid claims that sexual assault allegations were mishandled. Employees staged walkouts in response to those allegations in the weeks leading up to the release of Season 1 that coincided with an unusual delay of the new content's release.

Call of Duty: Vanguard Season 1 release date and time

Players who own or purchase Call of Duty: Vanguard before Dec. 8 will receive 24 hours of exclusive early access to Call of Duty: Warzone's new Pacific-themed map, Caldera. Digital copies of Vanguard will have instant access during this special event, but if you have a physical version of the game you must install and boot Vanguard past its initial interactive screen before you can gain access.

The early access event will begin at 9 a.m. PT on Dec. 8, and will extend until 9 a.m. PT on Dec. 9, at which point the Pacific-themed update will be available to all Warzone players. An update released on Dec. 6 for Call of Duty: Vanguard has prepared the game for its Season 1 content, but players will not be able to access it until it goes live for everybody on Dec. 8.

Call of Duty: Vanguard multiplayer new maps, perks, and equipment

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Call of Duty: Vanguard will receive two new maps with the launch of Season 1. The first map, Paradise, is entirely new to the Call of Duty franchise, and is built around the classic medium-sized, three-lane map style that is often popular among players. Paradise's name is a bit of a red herring, however, as the map is designed to resemble a weapons testing site and will feature an underground tunnel and pools of toxic waste.

The second map coming to Call of Duty: Vanguard is a reimagining of Modern Warfare 3's popular map, Dome. Now titled Radar, this map is a small radio station lined with cat walks that is sure to encourage hectic, close-quarters encounters.

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

For the first time in the franchise's history, two new multiplayer perks and a lethal grenade are being added as battle pass rewards. This sets up an unusual dynamic for the game, as players who purchase battle pass tier skips will have access to these much earlier in the season than those who level up through play. These rewards are available as free items through the battle pass, so you do not need to purchase a pass to unlock them.

The first unlockable perk, Serpentine, is at Tier 21 of the battle pass and will reduce incoming damage to a player while sprinting when it is equipped. The second perk, Intuition, unlocks at Tier 44 of the battle pass. Intuition is a hybrid of a past perk, High Alert, and Vanguard's Piercing Range but without the suppression requirement. Intuition is ideal for close quarters combat scenarios as it sends out a pulse that allows the player to see enemies — even through walls — so that they can prepare before another player bursts through a wall or jumps around a corner.

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Another Call of Duty first comes with the new Special Incendiary Grenade, available as a Tier 39 unlock for the Season 1 battle pass. The special incendiary is a lethal grenade that puts the damage of Firebombing Run Killstreak in the player's hand. A large smoke cloud is produced by the grenade, with players taking burn damage when they are within range of it. The special incendiary grenade's damage scales with a player's exposure duration, and it lasts longer when detonated than Thermite or Molotovs.

The new special incendiary grenade will come in handy for closing off pathways through maps when Control returns as a game mode. Control is a popular mode among competitive players that combines the high stakes of Search and Destroy with an objective system similar to Hardpoint. Teams take turns between attacking and defending fixed zones with a limited number of respawns available. The attacking team must either completely eliminate the defenders so that they have no respawns left, or capture both zones within the time limit.

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

A second unannounced game mode is also expected to launch during Season 1's Festive Fervor event. While there are no specific details to what the mode will be, Sledgehammer Games has hinted that it will be a mode that veterans of the franchise will recognize from Modern Warfare 3.

Call of Duty: Vanguard Season 1 weapons and operators

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Vanguard's Season 1 battle pass introduces a new Special Operations Task Force, known as S.O.T.F. 006: Trident, to players. Trident will feature three new operators throughout Season 1, with Francis "Kai" Lanakila being the first available. Lanakila and his default operator skin will automatically be unlocked at Tier 0 when a player purchases the battle pass. Two additional operators, Lewis Howard and Isabella Rosario Dulnuan Reyes, will be added before the season comes to an end.

Players who purchase the battle pass bundle will also receive an additional Legendary "Battleprepped" operator skin for Polina Petrova. While this legendary skin does outfit Petrova with a gas mask, it is purely cosmetic only. Players will not be protected from gas grenades or the circle collapse in Warzone despite the gas mask.

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Five new weapons are dropping with the battle pass for players to shake up their loadouts with. The Cooper Carbine, Gorenko anti-tank semi-automatic sniper rifle, Sawtooth melee weapon, and Katana will all be a part of the battle pass launch, with the first three being unlocked via battle pass progression. Later in the season we will also see the Welgun added to the list of available SMGs.

Over a dozen new weapon blueprints will also be unlockable via battle pass progression, including the Legendary "Dirtdigger" LMG blueprint that will be available for free to players who are in a clan and progress to Tier 55. The Call of Duty franchise store will also see new bundles added for players to throw their COD points, with mastercraft and tracer bundles expected to make their appearance before the end of the year.

Call of Duty: Vanguard zombies new challenges and objectives

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Zombies players will load up "Der Anfang" to find a new objective mode waiting for them. Purge will ask players to eradicate aetherial worms by capturing Control Runes while waves of enemies continuously attack. Sacrificial Hearts will be awarded after each completion, which can be spent at the Altar on one of 14 new Covenant upgrades that are being added for Season 1.

Players are able to access the new weapons unlocked via the battle pass in loadouts and the Mystery Box once they're unlocked via the battle pass. Additionally, all four Launchers are making their way to Zombies loadouts with Season 1.

Treyarch will be adding even more content for Zombies after the new year, including updates to the Mystery Box, Support Killstreaks courtesy of the Warmachine and Deathmachine, and the often-requested Server Pause functionality. Stalingrad will also see a makeover for the upcoming Festive Fervor mid-season event.

Call of Duty: Warzone anti-cheat and Pacific map

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Verdansk — the map that has been the primary playground for the free-to-play battle royale, Call of Duty: Warzone, since its launch — has seen some cosmetic changes over the course of its integration with one of the best Xbox shooters, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, but none were as transformative as the changes made for Vanguard. Season one of Vanguard brings about a much-anticipated refresh for Call of Duty: Warzone as players will be transported back to World War II's Pacific Front on the new Caldera map.

Caldera is not the only big change coming to Warzone, as Raven Software will be introducing RICOCHET Anti-Cheat alongside the other changes. Ricochet is an anti-cheat security initiative that was internally developed for Vanguard and Warzone via a PC kernel-level driver. The Asia-Pacific region will be the first to see Ricochet activated, with Raven Software planning to expand the active regions at an undisclosed future date.

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

A new Vanguard Royale mode will also be introduced that will be centered around WWII-era rules and will feature dogfighting planes and anti-air combat. Additionally there will be bombing runs that occur randomly throughout each game. Vanguard Royale will launch alongside standard Battle Royale and Plunder modes, where players will be able to access all of the killstreaks, loadouts, operators, and more from the last three Call of Duty premium titles.

Along with weapon balancing, Warzone will benefit from the addition of new vehicles like the fighter plane and utility truck, new contracts including Big Game Bounty, and new public events such as a restock that leads to all loot boxes closing and refilling with new loot. It's not all new additions, however, as the Stopping Power field upgrade is removed from loot and Loadout markers are limited to only being available for purchase after the first initial round of free loadouts have dropped.

While the Rebirth Island map is available for all players to access during the Pacific early access phase, the map will also be temporarily removed from Call of Duty: Warzone following the event. Rebirth Island is expected to be returned with the Week 2 playlist update on Dec. 16.

Call of Duty: Vanguard

Call of Duty: Vanguard and Warzone's season 1 content delayed

eternalrhage@gmail.com (Cole Martin) — Fri, 19 Nov 2021 21:45:17 +0000

Source: Activision Blizzard (Image credit: Source: Activision Blizzard)

What you need to know

Call of Duty: Vanguard's rollout of Season 1 has been delayed until December 8.
Vanguard owners will have 24-hour exclusive access to Warzone's new map, Caldera.
The delay comes as Activision struggles with the fallout of reports detailing its CEO's mishandling of harassment accusations.
Employees have staged walkouts and signed petitions urging for Bobby Kotick's resignation.

There are few things in this world as reliable as Call of Duty. The annual franchise is rarely at odds with its formulaic scheduling. On Friday, November 19, the official Call of Duty account tweeted an announcement that the upcoming Season One content — originally planned for December 2 — would now be pushed back until December 8.

Season one for Call of Duty: Vanguard is slated to bring new content for multiplayer and zombies, as well as make changes to Warzone with the new Pacific map, Caldera. Players who own Call of Duty: Vanguard will have 24 hours of early access to the Caldera map, which is now expected to launch in Warzone for everybody on December 9. The Last Days of Verdansk events in Warzone will be extended to the new release date.

Update: Season 1 of #Vanguard and Warzone Pacific will now release Dec. 8.

Vanguard owners will have 24-hour exclusive first play access to the Caldera map. Open access begins on Dec. 9. pic.twitter.com/GnnYCp6g75Update: Season 1 of #Vanguard and Warzone Pacific will now release Dec. 8.

Vanguard owners will have 24-hour exclusive first play access to the Caldera map. Open access begins on Dec. 9. pic.twitter.com/GnnYCp6g75— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) November 19, 2021 November 19, 2021

The delay comes about as Call of Duty's publisher, Activision, struggles with the fallout surrounding reports from The Wall Street Journal that CEO Bobby Kotick knew about the sexual misconduct allegations against his employees but did nothing. Activision was already experiencing backlash following a lawsuit alleging labor violations and a 'frat boy' culture at the company. However, the reports from WSJ helped spur a series of employee walkouts across Activision.

Best Call of Duty: Vanguard weapon loadouts

eternalrhage@gmail.com (Cole Martin) — Fri, 19 Nov 2021 00:00:02 +0000

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

There are nearly as many different playstyles for Call of Duty's multiplayer as there are people playing the game. Still, certain weapons eventually find their way to the top of everybody's custom class list, ultimately becoming the "meta" for the game, until a patch comes along to either nerf or buff them.

At launch, there were over 30 firearms in Call of Duty: Vanguard's weapon list. You'll have to reach level 55 overall to have access to all of the weapons and perks, however, and you'll also need to level up each weapon gradually via its own XP system before you can access all attachments. This is a good opportunity to experiment with what attachments and weapons best suit your playstyle.

Currently, it seems the majority of players are holding on to the STG-44 and MP40 as they're both readily available, and using them heavily while leveling up to gain access to other guns unlocks a majority of their attachments. If you're looking to branch out and try another class, however, we have some of the best loadouts currently available regardless of your playstyle.

Run and gun loadouts

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

Run and gun players have taken a pretty heavy hit as far as Vanguard's multiplayer is concerned. Sledgehammer Games has introduced a severe "bloom" mechanic into Vanguard, which causes assault rifles and SMGs to have bullet spread when continuously firing. This results in shots becoming less accurate at medium to long range, and becomes worse the longer the player holds the trigger down.

Traditionally, players may have wanted to go for attachments that would increase weapon aspects like sprint to fire time or damage velocity for a run and gun build, but the bloom mechanic turns that plan on its head. Instead, Vanguard makes it necessary to find a balance between accuracy and sprint to fire time, however.

Close quarters run and gun

Primary: PPSH-41

Marauder flash hider
ZAC 300MM barrel
Slate reflector optic
ZAC folding stock
M1930 Strife angled underbarrel
8MM Nambu 71 round magazine
Lengthened ammo
Fabric grip
Steady proficiency
Quick kit

Secondary: Panzerfaust

Perk 1: Ninja

Perk 2: Engineer

Perk 3: Lightweight

Lethal: Gammon Bomb

Tactical: No 69 Stun Grenade

Field Upgrade: Dead drop

Mid-range run and gun

Primary: NZ-41

Iscove flash hider
Orbweaver custom barrel
Slate reflector optic
Ravenwood padded stock
Carver foregrip underbarrel
.303 British 20 round fast mags
Subsonic ammo
Leather grip
Unmarked proficiency
On-hand kit

Secondary: MK11 Launcher

Perk 1: Cold Blooded

Perk 2: Engineer

Perk 3: Scavenger

Lethal: Gammon bomb

Tactical: Decoy grenade

Field Upgrade: Dead silence

Shotgunner

Primary: Combat Shotgun

M87 full choke muzzle
No optic
Wire custom stock
12 gauge 5 round tube magazine
Slug ammo
Fabric grip
Quick kit

Secondary: Klauser

Perk 1: Ghost

Perk 2: Tracker

Perk 3: Lightweight

Lethal: Gammon bomb

Tactical: MK V gas

Field Upgrade: Dead silence

Tactical camper loadouts

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

Call of Duty fans have a long, sordid history with the term "camper." Realistically, though, if you're playing an objective-based mode that requires defending a specific point having the entire team scooting across the map at breakneck speed doesn't really help anybody win. That's where tactical campers become the unsung heroes of multiplayer.

Sniper rifles and marksman rifles do not suffer from the aforementioned bloom mechanic, so we're not forced to give up perks that can hasten aim down sight time. However, the majority of the sniper rifles in Call of Duty: Vanguard are bolt action due to the time period. If you want something that is going to fire a little more rapidly, you can opt for an assault rifle instead. Assault rifles do suffer from the bloom mechanic, but this can be circumvented by pressing left on the D pad to convert your weapon to a single shot instead of an automatic or semi-automatic fire pattern. You will have to pull the trigger more rapidly for multiple shots, but your shots will be more accurate.

Variable marksman

Primary: G-43

F8 stabilizer muzzle
Wyvern burst barrel
ZF4 3.5X rifle scope
Fitzherbert reinforced stock
M1941 hand stop underbarrel
Shrouded proficiency
Deep breath kit

Secondary: Gracey Auto

Perk 1: Cold Blooded

Perk 2: Forward Intel

Perk 3: Overkill

Lethal: Thermite

Tactical: S-Mine 44

Field Upgrade: Jammer

Single-fire assault

Primary: BAR

Iscove flash hider muzzle
Cooper 21-inch scythe barrel
M19 4.0x flip optic
Chariot WR stock
M3 ready grip underbarrel
8MM Klauser 20 round mags
Frangible ammo
Taped grip
Driller proficiency
Surplus kit

Secondary: Ratt

Perk 1: Cold Blooded

Perk 2: Piercing Vision

Perk 3: Tactician

Lethal: Gammon Bomb

Tactical: S-Mine 44

Field Upgrade: Jammer

Tactical sniper

Primary: 3-line rifle

Mercury silencer muzzle
270mm voz carbine barrel
Type 97 5x telescope optic
Kovelevskaya S01 stock
Mark VI skeletal underbarrel
.30-06 20 round mags
Armor-piercing ammo
Leather grip
Awareness proficiency
Deep breath kit

Secondary: Machine pistol

Perk 1: Cold Blooded

Perk 2: Piercing Vision

Perk 3: Tactician

Lethal: Thermite

Tactical: S-Mine 44

Field Upgrade: Field mic

Multiplayer mix-ups

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

Sometimes even the staunchest objective-minded player needs to stretch their legs and become one of multiplayer's agents of chaos. Noob tubers and panic knifers have quite a bit less to choose from as far as Call of Duty: Vanguard goes, but there is still some wiggle room for those who can't help but want to bring a knife to a gunfight.

Turtle power

Primary: Combat Shield

Secondary: Gracey Auto

AS smoothbore muzzle
Chariot sport stock

Perk 1: Fortified

Perk 2: High Alert

Perk 3: Overkill

Lethal: Gammon bomb

Tactical: No 69 stun grenade

Field Upgrade: Armor plates

Knife and shield

Primary: Combat Shield

Secondary: FS Fighting Knife

Perk 1: Ghost

Perk 2: Engineer

Perk 3: Lightweight

Lethal: Throwing knife

Tactical: Smoke grenade

Field Upgrade: Dead silence

As always with Call of Duty, the overpowered weapons that reach the meta rarely stay on top for long. Changes to weapon balance are inevitable as Sledgehammer Games and the other supporting studios look forward to the upcoming changes to Call of Duty: Vanguard. Call of Duty: Warzone's merger with Vanguard, as well as the first season of new content are expected in December, even as the franchise's publisher, Activision-Blizzard, continues to face repercussions surrounding lawsuits alleging labor violations and workplace harassment.

Call of Duty: Vanguard

Call of Duty: Vanguard is the latest title in Activision's annual first-person shooter franchise. The World War II-era blockbuster will put players on all four fronts of the war via an alternative timeline that centers around the birth of Task Force 1, an elite Special Ops team. Vanguard also includes access to multiplayer, the intense and fast-paced PvP Call of Duty experience we all know and love, as well as the prequel events for the Dark Aether storyline for Zombies.

Call of Duty Vanguard sales in the UK plummet, showing a general downward trend

Rizwan Anwer — Sun, 14 Nov 2021 19:41:34 +0000

What you need to know

Call of Duty Vanguard is the latest entry in the series but continues to have a sales problem in the UK.
Compared to Cold War, digital and physical sales of the game plummeted.
Activision has yet to release numbers for Vanguard's performance.

Call of Duty Vanguard is the latest to the series and continues the franchise's tradition of taking players back to the wars of past. With last year's installment, Call of Duty Black ops Cold War took us back to the Cold War in the 1980's, Vanguard takes us back to the days of World War 2, albeit with some controversial technological advancements that fly in the face of authenticity.

Reported first by GameIndustry, the numbers for Activision's latest FPS are dwindling, and trailing continuing a trend of weak sales performance following last year's Black Ops Cold War.

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

The numbers don't the title any favors as it shows a decrease of 26% when compared to Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War in physical sales, and digital sales fell to a staggering 44%.

In comparison, Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War had a fall of 64% in physical sales when compared to Call of Duty Modern Warfare (2019), but compensated for it with a rise of 39% in digital sales in the UK. Typically, UK physical sales declines could be attributed to the generally weak performance of physical media in the country. The digital sales tell a bleaker picture, though, which seem to indicate that all versions of the game are struggling. Until we receive analysis from other retail regions, it's tough to say if other parts of the world share the UK's sentiment for Call of Duty's latest entry.

Call of Duty Vanguard is currently out and is available for the Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One X|S, PC, PS4, and PS5.

Best option

Call of Duty: Vanguard — Cross-Gen Bundle

The bundle for most players

Call of Duty: Vanguard is here but you may run into some problems or server issues while you're trying to play. If you do, know that you're not alone.

Call of Duty: Vanguard multiplayer — Beginners tips and tricks

eternalrhage@gmail.com (Cole Martin) — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 22:00:02 +0000

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Everybody starts somewhere, but if you're just starting out in Call of Duty: Vanguard's multiplayer you can find yourself quickly overwhelmed by settings, map design, and the sheer volume of weapons at your disposal. Thankfully, we can help you get your bearings with some handy tips and tricks. You'll be bunny hopping around corners with a shotgun loaded with incendiary shells just like the pros in no time.

Set your sensitivity

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

This may go without saying, but fidgeting with your game settings is incredibly important to success in multiplayer games. That's even more true in Call of Duty: Vanguard, where players have the opportunity to fine tune a plethora of settings that can affect everything from depth of field while aiming to what audio plays through which specific source. Unfortunately, finding the settings that work best for you is trial and error. The best way to approach testing out different settings is to load into a private custom game, so you can try out various options without having a lasting negative effect on your elim/death ratio.

One of the first settings you're going to want to adjust is your aim sensitivity, which affects how responsive your character movements are based on the movement of your thumbsticks or mouse. Vanguard's default setting for vertical and horizontal sensitivity is 3, which can make movement in the game feel cumbersome but does allow for more control and precision when aiming. If you'd like to be able to turn around on a dime, you're going to want to crank the sensitivity up.

Change your field of view

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

The addition of a FOV (field of view slider) on consoles is relatively new. Call of Duty: Vanguard's FOV defaults to 80, which is fairly zoomed in and limits how much situational awareness you have in regards to what is going on around you. Increasing your FOV for a better view of the battlefield does come at a cost, however, as players can appear smaller in their surroundings, leading to the inevitable "I didn't even see that guy" reaction when someone takes you out from a distance.

The best way to approach testing out different settings is to load into a private custom game.

While Vanguard does allow all players to increase their FOV to a max of 120, it's important to note that going above 107 when using a controller invalidates aim assist. This makes a FOV value of 95-105 the sweet spot for most controller users. Mouse and keyboard users may not struggle quite as much with the smaller targets and precision aim, however, so a FOV value of 105-115 may be a more viable option.

In addition to the standard FOV slider, there is the option to have an Independent or Affected FOV. Setting your FOV to Independent allows for your view to be zoomed in when you're aiming down the sights of your weapon, which can help nullify the aforementioned issues with enemies appearing small. However, some players may find the shifting between the standard FOV setting and the zoomed in FOV jarring, especially if they jump from aiming to sprinting often. In that case, an Affected FOV is a better option, as it removes the potentially jarring zoom when aiming in favor of a consistent view.

Start small with combat pacing

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Call of Duty: Vanguard is the first game in the franchise to offer Combat Pacing, a multiplayer playlist mechanic that allows for more variability by adjusting the number of combatants on a map for each match. There are three modes for Combat Pacing: Tactical, Assault, and Blitz.

Tactical pacing is what classic Call of Duty veterans will recognize as 6v6 teams. On most maps, the lower enemy count can give you a little more time to get a feel for the lay of the land before you run into potential combat. Once you've become comfortable with typical enemy paths, you can ramp up to Assault or Blitz pacing for larger team sizes and more enemies.

Try out new equipment

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

It is not uncommon for specific loadouts or weapons to become popular in multiplayer, especially in the early days of a new game release when balancing needs a little extra work. Don't let yourself get looped into feeling like you need to play with the current meta weapon, though. There's a lot of value in experimenting with different weapons, attachments, perks, and killstreaks that will work the best with your particular play style and preferences.

Weapon unlocks are staggered with your overall progression level. You may not be a fan of the STG-44, the first readily available assault rifle, but that doesn't mean that you're locked into a game cycle of cowering in the back of the map with an LMG. Work with what you've got, but when a new weapon becomes available don't be afraid to test it out.

Pay attention to attachments

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Weapons earn their own XP, which in turn unlocks new attachments. Switching up your attachments and weapons as well as the remainder of your loadouts can not only keep the multiplayer experience feeling fresh, but it can help you try out new playstyles that you might not have otherwise considered for yourself.

Each new attachment shows off the changes that it will make to your current weapon, such as increased recoil control or decreased aim down sight speed, so take these numbers into consideration with regard to your playstyle. If you are a player who wants to run into the heat of battle, then you're going to focus on attachments that will improve your sprint to sight time, letting you ADS more quickly after running. Somebody that likes to keep their distance, however, may want to focus on attachments that are going to give them more bullet velocity at longer ranges or force enemy player's names to show up from farther away.

Call of Duty: Vanguard

Every weapon in Call of Duty Vanguard multiplayer at launch

eternalrhage@gmail.com (Cole Martin) — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 22:00:02 +0000

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

With the release of each new title to the Call of Duty franchise, there's the thrill of discovering and testing out each new weapon that the game has to offer. For Call of Duty: Vanguard's World War II-era setting, players are given an assortment of rifles, pistols, and even rocket launchers they can use to mow down the opposing teams.

Due to the historical nature of Vanguard, these weapons do feel like they don't pack quite as much punch as those we saw in 2020's Black Ops Cold War. With the right attachments and a good loadout, however, even the most underpowered pistol can rack up an enviable elim/death ratio.

As with previous Call of Duty titles, players unlock weapons by progressing through the initial leveling system. There are 55 levels prior to entering Prestige mode, and players must reach level four before they can create their own custom loadouts. Here is every weapon you can equip to your loadout via Create a Class at the launch of Call of Duty: Vanguard:

Primary weapons

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Choosing a primary weapon often depends on play style choices, but there is a little something for everyone in Vanguard. Assault rifles are full and semi-automatic weaponry with decent damage at mid and long ranges; however because these are modeled after World War II firearms the damage is considerably lower than what players may have gotten used to in Modern Warfare and Cold War, both of which featured more modern weaponry.

Submachine guns — more commonly referred to as SMGs — feature high fire rates but lower damage overall and far less range. They pack a punch for close quarters combat, but they do not hold a candle to the high damage of a shotgun in a small room. That said, shotguns often suffer from low fire rates and slow reload times. Light Machine Guns (or LMGs) feature large clips and high damage output even at long range with decent fire rates but they go the way of the shotgun when it comes time to reload speed.

While any weapon can be equipped with any character skin, players can earn bonus weapon XP if they equip an operator's favorite weapon.

Assault rifles

STG44
Automaton
Itra Burst
Bar
AS44
NZ-41
VOLKSSTURMGEWEHR

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

SMGs

MP-40
Sten
M1928
Owen Gun
Type 100
PPSH-41

Shotguns

Einhorn Revolving
Combat Shotgun
Gracey Auto
Double Barrel

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

LMGs

MG42
DP27
Type 11
Bren

Marksman rifles

M1 Garand
SVT-40
G-43

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Sniper rifles

Type 99
3-Line Rifle
KAR98K

Melee

Combat Shield

Secondary weapons

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Anybody who has ever played the tutorial of a classic Call of Duty title can tell you that it is faster to swap to your secondary than to reload your weapon when you're in the heat of battle. Vanguard's secondary lineup offers a handful of pistols to keep by your side when you are in a pinch, as well as launchers for destroying support vehicles, and one lone melee weapon for those who want to bring a knife to a gunfight.

Handguns

Ratt
Top Break
1911
Klauser
Machine Pistol

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Launchers

M1 Bazooka
Panzerschreck
Panzerfaust
MK11 Launcher

Melee

FS Fighting Knife

The Create a Class system will feel familiar to players who have played Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, with players having access to an armory and shop for weapon blueprints or the gunsmith to customize equipment. Weapons have an XP system that allows players to unlock attachments to change how the weapon performs in matches. There are weapon challenges that can be completed, such as kills while holding your breath or prone, that can help earn extra XP for quicker progression. Attachments and kits can be adjusted via Create a Class.

At launch, there are only the standard camouflage options available for most weapons and the Call of Duty store for Vanguard is only offering one bundle — the Call of Duty Endowment Timeless Pack — which features blueprints for a handgun and marksman rifle. This will undoubtedly change as Vanguard's official Season 1 content rolls out in December. Along with the new content expected with Season 1, Vanguard's weaponry will also be made available for fans of Call of Duty: Warzone — the popular, free-to-play battle royale that's one of the best Xbox shooters — that has functioned as a melting pot for operators and weapons from the last three Call of Duty releases.

Call of Duty: Vanguard

Call of Duty: Vanguard review — A lackluster blockbuster

samuelwtolbert@gmail.com (Samuel Tolbert) — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 13:00:02 +0000

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

Following up on last year's dive into conspiracy, espionage, and deceit with Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, the Sledgehammer Games-led Call of Duty: Vanguard is, for better or worse, a much more grounded, back-to-basics title. Players return to World War II, and mind games and uncertain morals are traded for tried-and-true Nazi killing.

Call of Duty: Vanguard's campaign tells the story of fictional special forces, a team inspired by real people from the war that have been brought together for the purpose of shutting down a secret Nazi project. It's ultimately an alright story, with some solid character building that never realizes its full potential amidst select blockbuster moments from across the various theaters of the war.

Multiplayer returns with a few tweaks, alongside some irritating issues that may not undermine the entire experience but do bring it down a bit. While there's yet another variant of Zombies, it's ultimately a disappointment, with changes and limitations that sink the entire escapade.

Call of Duty: Vanguard isn't a bad game but I don't see it joining the ranks of the best Xbox games available right now, and I can only recommend it to the Call of Duty hardcore player that needs a new experience every single year.

Call of Duty: Vanguard

Bottom line: Call of Duty: Vanguard's campaign and multiplayer are serviceable enough, but nothing exceptional for the series, while Zombies is disappointingly limited in scope and ideas.

Pros

Stellar visuals
Solid sound design
Great character performances

Cons

Mediocre campaign
Uninspired multiplayer
Technical issues

Disclaimer: This review was made possible by a copy of the game purchased by Windows Central.

Call of Duty: Vanguard — What I liked

Straight away, Call of Duty: Vanguard looks fantastic, especially running on Xbox Series X. Unlike Treyarch, which uses its own branch of the Call of Duty engine, Sledgehammer Games is opting to share technology and uses the latest version of Infinity Ward's Modern Warfare engine. From the roaring fires of downed planes and burning buildings to lush jungles, it's some of the best that Call of Duty has ever looked.

Category	GameNameXXX
Title	Call of Duty: Vanguard
Developer	Sledgehammer Games
Publisher	Activision
Genre	First-person shooter
Xbox Version	Xbox Series X
Game Size	94.2GB
Play Time	6 hours (campaign)
Players	Singleplayer campaign, 24-players multiplayer
Xbox GamePass	No
Launch Price	$70

The game also introduces destroyable cover. While it's limited to doors and wooden planks, this destruction adds a small new layer to the gameplay and looks fantastic in motion, like when machine guns and grenades tear a room to shreds.

Across the campaign, we see select highlights in the backstories of the four protagonists — Arthur Kingsley, Polina Petrova, Lucas Riggs and Wade Jackson — that take us to some of the big battlefields of the war, from the Allied invasion of France and the Battle of Midway to the fight in Africa and war-torn Stalingrad. Having a campaign touch on four major theaters of the war is a great approach, especially the levels set in Africa against Rommel's forces, a setting that Call of Duty hasn't touched since the second game of the series.

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

Call Of Duty Vanguard Campaign (Image credit: Windows Central)

Source: Windows Central

This team is put together as a kind of "What if" scenario, asking the question of what would've happened if the Allies had put together the first-ever Special Forces team in history as the war began to draw to a close. On their first mission, the team is captured and interrogated by Nazis, providing the backdrop for learning the history of all four characters.

We get solid enough performances from these four, with Laura Bailey as Polina Petrova (or Lady Nightingale) and Chiké Okonkwo as Arthur Kingsley as highlights. Each character is given backstory to develop why they stood out as special and why they were selected. Of particular note are a handful of scenes set in Stalingrad prior to the devastating battle, which gives a glimpse at simple Russian home life and helps flesh out the motivations for Petrova.

Each character is given backstory to develop why they stood out as special and why they were selected.

It's a short campaign, running barely six hours on regular difficulty and while I wish more time had been devoted to the characters in question actually meeting by the grand finale (more on that below), you definitely buy they're a team, with everybody playing a part in ensuring the downfall of the Reich.

The campaign's sound design is also great, with weapon reloads and firings a nice standout. Whether it's the classic ping of the M1 Garand or the buzzsaw noise of an MG42, it sounds like World War II through and through. God of War composer Bear McCreary provides the score, which is appropriately epic, and each character gets their own unique theme that starts small but builds into one unified roar.

While the campaign is the visual showpiece, it's worth mentioning that the visuals in the multiplayer have been improved from the beta. Players on current-generation hardware even have the option of running the game at 120 FPS.

Diving into the multiplayer's mechanics, Sledgehammer Games has opted to provide "combat pacing" settings. This means you can choose to search for matches that are more methodical or frenzied killboxes, irrespective of the map or mode. It's an interesting approach and one I'd like to see more games pull from.

Call of Duty: Vanguard — What I didn't like

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

The biggest fault of the campaign is in the story it's trying to tell. Despite the focus on the team, we only ever learn their backstories, and never actually see them come together. The narrative instead just jumps back and forth between the interrogations and various years of the war, seeing some part of the pivotal role they played. It's strange seeing a chemistry and pseudo-comradery in what is supposed to be the world's first Special Forces team, something that should be a big deal.

Instead, things are played bizarrely safe. The campaign ends up feeling like a prequel to another story that doesn't exist yet. Going for an ahistorical approach is compelling, so I'm surprised to see that the game doesn't lean into it. We jump straight from the defining moments of the war to a team that suddenly know each other and operate as a unit, but never see how they meet or operate. If we get to see this fictional crew again, I hope we get some more detail.

The campaign ends up feeling like a prequel to another story that doesn't yet exist

While the multiplayer has been mostly alright so far, there's also not much that's new, outside of the aforementioned pacing system and the two new modes introduced during the game's previews: Patrol and Champion Hill. It's more of the same, which isn't bad, but it certainly lacks innovation. The only thing that really stands out is the spawn system, but not in a good way. I'm frequently finding myself spawning right in front or behind enemy players and vice versa, even in non-Blitz pacing matches. It's frenetic and confusing in a bad way.

I have to mention that the game's stability also hasn't been great, with several launch issues. During the campaign, Call of Duty: Vanguard would repeatedly get stuck at a black screen after I completed a mission, forcing me to start over again. Multiplayer has proven even worse so far, with frequent crashes when entering the multiplayer section or finishing a match. Load times were never an issue thanks to the internal SSD in my console, but this happening repeatedly got old fast and it's something I hope the developers can address soon.

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

The game's Zombies mode, helmed by Treyarch, is lackluster in practically every respect. Instead of the usual wave-based survival that has players trying to complete objectives, it's a series of minigames, teleporting players into a new location for a couple of minutes before pulling them back out.

As a concept, a minigame-based approach isn't even a problem. This shake-up can allow the mode to find its own identity instead of just building on what we got in previous games. However, the implementation is sorely lacking. So much of the enjoyment in a Zombies experience is learning the map and figuring out what portions to unlock first, optimizing routes using minimal cash. There's almost none of that here. It comes down to making sure you're upgrading between rounds and I lost interest faster than I can ever recall in a prior Zombies mode.

Call of Duty: Vanguard — Should you play it?

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

Call of Duty: Vanguard isn't a bad game. While I wish the campaign did more, it's solid fun, the equivalent of the average summer popcorn flick. It's certainly not the worst campaign experience in the franchise, as Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 still exists. The game's multiplayer suite — the crashing and spawn issues aside — is similarly fine, all things considered. Only Zombies stands out as distinctly subpar, with multiple changes that make it feel rotten.

Call of Duty: Vanguard is Activision, and Activision is Call of Duty: Vanguard.

The existence of the game highlights a problem we've been seeing over a few Call of Duty games now. When practically every resource is piled into one experience, the launch of this game is not just the victory and defeats of a single studio but is in fact emblematic of the entire publisher. Sledgehammer Games is the name shoved to the top, but it's followed by Treyarch, Raven Software, Activision Shanghai, and Demonware. Even Infinity Ward, while absent from the opening logo scroll, had a hand in the development of this game, lending technical advice on the use of its engine.

In a way, Call of Duty: Vanguard is Activision, and Activision is Call of Duty: Vanguard. In theory, this is Sledgehammer's newest take on the franchise but in practice, it feels like a distillation of much of what has come before. It's just more Call of Duty, for better or worse.

For someone that needs a new Call of Duty or is desperate for another shooter to play right now, Call of Duty: Vanguard will suffice. Outside of that audience, I'd recommend carefully considering whether or not you want to pick it up, especially in an age of constant patches, changes, and an over-abundance of other multiplayer games to choose from.

Call of Duty: Vanguard

Bottom line: For the absolute hardcore that need a new annual Call of Duty experience, Vanguard will satisfy those needs. For everyone else, you'll want to consider passing.

Call of Duty: Vanguard gets rare launch day discount for Xbox One, Series X|S

matt@windowscentral.com (Matt Brown) — Fri, 05 Nov 2021 19:53:43 +0000

November has brought a new Call of Duty entry, this year with a fresh take on the biggest conflict of the 20th century. It's the latest from developer Sledgehammer Games, traveling back in time with a new Second World War tale, following up on 2017's Call of Duty: WWII. That brings a new single-player campaign, competitive multiplayer, and the fan-favorite Zombies mode.

Call of Duty: Vanguard has now seen a rare day-one discount on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S consoles, with an opportunity to save 8% on standard pricing. Green Man Gaming has discounted all three digital editions, with up to $8 off in the U.S. The sale delivers the lowest prices for Call of Duty: Vanguard so far, providing a launch-day saving straight out of the gate, versus the usual Microsoft Store pricing.

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Call of Duty: Vanguard

Save 8% on Call of Duty: Vanguard

Call of Duty: Vanguard jumps back in time to the height of the Second World War. The latest entry in the best-selling shooter franchise stows an epic single-player campaign, plus fan-favorite competitive multiplayer and Zombies modes. It's now 8% off, marking a rare launch day discount for Xbox players.

The discount cuts 8% off the standard Xbox One version of the game, plus the cross-gen edition bundling Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S copies into a single package. The Xbox One standard edition totals $56, providing a small saving over Microsoft's usual $60 pricing. The Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One bundle costs $65 versus the normal $70 RRP. Those upgrading to the Ultimate Edition, which grants both Xbox versions and exclusive rewards, drops from $100 to just $92.

While these discounted Xbox codes aren't hugely discounted over regular pricing, it's still a reduction otherwise missed via the Xbox store. The discount only applies on digital Xbox copies, providing a one-time use 25-digit code redeemable via your Xbox console. Green Man Gaming is also among the few reputable third-party stores for cheaper Xbox consoles, following a formal expansion into digital Xbox games back in 2020.

Call of Duty: Vanguard launched on Nov. 5, 2021, to largely favorable reviews, marking the next entry in the best-selling series. The military first-person shooter remains a popular name in single-player and multiplayer action, with deep ties to Activision's hit Call of Duty Warzone battle royale. While we're still to publish our full review, it looks set to join the best shooters available on Xbox today.

Call of Duty: Vanguard list of known bugs and launch issues

samuelwtolbert@gmail.com (Samuel Tolbert) — Fri, 05 Nov 2021 03:59:01 +0000

Call of Duty: Vanguard, is now available, with a new campaign, multiplayer suite, and Zombies experience for players to dive into. While there's various editions of Call of Duty Vanguard to choose from, you might run into issues regardless of platform and edition. We're here to help, as we're tracking any known bugs and launch issues in Call of Duty: Vanguard that we come across.

Call of Duty: Vanguard bugs and launch issues

Given the nature of video game launches these days, especially for multiplayer titles, bugs and server problems are an unfortunately common occurence. We're compiling an problems we see across any aspects of the game and logging them below as the inital launch week kicks off. If you don't see the issue you're running into listed below, don't worry, as we'll be updating this article on a frequent basis.

Can't connect to a game

Summary: If you can't access the online functionality of the game.

Quick fix: As Call of Duty: Vanguard just recently went live across all regions, there will probably be server issues, as is common for games like this. You can check the official server status to see if the developers are reporting the problem.

The game crashes

Summary: The game freezes and crashes, normally booting you out to the home screen.

Quick fix: Crashes can be caused be innumerable things, though Activision notes most crashes will happen when playing public multiplayer. If it's happening repeatedly on a frequent basis, make sure your system software is updated with the latest updates available.

On Xbox consoles, you'll find this under Settings. On PS4 and PS5, it'll be under the System Software Update and Settings and System Software Update sections, respectively. PC players will want to make sure they've downloaded the latest graphics drives.

Application unexpectedly stopped working

Summary: The game suddenly crashes on PC, with an error code saying that "The application unexpectedly stopped working" with code number 0x887A0005.

Black screen in campaign

Summary: You get a black screen after completing a campaign mission.

Quick fix: Exit to the home screen of your console or PC, then reboot the game. Your progress should be saved through a checkpoint.

Weapon camos don't progress

Summary: Progress towards a weapon camo for a particular commendation isn't being tracked properly.

Bullets go through combat shield

Summary: The combat shield weapon, when on a player's back, isn't properly blocking bullets like it's supposed to.

Call of Duty: Vanguard is currently available on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC, PS5 and PS4.

Best option

Call of Duty: Vanguard — Cross-Gen Bundle

The bundle for most players

Call of Duty: Vanguard is here but you may run into some problems or server issues while you're trying to play. If you do, know that you're not alone.

Call of Duty Warzone Pacific: Vanguard update release date and what to expect

lowryb3865@gmail.com (Brendan Lowry) — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 19:04:25 +0000

After the launch of Call of Duty: Vanguard, the popular battle royale shooter Call of Duty: Warzone is getting a special "Call of Duty Warzone Pacific" update that ushers in a new age of Vanguard-themed content and concludes the game's sixth season — as well as its focus on Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. But what does that actually mean for Warzone players in terms of available content to enjoy, and how will Call of Duty: Vanguard factor into the experience?

It's a little confusing to say the least, but don't worry — we're here with an in-depth explanation about everything you need to know about the Call of Duty Warzone Pacific update, including when it's expected to release, what you can expect from the update, and more.

Call of Duty Warzone Pacific update: Release date

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

The Call of Duty Warzone Pacific Update is currently slated to release on Dec. 8, 2021 for all platforms, including Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One consoles, PS5, PS4 consoles, and Windows PCs. The update will be free to all players regardless of which platform you play Call of Duty: Warzone on.

Notably, the launch date for the update also lines up with the launch of Season One of both Call of Duty: Vanguard and the updated Call of Duty: Warzone (which is being renamed Call of Duty: Warzone Pacific — more on that below).

Call of Duty Warzone Pacific update: What to expect

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

In terms of what fans can expect from the Call of Duty Warzone Pacific update, there will be a brand new map available for Warzone players to enjoy: Caldera, which is set in the Pacific and features everything from sandy beaches and dense forests to abandoned ruins and a dormant volcano. Caldera will ship with a brand new mode called Vanguard Royale that gives players the opportunity to play battle royale with World War II weapons from Call of Duty: Vanguard.

Additionally, Vanguard Royale will also feature two new vehicles: fighter planes and anti-aircraft trucks. The former will be effective against ground troops and other fighters, while the latter will be an effective tool to take enemy fighters down. Players will also be able to use LMGs and stationary anti-aircraft turrets found throughout Caldera to fight off enemy pilots.

No other weapons or vehicles from Call of Duty: Cold War or Call of Duty: Modern Warfare will be available in this mode, which ensures that new players won't be disadvantaged against players that already have powerful Warzone loadouts from previous seasons. In terms of accessibility for newer players, these restrictions will make Warzone one of the best Xbox shooters available. If you want to use weapons, vehicles, and loadouts that you've earned and upgraded in the past, you'll need to play the standard Battle Royale mode, which features both the Caldera map and Rebirth Island, which is a small-scale map that provides an alternative experience. Your Operators from these games will be available for use in Vanguard Royale, however.

In addition to Vanguard Royale, players can also expect another mode called Vanguard Plunder to come at a later date. While we don't know anything official about Vanguard Plunder yet, we expect it to be a World War II-themed version of Warzone's original Plunder mode that saw players compete to earn $1,000,000 by fighting over extraction zones, destroying AI-controlled helicopters, and more. Since it promoted lots of large-scale battles and was more forgiving than regular battle royale due to the lack of permadeath, Plunder was a fan-favorite playlist. Therefore, players will no doubt be happy to see the mode return with Vanguard Plunder. Standard Plunder is making a comeback as well, which will give fans a chance to use their Modern Warfare and Cold War arsenal in the action-packed game mode.

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

The Call of Duty Warzone Pacific update also represents Call of Duty: Warzone's integration with Call of Duty: Vanguard. When the update goes live on Dec. 8, Warzone will be renamed to Call of Duty: Warzone Pacific and Season One of the "new" game will begin, complete with a new Battle Pass. Your progression through this Battle Pass will be synchronized across Warzone Pacific, Vanguard, Cold War, and Modern Warfare, meaning that you can progress towards earning rewards while playing all of these games. Additionally, the Seasonal Leveling and Prestige System will return with this update. This will reset your rank to Military Rank 1 when the update goes live, but the developers have stressed this only applies to XP. Everything you've unlocked in the past will still be available moving forward.

Prior to the update's arrival and the release of Caldera, Warzone's current Verdansk map will be phased out of the game. It's currently unclear whether or not the developers plan to remove Verdansk permanently, but regardless, the map will be unavailable for a long time following the release of the update. In the days leading up to Warzone's integration with Vanguard, the developers have planned a special send-off for the Verdansk map that will likely provide an in-universe reason for its departure (more on that below).

Finally, the update will also deploy RICOCHET Anti-Cheat onto the PC version of the game, which should help combat the hacker issue that Warzone has faced in recent months. The developers say that this kernel-level driver will significantly bolster Warzone's anti-cheat effectiveness, but in-game reporting tools will still be available for players to use if they encounter someone breaking the rules.

Call of Duty Warzone Pacific update: Pre-release timeline

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

In the weeks and days leading up to Dec. 8 and the launch of the Call of Duty Warzone Pacific update, there will be several in-game events, challenges, and more for players to experience before Season One of Warzone Pacific begins. Here's a full overview of everything you can expect prior to Season One's arrival:

November 5: Call of Duty: Vanguard Launch – Expect epic experiences on all fronts with Campaign, Multiplayer, and Zombies. Additionally, RICOCHET Anti-Cheat begins its implementation with server-side initiatives.
November 5 to December 2: Preseason in Vanguard – Access to Free Vanguard Tiers on the Black Ops Cold War Season Six Battle Pass System continues. Then on November 17, prepare to ship off to a fan-favorite map.
November 18: Operation: Flashback Begins in Warzone – An encore limited-time mode for Verdansk, celebrating its past 18 months of hosting over 100 million players strong in Warzone. Ready for your last dance in Verdansk?
November 24: Uncover the "Secrets of the Pacific" - Get intel on Caldera and its new points of interest through this event's Warzone and Vanguard Multiplayer challenges.
November 30 and December 1: Last Hours of Verdansk. – Bombs away – see what happens to Verdansk before Warzone goes dark to prepare for Caldera and Season One.
December 8: Season One Begins – Vanguard players get new Multiplayer maps, 24 hours of exclusive access to Call of Duty: Warzone Pacific and more to kick off Season One. All players can enjoy a new Battle Pass system and two free functional weapons. Plus: RICOCHET Anti-Cheat's driver begins its rollout in Warzone.

Battle royale, CoD style

Call of Duty: Warzone

Be the last one standing

Call of Duty: Warzone is more popular than ever, and with the incoming arrival of Call of Duty: Vanguard, Warzone is getting a brand new map, WWII-themed weapons and vehicles, and synchronization with the latest Call of Duty title.

Best option

Call of Duty: Vanguard — Cross-Gen Bundle

The bundle for most players

The cross-gen version of Call of Duty: Vanguard is the best looking version available, making it ideal for folks on next-gen consoles. Thanks to synchronization with Warzone, you'll be able to work towards earning Battle Pass rewards while playing both games.

Call of Duty: Vanguard launch time — When you can play, download size, and more

samuelwtolbert@gmail.com (Samuel Tolbert) — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 18:31:54 +0000

Call of Duty: Vanguard is the latest entry in the long-running, annual first-person shooter franchise. This year's outing is led by Sledgehammer Games, with support from almost every other studio under Activision. There are different editions of Call of Duty: Vanguard available for purchase, meaning you're set no matter what your needs are. If you're eager to start playing and not sure how much space you need to free up on your gaming setup, we've got you covered. Here are the launch times for Call of Duty: Vanguard.

Call of Duty: Vanguard — Release date

Call of Duty: Vanguard is scheduled to launch on Nov. 5, 2021. Call of Duty games generally launch somewhere in October or November, just in time for the holiday period. A major exception to this rule was Call of Duty: Warzone, the free-to-play battle royale title that launched in March 2020.

Call of Duty: Vanguard — Launch times

Call of Duty: Vanguard, like the majority of major games in modern times, has a universal unlock time for when the servers go live. Here are a few different regions and timezones, as well as the accompanying time and day that Call of Duty: Vanguard unlocks.

Region/time zone	Time
Seattle (PT)	9:00 p.m, Nov. 4
New York (ET)	12:00 a.m, Nov. 5
London (GMT)	4:00 a.m, Nov. 5
Berlin (CET)	5:00 a.m, Nov. 5
Tokyo (JST)	1:00 p.m, Nov. 5
Sydney (AEDT)	3:00 p.m, Nov. 5

Call of Duty: Vanguard — Preload and download size

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Preloads for Call of Duty: Vanguard are now live, with the install size being different depending on the version you're playing.

Platform	Download Size	Required Space
Xbox Series X	61 GB	61 GB
Xbox Series S	61 GB	61 GB
Xbox One	56.6 GB	56.6 GB
PC	61 GB	61 GB
PS5	64.13 GB	89.84 GB
PS4	54.65 GB	93.12 GB

Note that the PC version has the option to use the Hi-Rez Assets Cache, which will increase the download size by up to an additional 64 GB if it isn't turned off.

The install size of the game on current-generation machines is smaller than on some older Call of Duty games thanks to the ultra-fast internal SSDs. This means that the game can be more optimized, so textures aren't repeated as often and are easier to reach. Therefore, the overall size of the game is somewhat smaller than if it had to be installed on a mechanical hard drive.

Best option

Call of Duty: Vanguard — Cross-Gen Bundle

The bundle for most players

If you intend to play on Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S, this is the version of the game to grab. You'll want it to look and run as good as possible, which does mean it'll be a bit more expensive.

Call of Duty: Vanguard PC recommended PC specs revealed

eternalrhage@gmail.com (Cole Martin) — Tue, 02 Nov 2021 14:00:02 +0000

Source: Activision Blizzard (Image credit: Source: Activision Blizzard)

WIth just days to go until the release of Call of Duty: Vanguard, Sledgehammer Games —along with PC lead developers, Beenox — have released a new trailer detailing the recommended specs for the PC version of the game. The recommended specs cover a variety of potential settings including minimum and recommended requirements as well as ideal specs for both competitive and 4K play.

Minimum Requirements

OS: Windows 10 64-bit (latest update)
CPU: Intel Core i3-4340 or AMD FX-6300
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 36GB at launch for multiplayer and Zombies only.
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 or AMD Radeon RX 470
Video Memory: 2GB

Recommended Specs

OS: Windows 10 64-bit (latest update) or Windows 11 64-bit (latest update)
CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K or AMD Ryzen 5 1600x
RAM: 12GB
Storage: 61GB at launch
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 580
Video Memory: 4GB

Competitive Specs

OS: Windows 10 64-bit (latest update) or Windows 11 64-bit (latest update)
CPU: Intel Core i7-8700K or AMD Ryzen 7 1800x
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 61GB at launch
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070/RTX 3060 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 5700XT
Video Memory: 8GB

Ultra 4K Specs

OS: Windows 10 64-bit (latest update) or Windows 11 64-bit (latest update)
CPU: Intel Core i9-9900K or AMD Ryzen 9 3900x
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 61GB at launch
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 or AMD Radeon RX 6800XT
Video Memory: 10GB

It is important to note that the minimum specs released with regard to storage only cover a modified install that includes multiplayer and Zombies modes. The Hi-Rez assets cache that makes use of additional disk space to stream high resolution assets will add an extra 32GB to the install file for minimum, recommended, and competitve settings while the Ultra 4K assets will add an extra 64GB to the install size. Beenox also recommends NVIDIA driver version 472.12 or AMD driver version 21.9.1 at launch.

Players who have preordered Call of Duty: Vanguard digitally on Battle.net will be able to begin preloading the game on Tuesday, Nov. 2 at 10am PT. All players who preorder Vanguard digitally will receive Task Force One leader Arthur Kingsley and the "Night Raid" mastercraft SMG for use immediately in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, as well as the Frontline Weapons Pack that will be available in Vanguard at launch.

Return to WWII

Call of Duty: Vanguard

Coming Nov. 5!

Are people tired of Call of Duty?

samuelwtolbert@gmail.com (Samuel Tolbert) — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 16:00:03 +0000

Call of Duty is one of the most certain, iron-clad guarantees in the entire gaming industry. Every single year, there'll be a new entry in the blockbuster first-person shooter franchise, a game that's usually led by one particular studio but is in reality the result of collaboration among over 1,000 developers across numerous teams. Every single year, Call of Duty is one of the best-selling games that year, despite launching fairly late in the calendar. If there isn't a new title from Rockstar Games, then Call of Duty will be the best-selling game that year.

Every single year, people complain loudly on social media that they're tired of Call of Duty. So, are they really? The answer is honestly quite complicated and in order to truly understand why some people feel exhausted with Call of Duty, it's important to understand the events leading to the current situation. Let's dive into a quick history of the entire franchise and at what point the problems started adding up.

From small beginnings to a successful franchise

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

The story begins in 2003 with the first Call of Duty. It's a World War II shooter developed by Infinity Ward, a studio acquired by publisher Activision after the game's launch is a success. In preparation for the launch of the Xbox 360, Infinity Ward grows significantly (from around 25 staff members to well over 100) and launches Call of Duty 2 in 2005. Notably, there's no new game in 2004: a lone skipped year that has not happened since.

Call of Duty 2 is another hit, selling over 1.4 million copies and prompting Infinity Ward to start work on the 2007 entry, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Eager to see these successes not skip another year, Activision brings in one of its internal studios, Treyarch, to develop Call of Duty 3 in time for a 2006 launch. Treyarch previously worked on the 2005 spinoff Call of Duty 2: Big Red One but now, the team is a mainline developer for the franchise.

The two-year cycle begins and continues quite successfully for a time, with Modern Warfare selling over 7 million copies in 2007 alone. Treyarch delivers Call of Duty: World at War in 2008, a game that sells over 3 million copies in its first two months. World at War also packs in Zombies: a mode that started as something of a hidden extra but would soon become an increasingly pivotal mode in the franchise.

Momentum is now on Call of Duty's side, and every game is bigger than the last. 2009's Modern Warfare 2 from Infinity Ward sells 20 million copies in its first year, a record that doesn't even last a year, as Treyarch's Black Ops in 2010 goes on to sell 25 million copies in its first year. Unlike the games developed by Infinity Ward, which opt to include a campaign, multiplayer and "Special Forces" co-op missions, Black Ops eschews Special Forces in favor of Zombies.

A tacked-on extra no longer, this is a fully fleshed-out game mode with a community dedicated to the intricate, complicated easter eggs with Zombies' narrative. Call of Duty is now undeniably a pillar of the gaming industry, but there's trouble brewing.

A three-team juggernaut

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Years of brewing tension between Activision and Infinity Ward leadership Jason West and Vince Zampella reach critical mass in 2010. West and Zampella are fired from the company for insubordination. The two found Respawn Entertainment, attracting dozens of Infinity Ward developers, leaving the studio short-staffed as development was supposed to ramp on the 2011 entry in the series, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Enter Sledgehammer Games.

Founded in 2009 by Dead Space veterans Michael Condrey and Glen Schofield, Sledgehammer Games was originally acquired by Activision with the understanding that the team would work on a third-person action-adventure spin-off for Call of Duty. With the yearly cycle in jeopardy, Sledgehammer seems to have made an agreement: In exchange for co-developing Modern Warfare 3 so it could launch on time, the team would get to lead its own Call of Duty games in the future.

Whatever happened behind closed doors, the bet paid off, with Sledgehammer and a rebuilding Infinity Ward sharing technology and ideas moving forward, while Modern Warfare 3 went on to sell over 26.5 million copies. Treyarch's Black Ops 2 in 2012 would sell over 24 million copies, not quite reaching the heights of Modern Warfare 3 but providing yearly staying power all the same.

The next few years pass without any real notable issues, as Call of Duty: Ghosts, Advanced Warfare, and Black Ops 3 launch in 2013, 2014, and 2015, led by Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer and Treyarch respectively. Call of Duty is now officially on a three-developer cycle, with each team getting three years to prepare, build, and launch its entry. Critical praise dwindles however, with Call of Duty: Ghosts criticized for a lack of new ideas. While the campaign for Black Ops 3 is also criticized, it's easily the best-selling game of the three, further propelling the Black Ops name for the Call of Duty brand.

Better sales than ever, but internal breakdown

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Call of Duty is a victim of its own success in 2016, when Infinity Ward's Infinite Warfare underperforms compared to past titles, while still being the best-selling game of November in the U.S, per NPD. 2017's World War II is developed by Sledgehammer Games, the first return to the setting since World at War in 2008. This is where the problems start to pile up.

In a move widely criticized pre-launch, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 doesn't feature a campaign, instead opting for a Battle Royale called Blackout for its third mode. Per reports from Kotaku, the game was originally planned to feature a campaign, which was scrapped in the final year of development after negative internal testing, with the team pulling together a Battle Royale mode after seeing the popularity of the mode in games like PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds and especially Fortnite.

2019's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare reboot from Infinity Ward saw widespread praise, generating over $1 billion in revenue in under three months. In tandem with support studio Raven Software, Infinity Ward then went on to develop Call of Duty: Warzone, a free-to-play Battle Royale that launched in early 2020.

Meanwhile, 2020's mainline entry dealt with significant problems. Per a report from Kotaku, the game was initially planned as a joint effort between Sledgehammer Games and Raven Software, the latter of which had always been a support team (more on that below). The two companies reportedly butted heads, to the point that the game was softly rebooted, with Treyarch stepping in as co-developer to handle the multiplayer and Zombies, while Raven led the campaign.

The pandemic introduces additional challenges, with work-from-home becoming the standard across gaming studios everywhere. As a result, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is back on track but the combination of this mix-up and the need for regular new updates in Warzone means that the three-year cycle has effectively been thrown off track.

2020 means no turning back

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

It would be difficult enough if the issues stopped there, but they don't, because another problem has been building this whole time for the past several years. The bigger and more expensive a game is to make, the more developers are generally needed. Bringing in support studios, internal or external, is a common practice. As Call of Duty games have grown, more and more of Activision's internal teams have been taken off of other franchises to support the yearly behemoth, as well as updates for Warzone.

At a rate of one Call of Duty game per year with the addition of Warzone, Activision finds itself exhausting every option for internal support at an alarming rate, continuing to prop up Call of Duty at the expense of every other IP in its portfolio.

High Moon Studios, developer of licensed Transformers games, is moved to support on Warzone and other Call of Duty games. Remaster expert team Vicarious Visions is moved into Blizzard Entertainment. The team is now separated from Activision projects, instead aiding the work on Diablo 2: Resurrected. Toys for Bob, developer of the Skylanders games, as well as the Spyro Reignited Trilogy, is also moved into support, working on Warzone and Call of Duty: Vanguard.

The result: Activision is now a publisher dedicated to a single franchise. Every internal team left is on Call of Duty. Every single card that can be played to keep the juggernaut going has been played.

What happens next?

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

The end result of all this is that, more so than ever before, Call of Duty simply isn't allowed to breathe in the same vein as other franchises. There isn't room for innovation if there isn't a clear three-year cycle, and it's not clear when or if that three-year cycle will ever return.

Infinity Ward is the only Activision studio not working on Call of Duty: Vanguard and is widely reported to be working on Modern Warfare 2 for 2022. If so, Infinity Ward's had a full three years to work on this game, but not other studio has, throwing whatever game is scheduled for 2023 (and beyond) into question.

While a Call of Duty game used to be a yearly event, it's now that and more. A more casual player who used to get their enjoyment from a new Call of Duty's multiplayer every year can now simply enjoy Warzone, with changes and updates added on a regular basis.

Call of Duty: Vanguard is currently set to launch on Nov. 5, 2021. In our preview of Call of Duty: Vanguard's multiplayer, we found it to be a mixed bag, with the multiplayer introducing a couple of new ideas but for the most part relying on the tried and true formula.

Compounding this, Activision Blizzard is facing a lawsuit alleging the company has allowed a systemic sexist workplace environment to develop. While not directly affecting the development of any games, a lot of players who are potentially iffy on picking up a new Call of Duty may be keeping this news in mind. This is especially true in a year with two other major shooters launching: Xbox Game Studios' Halo Infinite and Electronic Arts' Battlefield 2042.

With all of that said: Are people tired of Call of Duty? Yes, many are. But many aren't, and will continue to buy it, especially if they're interested in the singleplayer campaign being offered. It's beyond extremely unlikely that Call of Duty: Vanguard won't sell well, but even fans interested in this year's outing should bear in mind the things facing the franchise moving forward.

Generally speaking, I like Call of Duty games. I enjoy the casual, laid-back multiplayer environment and the straightforward nature of the campaigns. Part of enjoying Call of Duty games is wanting the franchise to continue in a healthy fashion. The people who make Call of Duty are passionate about what they do. I hope Activision gives the teams not only the resources but, moving forward, the time needed to continue making these games.

Get set

Call of Duty: Vanguard — Cross-Gen Bundle

The easy choice

If you intend to play on Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S, this is the version of the game to grab. You'll want it to look and run as good as possible, which does mean it'll be a bit more expensive.

Call of Duty: Vanguard feels tired already, handing Halo Infinite and Battlefield 2042 a big opportunity

Jez Corden — Sat, 25 Sep 2021 20:00:00 +0000

You'd think that Activision would have learned that the appetite for World War II-era shooters has waned after watching Call of Duty: WWII sink off the radar quicker than usual. Competing shooter Battlefield V didn't fare particularly well either, with updates to the game canceled earlier than previously planned. Regardless of this, Activision plowed ahead with yet another WW2 shooter, this time dubbed Call of Duty: Vanguard. If there was any evidence that Call of Duty's various teams are running out of ideas, this is surely it.

I've been playing Call of Duty: Vanguard's open beta for the past few days. I am technically the game's target audience, as an aging curmudgeon who fondly remembers the "glory days" of WW2-styled shooters. I'm also one of those rare gamers who consider Call of Duty: World at War to be their favorite Call of Duty of all time. Crazy, right?

It's with that in mind I'd hoped Call of Duty: Vanguard would bring me back into the CoD fold. There's something undeniably infectious about Call of Duty's brand of twitch shooting, after all. And regardless of what I or anyone else says, we all know it'll be among this year's best-selling games. As was the last one. And the one before that. And the one before that.

Increasingly, though, I wonder how long Activision's stable of Call of Duty-focused studios can get away with simply reskinning last year's entry over and over and over. Call of Duty: Vanguard is still in beta, several weeks away from release. There's something even duller than usual about this year's entry, though, and not something that can be simply smoothed over between now and launch. With games like Halo Infinite and Battlefield 2042 hot on Call of Duty's tail, the lack of quality in Vanguard presents competitors with a unique opportunity.

It's not just the bugs

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

I really, really wanted to like this one, but increasingly it feels like the Call of Duty titles that exist outside of the Treyarch/Infinity Ward paradigm are doomed to mediocrity.

Call of Duty: Vanguard takes place in an "alternative" WW2 setting, featuring weapons and gadgets that defy the technological knowledge of the era. I saw people spawning a mini tank "Goliath" that was basically a reskinned RC-XD remote-controlled bomb, which looked incredibly silly given the setting. World War shooters often tend to strike a darker, more somber tone out of respect for the carnage of the era, but Vanguard seems to just say "screw it," baking in reams of sci-fi stuff that don't make any sense in the time period. Laser dot sights and guided missiles abound.

The lack of inspiration is apparent in every corner of Vanguard's design.

The thing is, they only just slightly don't make sense. It might seem like an odd thing to complain about, but I feel like if you're going to toy around with the facts of history, go all-in. Go full-blown Wolfenstein. It's not like Call of Duty hasn't done this before with CoD: Zombies, with its tesla-inspired steampunk weaponry and demonic enemies. The half-measure in Vanguard just makes me feel like it's all shoehorned in haphazardly and thoughtlessly, with a mindset of, "What abilities can we reskin and reliably port?" as opposed to building something unique. There was certainly an opportunity here to do something fresh with the time period, alas, the lack of inspiration is apparent in every corner of Vanguard's design. If you want modern warfare, why not, I dunno, just make modern warfare?

The weapons available in the beta don't offer the punchy kind of feedback I generally expect of Call of Duty. From the sound effects to the visual cues, everything feels underdeveloped. Of course, it's a beta, and there might be time to rectify some of these aspects, although I doubt we're going to get improvements to the things like map design this late in the game.

Call Of Duty Vanguard Stuff (Image credit: Windows Central / Activision)

Source: Windows Central / Activision

For Call of Duty Vanguard, Sledgehammer and Raven are injecting 24 vs. 24 battles into maps that clearly weren't designed for it. More than once I spawned behind enemy lines, literally on top of enemies sometimes, and racked up massive kill streaks against enemies that hadn't fully loaded back into the game yet. And of course, I had it done to me too. There are also just mountains of bugs with the Xbox Series X|S versions. Visual glitches, shaders exploding, texture load-ins causing stuttering, and full-blown console crashes. Of course, this stuff will be polished over for launch — or at least you'd have to hope as much — but it doesn't shake the feeling that this game is coming in hot.

There's just a general lack of quality and thoughtfulness throughout, it feels like. When I obtained the nine-kills killstreak to spawn dogs, I couldn't help but audibly laugh as they literally popped magically out of thin air. I found myself getting killed by literally nothing at times too, only to learn later that it was "incendiary bullets," which burn you to death even if a player gets off a spray-and-pray bullet on you. There's nothing in-game to tell you that you died to incendiary bullets either. No visual feedback, and it's not even reflected in the kill log. You just slowly die, and there's no counter. I cannot for the life of me imagine why how they could possibly think this is good design.

Getting killed by spray and pray fire bullets is the epitome of fun.

Across the board, I couldn't shake the sense of been there, done that about Vanguard. Fans of the modern Call of Duty games will lament the loss of scorestreaks, which grants access to those powerful on-use abilities as a reward for completing game objectives rather than kills. I am generally a fan of killstreaks, but the fact that the ones on offer are identical to past games again, smacks of unthoughtful, rushed planning. If they decided to take a step backward to killstreaks, why not offer something new in the process? Vanguard has some destructible walls scattered around, and the ability to blind fire around corners is new, although I'm not sure exactly how useful either of them is right now.

It's things like the above that contribute to the sense of fatigue, not only as a player but on the developer side too.

I wish they'd kill the annualized Call of Duty

Source: Windows Central / Activision (Image credit: Source: Windows Central / Activision)

I know this will never happen, as long as people keep buying the game year in, year out. The annualized Call of Duty game has become something of a ritual at this point, with fans lining up to accept whatever lackluster product Activision puts out. And hey, I'm not blaming anyone for it. For all its flaws, Call of Duty still offers a unique feel that even its closest competitors apparently can't emulate. But do we really need the annualized Call of Duty anymore?

Activision shareholders would emphatically say "yes!" but in the era of Call of Duty: Warzone, Call of Duty: Mobile, and on-going updates, I'm increasingly curious whether or not it wouldn't be better for literally everyone, players and devs included, to move Call of Duty to a two-year cadence. Not only would it give the developers time to make something truly fresh and unique, and polished. Activision could continue to harvest infinite amounts of cash from its freemium offerings, and who knows, maybe upping the quality of the mainline games would make them more popular, not less.

Not many people know this, but dogs in the 1940s had the ability to appear out of thin air.

I realize what I'm saying is futile, though. I also realize I'm in the minority. Nobody really cares that Call of Duty's servers are laggy, with players experiencing completely different things between the client side and host side. Nobody seems too bothered about the lack of originality, or the unstable client. Or the fact that mixing PC and console players kills competitive balance. Nobody seems bothered that they're charging $10 for literally nothing to get the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions of the game.

Year in, year out. Call of Duty has an audience, and there's nothing wrong with that, even though the franchise is clearly tired and far past its prime. We may be the minority, but there are a growing number of gamers who are desperate for something — anything — new.

Halo Infinite and Battlefield 2042 could capitalize

Source: Electronic Arts (Image credit: Source: Electronic Arts)

Call of Duty: Vanguard will go head to head against Battlefield 2042 and Halo Infinite later this year. When you factor in how utterly meh Call of Duty: Vanguard is, I'd say there's a perfect storm of opportunity for competitors to get eyeballs on their offering this year to CoD's detriment. This is all without mentioning the unprecedented lawsuit Activision is facing with the U.S. government into its toxic workplace culture practices. If I ever felt slimy about supporting Activision games before, you can quite firmly bank on the fact that I do now.

Halo and Battlefield generally offer more stable servers, with Halo Infinite covering the intimate arena-style gameplay, and Battlefield 2042 encompassing the huge-scale epic battle end of the spectrum. Can either of them realistically dethrone the behemoth that is Call of Duty? Probably not, but after getting some hands-on time with Vanguard, it's hard to overlook the fact that there's rarely been a better opportunity. The upcoming Halo Infinite beta and Battlefield 2042 beta could help prove that.

Call of Duty: Vanguard is targeting a Nov. 5, 2021, launch date on PC, PS4, PS5, and on the best Xbox consoles, Xbox One, Series S, and Series X.

Call of Duty: Vanguard

Call of Duty: Vanguard is shaping up to be, well, another Call of Duty. If you're not tired with the franchise, the latest installment drops on Nov. 5, 2021, on practically every platform.

Call of Duty: Vanguard beta — Start date and time, how to play, and more

eternalrhage@gmail.com (Cole Martin) — Mon, 20 Sep 2021 20:00:02 +0000

Update, Sept. 20, 8:21 a.m.: The official Call of Duty Twitter account announced over the weekend that the open beta for Call of Duty: Vanguard would be extended until Wednesday, Sept. 22, at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET.

While Call of Duty's publishers face legal battles due to a lawsuit filed against Activision Blizzard alleging workplace harassment and malpractice, the hype machine continues to churn away for Sledgehammer Games' newest premium entry to the annual franchise. A recent multiplayer reveal for Call of Duty: Vanguard gave players plenty of gritty details about what they could look forward to in the World War II-themed shooter, along with an announcement about when we could all get our hands on an open beta to see it for ourselves.

There are a few caveats to the "open beta" concept when it comes to Call of Duty: Vanguard, however. Some of the dates are roped off exclusively for PlayStation players, like with the previous Champion Hill alpha. Other dates are sectioned off for the "early access" perk that came along with preordering the game. If you're looking to take a crack at the Call of Duty: Vanguard beta you'll need to know when, where and how you can get in on the action. Here's everything we know about how and when you can play it for yourself.

Call of Duty: Vanguard open beta — Dates and times

Source: Activision Blizzard (Image credit: Source: Activision Blizzard)

Update Sept. 20 (8:25 a.m. ET): Crossplay open beta weekend extended

On Sept. 18 the official Call of Duty Twitter account shared a video clip alongside an announcement that the crossplay open beta weekend would be extended. The new end date for the open beta is Wednesday, Sept. 22, with servers being shut down at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET.

The beta for Call of Duty: Vanguard will span across two weekends, with the first being limited exclusively to players who have preordered the game on PlayStation consoles. Both PS4 and PS5 owners with a preorder access code to the beta will be able to play beginning Friday, Sept. 10, until Monday, Sept. 13.

Early Access (PlayStation preorders only): Sept. 10-13

The second Vanguard beta is specifically geared toward testing out crossplay, but will limit the first few days to players with preorder access on Xbox and PC. PlayStation players will have free, unlimited access to the entire second weekend of the beta.

Early Access (Xbox One and PC preorders only): Sept. 16-17

Open Beta (PlayStation, all players): Sept. 16-22

Open Beta (Xbox and PC, all players): Sept. 18-22

Both beta weekends are expected to begin at 10 a.m. PDT/1 p.m. EDT/7 p.m. CEST/6 p.m. BST on their respective days. As always, there's the potential for last-minute issues or delays.

Call of Duty: Vanguard cross-gen bundle

Preorder Call of Duty: Vanguard, the WW2-themed first-person shooter, to get early access to the upcoming multiplayer beta.

Call of Duty: Vanguard open beta — What to expect

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

If you're familiar with Call of Duty already, then the Vanguard beta may feel like slipping into a comfortable pair of shoes as familiar playlists like Team Deathmatch, Domination, and Kill Confirmed are expected to be available for the entire duration. The new Champion Hill mode that previously debuted in the PlayStation exclusive alpha event will also be available for the entire beta, as well.

Champion Hill is not the only new mode that players will get to experience in the beta. Patrol, a new mode based on the objective mode Hardpoint wherein the score zone is near consistently in motion, will be introduced during the early access beta for PlayStation. Search and Destroy is also expected to return as an available playlist, though it will not be added until the second weekend of the event.

Source: Activision Blizzard (Image credit: Source: Activision Blizzard)

Also available will be the new combat pacing system that is original to Call of Duty: Vanguard. Sledgehammer Games has touted Combat Pacing as a system designed to give the player control over their multiplayer experience, allowing you to choose between classic 6v6 multiplayer in the Tactical playlist, or upping the ante by joining in Assault and Blitz where more players spawn in on all of the available maps. This leads to every map having that frantic constant close quarters combat feel that make small maps like Nuketown and Shoot House popular.

Only four of Vanguard's 20-map spread will be available to test out during the beta, including Hotel Royal, Gavatu, and Red Star for early-access players. Eagle's Nest will be added later during the second weekend. Six operators will be available including Daniel Takeyatsu, Roland Zeimet, Lucas Riggs, Polina Petrova, Wade Jackson, and Arthur Kingsley.

Participating in the open beta will unlock Arthur Kingsley as a playable operator for Call of Duty: Mobile players. Players who reach level 20 in the beta will also unlock a weapon blueprint, the Rat-A-Tat, which will be available in Vanguard at launch and Call of Duty: Warzone, one of the best Xbox games, at a later date.

Call of Duty: Vanguard has field-of-view controls on console

Rachel Kaser — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 23:53:04 +0000

What you need to know

Call of Duty: Vanguard got a big multiplayer reveal with multiple members of Sledgehammer Games, the developers of the game.
A member of Sledgehammer tweeted an image confirming that the console version of the game has a field-of-view slider, allowing players to adjust their view.
This is not a very common feature for console titles, but it's possible it'll only be available for multiplayer.

Sledgehammer Games recently revealed more detail about the multiplayer in its upcoming game, Call of Duty: Vanguard. One detail dropped on Twitter is that apparently both the PC and console versions of the game will have a field-of-view slider. This was confirmed by multiple members of the development team.

11.5.21 pic.twitter.com/YcyDeS8yVR11.5.21 pic.twitter.com/YcyDeS8yVR— Adam Iscove (@AdamIscove) September 7, 2021 September 7, 2021

A screenshot showing the FOV slider was posted on Twitter by Sledgehammer senior development director Adam Iscove. Community strategist Sam Leichtamer confirmed that the screenshot was on console, which hopefully means that it'll be a feature available on all of the consoles that the game is launching on. This isn't the first Call of Duty game with a FOV slider, as Black Ops Cold War also had one.

For those who don't know, the field of view is the way the player views the world around them, and a slider can narrow or widen the field of view. A wider FOV can make it easier for players to see the world around them, giving them a tactical advantage, and it's also one way to help mitigate vertigo for first-person games. The screenshot shows the slider set to the max at 120 degrees. A FOV slider is a very common sight on PC games, but not so much on console titles.

There is one concerning part of the screenshot: On the right side of the screen, where it shows the FOV as it is adjusted, there's a note that says, "Only in effect for: Multiplayer." While an adjustable FOV can be most helpful for multiplayer, it could also be helpful for those who are playing the campaign, especially if they suffer from motion sickness, though this doesn't mean that the campaign won't have a separate FOV slider.

Call of Duty Vanguard is set to launch on November 5, 2021 on PC (via Battle.net), Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4.

Call of Duty: Vanguard multiplayer preview — New modes don't change up the formula

samuelwtolbert@gmail.com (Samuel Tolbert) — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 17:30:03 +0000

Update, Sep. 9, (5:20 pm ET): Shortly after this preview initially went live, Sledgehammer Games announced that Call of Duty: Vanguard will have an FOV slider on console at launch.

Call of Duty: Vanguard is the next entry in the annual franchise, with Sledgehammer Games taking the helm this year. While our prior Call of Duty: Vanguard preview gave us overview of what lead developer Sledgehammer Games is doing with the campaign — which stretches across four theaters of World War II — we were recently invited to a digital event to check out the Call of Duty: Vanguard open beta a little early.

Much like the prior preview though, this comes at a time when Sledgehammer Games' parent company Activision Blizzard is facing a lawsuit, alleging sexist workplace practices and systemic abuse. It'll be a while before we get further updates but it's something to keep in mind.

I got to play around three hours of Call of Duty: Vanguard's multiplayer offering, with several new and returning modes to explore. A lot of it is precisely what veterans of the series will expect but there's a few new wrinkles to consider.

Old setting, new ways to play

Source: Activision Blizzard (Image credit: Source: Activision Blizzard)

Map variety is strong, with a wide range of locations that look great. A Pacific island is battered by storms as you weave through scuttled ships on the shore. A hotel in Paris goes from a pristine getaway location to a shooting gallery. Thick Russian snow blanketing buildings becomes spattered with blood. Sledgehammer Games previously promised that 20 maps will be in Call of Duty: Vanguard at launch and what we saw here is promising.

Map variety is strong, with a wide range of locations that look great.

For better or for worse, player setup is extremely par the course for this franchise. Create-a-Class returns with no massive overhauls. There's a variety of attachments and perks to choose from but overall it's nothing players haven't seen and used multiple games over.

One of the key new modes in Call of Duty: Vanguard is Patrol, where matches play out somewhat similarly to Domination but with a neat twist: There's only one zone to capture and it slowly but steadily moves around the map. As a result, combat is a constant seesaw between the two teams, with clever plays and grenade spam needed to clear the area in order to get a moment's rest. Do you save killstreaks for the right moment and move together with your team, or just constantly trickle in? Either way, it's a frenetic mode and one I enjoyed a fair bit.

The killstreaks themselves are a mixed bag. Dogs are back, in perhaps their most infuriating form ever, so prepare to have your heart leap every time you hear the unmistakable sound of barking that precedes incoming one-hit kill bites. Meanwhile, the Flamenaut suit is an armored reward that grants players increased protection and a flamethrower with infinite fuel. This is, in theory, a good idea as well as being a neat spin on the iconic Juggernaut suit. In practice though, myself and others found that whenever the Flamenaut was called in, there was a high chance of the game immediately crashing, an issue that I hope Sledgehammer can fix shortly.

Unfortunately, Patrol was the exception, not the rule. If you're looking for lots of new modes outside of the already-announced Champion Hill, there's nothing here to be found.

Ramping up the chaos

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

Team Deathmatch and most other modes we played are still pretty much what you'd expect, but the new "Pacing" system adds an interesting twist. Players can set their preferred pacing to determine how frenetic a match is. If you like standard 6v6 team sizes, you can stay with that model. If you've ever wondered what happens when 24 players are packed and crammed into maps designed for 10-12 players, Blitz is the Pacing mode for you. I actually enjoyed the absurdity of it, as players are mowed down in massive waves and killstreaks rain down with abandon. As long as you don't take it too seriously, I can see this being a great way to get in laughs with friends and blow off some stress.

A more direct issue is the spawning system. Spawns are hit-or-miss in general and are hardly ever considered "good," but the spawns I experienced across these maps are easily some of the worst ever in a Call of Duty title. I'd find myself continually spawning behind or in front of an enemy, leading to a lot of immediate deaths and kills that feel unfair for both sides.

New tech with mixed results

Source: Activision Blizzard (Image credit: Source: Activision Blizzard)

Sledgehammer is using the latest version of Infinity Ward's engine and even at this early stage, the new destruction technology has potential. Shooting out windows, doors, and floorboards to open up new lines of sight as a match progresses feels good and it works far better than in the prior public Alpha test for the Champion Hill mode.

Classic World War II guns like the BAR and MG42 feel good to shoot but the audio design doesn't feel quite right. There's a tinny sound to almost every firearm and the audio in general seemed lower than normal across the board, something other players noticed as well.

It's also worth mentioning that if you've enjoyed the inclusion of an FOV (field-of-view) slider on console in Call of Duty: Warzone and Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, prepare for disappointment here. Sledgehammer Games confirmed to us that at least for the Open Beta, the console versions of Call of Duty: Vanguard do not include an FOV slider. Hopefully this is something that'll change by launch later this year.

Summing it up

Source: Activision Blizzard (Image credit: Source: Activision Blizzard)

Overall, a lot of what is on offer in the multiplayer portion of Call of Duty: Vanguard is quite promising. At the same time, just a couple of months out from launch, there's definitely still work to be done in polishing and balancing everything across the board. New modes like Patrol and the shenagins of Blitz are enticing, but if you're looking for this game to be a complete revolution or even general shake-up of everything Call of Duty offers, it'll fall short.

At the end of the day, this is more Call of Duty.

At the end of the day, this is more Call of Duty. A lot of players are going to appreciate that formula but I was personally hoping for a bit more innovation than just a couple of new modes. This is doubly true considering that the game is revisiting World War II, an arena that has been covered by many, many games before.

Call of Duty is an absolute force from Activision, a sales juggernaut that is making its yearly debut in spite of the pandemic affecting game development worldwide. Every single studio at Activision now works on the Call of Duty brand, with every studio bar Infinity Ward directly contributing to the development of Vanguard. I hope this efficiency isn't coming at a cost to potential innovation and creativity.

With both multiplayer and the campaign revealed, the last mode still shrouded in mystery is Zombies, which is again headed by Treyarch.

There's several different editions of Call of Duty: Vanguard available for preorder, though prospective players should note that unlike many titles, Call of Duty: Vanguard does not support Smart Delivery on Xbox or a free upgrade on PlayStation, meaning you'll need to pay more to access the current-generation featureset. A lot of these features have not yet been confirmed but judging from other recently-upgraded Call of Duty titles, the features could include faster loading, ray tracing or 120 FPS support.

Call of Duty: Vanguard is currently scheduled to launch on Nov. 5, 2021 for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4 and PC through Battle.net.

Update, Sep. 9 (5:20 pm ET) — FOV slider is coming at launch

A short time after this preview was published, Sledgehammer Games revealed that the console versions of Call of Duty: Vanguard will include an FOV slider at launch on Nov. 5.

Best option

Call of Duty: Vanguard — Cross-Gen Bundle

The easy choice

If you intend to play on Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S, this is the version of the game to grab. You'll want it to look and run as good as possible, which does mean it'll be a bit more expensive.

What are the differences between Call of Duty: Vanguard cross-gen editions?

samuelwtolbert@gmail.com (Samuel Tolbert) — Fri, 27 Aug 2021 22:00:00 +0000

What are the differences between Call of Duty: Vanguard cross-gen editions?

Best answer: There are three versions of Call of Duty: Vanguard available for preorder. If you want the one that takes advantage of everything the newest consoles can offer, you'll need to grab the Ultimate Edition, or the more expensive option.

What are the differences between Call of Duty: Vanguard cross-gen editions?

Call of Duty: Vanguard is the next premium game in the longrunning, annual Call of Duty franchise. It's taking players back to World War II, telling a story of fictional special forces across four huge theaters in the conflict. Just like 2020's Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Activision has opted to forgo Smart Delivery and a free upgrade system on both Xbox and PlayStation systems. If you want the version of this game that benefits from your new hardware, you'll need to pay a bit more for it.

There are three versions of Call of Duty: Vanguard available for preorder: Standard Edition, Cross-Gen Bundle and the Ultimate Edition. On Xbox, the Standard Edition includes the Xbox One version of the game for $60. The Cross-Gen Bundle and Ultimate Edition include the Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S versions. On PlayStation, the Standard Edition includes the PS4 version, while the Cross-Gen Bundle and Ultimate Edition include the PS4 and PS5 versions.

How to upgrade Call of Duty: Vanguard digital editions

If you choose to buy the standard edition of the game digitally and then later decide you want the more advanced features, you aren't locked out. You can purchase the Cross-Gen upgrade for $10, so you won't be paying too much more for waiting to upgrade.

If you choose not to upgrade, you can still play the last-gen version of the game on a newer console through backward compatibility. You just won't be getting all the current-gen benefits.

How to upgrade Call of Duty: Vanguard physical editions

Physical editions are now available for preorder. Unfortunately, they work a little differently than the digital versions. If you choose to buy the standard physical version of the game, you cannot upgrade to the Xbox Series X version at a later date. If you want those upgrades, you'll need to buy the physical cross-gen version.

Call of Duty: Vanguard cross-gen editions: What are the current-gen benefits?

Right now, Sledgehammer Games hasn't shared too many details about what the current-generation versions of the game will gain compared to the last-generation consoles. If Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is any barometer, we could see some form of ray tracing, as well as 120 FPS support. Thanks to the ultra-fast SSDs in newer consoles, loading times on the current-gen versions will be much quicker as well.

PlayStation players will also get to take advantage of the PS5 DualSense haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, which Sledgehammer has confirmed it will take advantage of.

In our preview of Call of Duty: Vanguard, we learned that Sledgehammer Games is handling the campaign and multiplayer, while Treyarch is working on a new Zombies mode. This game is coming at a time when Activision Blizzard faces a lawsuit, alleging sexist workplace behavior and systemic abuse.

Call of Duty: Vanguard is set to release on Nov. 5, 2021, on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS5, PS4, and PC through Battle.net.

Our pick

Call of Duty: Vanguard — Cross-Gen Bundle

The easy choice

If you intend to play on Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S, this is the version of the game to grab. You'll want it to look and run as good as possible, which does mean it'll be a bit more expensive.

Last-gen

Call of Duty: Vanguard — Standard Edition

If you haven't upgraded

If you're still on the older line of consoles and don't think you'll be upgrading soon, you can save a bit of money by going for the Standard Edition.

For the hardcore

Call of Duty: Vanguard — Ultimate Edition

Lots of extras

The Ultimate Edition of Call of Duty: Vanguard also includes the cross-generation versions of the game. It also comes with extra skins, included in the Task Force One pack.

Call of Duty Vanguard reveal: How to watch, start time, and more

eternalrhage@gmail.com (Cole Martin) — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 20:00:03 +0000

The end of the year is fast approaching, which means a new Call of Duty is around the corner. Despite being slated for a fall release, Activision has remained quiet on its upcoming next entry. But the silence didn't matter and leaks and rumors on Call of Duty: Vanguard were more than abundant.

After the PlayStation Store leaked the game's title and reveal date, there wasn't much left for Activision and Sledgehammer Games to do but acknowledge the existence of Vanguard. It's now confirmed an official reveal will take place via an event in their free-to-play battle royale title, Call of Duty: Warzone.

Join the #BattleofVerdansk and experience the worldwide reveal of Call of Duty: Vanguard

📅 - 8/19
🕥 - 10:30am PT
📍 - Verdansk pic.twitter.com/N0efSm5nOAJoin the #BattleofVerdansk and experience the worldwide reveal of Call of Duty: Vanguard

📅 - 8/19
🕥 - 10:30am PT
📍 - Verdansk pic.twitter.com/N0efSm5nOA— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) August 16, 2021 August 16, 2021

Call of Duty: Vanguard reveal: What to expect

The Vanguard reveal trailers show a distinctly World War 2-themed setting, though it appears unlikely that we're getting an experience connected to Sledgehammer's 2017 title, Call of Duty: WWII. The teaser implies the campaign's setting will span across four theaters of war including the Pacific Front and North Africa. There's still little information regarding the campaign or what to expect, however the Warzone event will likely clarify these questions via a full reveal trailer.

The event, titled "Battle of Verdansk," will be a joint PvE operation, requiring players to squad up and defeat an armored train outfitted with turrets that will be present in the game for a limited time. Players will need to plant TNT charges in the tunnel next to Verdansk Hospital.

We need every squad to be ready for a joint operation at 10:30AM PST on 8/19. #BattleofVerdansk pic.twitter.com/MdDXYh7n9kWe need every squad to be ready for a joint operation at 10:30AM PST on 8/19. #BattleofVerdansk pic.twitter.com/MdDXYh7n9k— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) August 16, 2021 August 16, 2021

An update to the Call of Duty blog just before the reveal is set to go live states that players will be equipped with premade Cold War loadouts. The loadout will consist of one of three primary assault rifles — the AK-47, FARA 83, or C58 — and an RPG-7 for the secondary. Which assault rifle a player receives is chosen at random when the game begins.

Call of Duty: Vanguard reveal: Where to watch

Source: Activision via charlieINTEL on Twitter (Image credit: Source: Activision via charlieINTEL on Twitter)

Activision has been keen to stress that its free-to-play battle royale, Call of Duty: Warzone, has become an efficient marketing machine, plus a platform for revealing new titles. With the success of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War's reveal being tied into a free event, it was no surprise that a similar marketing tactic would be used for Call of Duty: Vanguard.

The official reveal is going to go down in a live event titled "Battle for Verdansk" within Warzone. In order to participate in the event you will need to download and install Call of Duty: Warzone and sign in during the event time. While we haven't received official word on event details, a designated Warzone playlist is expected to provide access.

Call of Duty: Vanguard reveal: Date and start time

Source: Activision via charlieINTEL on Twitter (Image credit: Source: Activision via charlieINTEL on Twitter)

The Battle for Verdansk event will take place on Thursday, Aug. 19. Activision has announced a formal 10:30 a.m. PT start time, however, with server queues expected, we recommend logging in before the event commences. Ideally, jump on Warzone one hour before the event begins.

Time zones exist, though, so here's a handy guide of when the event should begin for you.

10:30 a.m. PT (Western U.S.)
12:30 p.m. CT (Central U.S.)
1:30 p.m. ET (Eastern U.S.)
5:30 p.m. UTC
6:30 p.m. BST (U.K.)
7:30 p.m. CEST (Europe)

With live events there's always the potential for things to go awry so there could possibly be delays with the starting time of the event. If you didn't have enough warning to get that PTO request put in, don't fret. The playlist for the reveal will remain accessible throughout the weekend.

Due to the risk of being stuck in a queue, it is recommended that those who want to participate in the reveal event join in early. You will not need to quit out for the playlist refresh as it will happen in real time.

Call of Duty: Vanguard reveal event: Rewards

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

In a blog titled "See Them Rise" on the Call of Duty website, players are invited to join the reveal event live in-game. Those who load up Warzone and hop into a game in any playlist from 9:30 a.m. to 10:29 a.m. PT (approximately one hour before the event) will be able to participate in a "limited-time Double XP, Double Weapon XP, and Double Battle Pass XP event" before battle. Call of Duty's official twitter account has also shared an image of custom skins that will be rewarded to players. These include the Dark Forest gun skin, Republic Impaler knife skin, Siberian Strider vehicle skin, Time Table watch, and Little Shark gun charm.

While the event is ultimately a PvE experience, there are still special rewards that players who "do significant damage to this enemy and rendezvous to the exfil point in time" receive, according to the Call of Duty blog.

Call of Duty: Warzone will get dedicated anti-cheat courtesy of Raven Software

samuelwtolbert@gmail.com (Samuel Tolbert) — Thu, 19 Aug 2021 18:33:16 +0000

What you need to know

Call of Duty: Warzone is dealing with numerous hackers, with thousands of accounts banned but no end to the cheating.
Developer Raven Software is working on a new Warzone map, as well as a dedicated anti-cheat system.
Both the map and the anti-cheat are slated to launch later in the year.
Activision Blizzard is currently facing a lawsuit alleging sexist workplace behavior and abuse.

Call of Duty: Vanguard was fully revealed on Thursday. During our preview for Call of Duty: Vanguard, we learned that developer Raven Software is continuing to head up the free-to-play Warzone mode, with a new map and a dedicated anti-cheat system in development.

Warzone is extremely popular, first kicking off after the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare in 2019. The game has continued to struggle with hackers and cheaters however, with tens of thousands of accounts banned at a time as the community asked for a dedicated anti-cheat solution.

This news comes as Actvision Blizzard is facing a lawsuit from the State of California, following a multi-year investigation. The lawsuit alleges the company allowed systemic sexist workplace behavior and instances of abuse.

With a campaign and multiplayer led by Sledgehammer Games, the game is heading back to World War II, telling the fictional birth of special forces. Meanwhile, developer Treyarch returns to work on Zombies mode. Call of Duty: Vanguard is currently slated to launch on Nov. 5 for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4 and PC.

Back to the past

Call of Duty: Vanguard

Different versions available

Call of Duty: Vanguard is meant to be a complete package, with a campaign following early special forces and a multiplayer mode with 20 maps at launch. There's also more, like Zombies.

Call of Duty: Vanguard preview — A return to the fictional past

samuelwtolbert@gmail.com (Samuel Tolbert) — Thu, 19 Aug 2021 17:45:02 +0000

Call of Duty: Vanguard is going back to World War II, but that doesn't mean it's a story players have heard before.

It's a game that is "rooted in, but not beholden to" history. The story is something of a realistic what-if, exploring what the origin of the first special forces task group would look like as an effort of the Allies to stop a secret Nazi plot in the final stages of the war. Alongside this setting, the game features new tech that changes up the gameplay, with a team that is the fruits of an effort beginning back in 2019 to "rethink the studio for the future," per Sledgehammer Games COO Andy Wilson.

We recently got the chance to attend a digital presentation on the upcoming title, with Sledgehammer Games providing a brief look at gameplay, while also diving into the themes, technology, and ideas powering this blockbuster title. Yet this isn't happening in a vacuum.

The stories in the wake of the recent Activision Blizzard lawsuit are "devastating." That's according to Sledgehammer Games Studio Head Aaron Halon, who notes that he and the rest of the developers at the presentation simply can't speak on anything happening right now, but do want to see every team member treated with respect and that "harassment of any kind goes against what we stand for as a studio."

After acknowledging how awkward it is to change topics, the talk about Call of Duty begins. Sledgehammer is out to make its boldest game yet, even as it acknowledges that going back to World War II is hardly new ground. Call of Duty: Vanguard is about the biggest turning points and clashes of the war, but it's also more personal, reflecting the types of stories that emerged through individuals and their actions.

Call of Duty: Vanguard covers a truly global war, with a global studio making it

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

World War II is admittedly "well-trodden" territory, per Game Director Josh Bridge, which is why the team is trying something unique. Bridge explains that unlike past titles that focused on select portions of the global war, Vanguard is meant to truly encompass a world at war, with multiple points of view. To that end, the campaign and multiplayer takes players across every theater of combat: the Eastern Front, Western Front, Pacific, and even North Africa.

As part of making it a global game, Sledgehammer Games has become a global studio. Even with the ongoing pandemic and the rise of the juggernaut that is Warzone, Call of Duty isn't deviating from its yearly release schedule. Part of what makes that possible comes down to the sheer workforce being thrown at it, with every single studio at Activision now working on the Call of Duty brand.

World War II is admittedly "well-trodden" territory.

Sledgehammer Games has also greatly expanded. It's no longer just the base team at Foster City; there's a new team in Australia of over 150 people, while a third team has been opened in Toronto and is already in the "double-digits," says Wilson. By recruiting a more diverse, global workforce, the team feels better equipped to tell a story regarding a war that affected the entire world.

The press was shown a portion of one campaign level, which had paratroopers landing in France the day before D-Day. After a frantic opening, the tone is slower, with a focus on how the player has limited ammo and is evading German forces at night. Every reload feels tense, and the clever use of shooting through floors and doors is necessary to survive. It features some great tense pacing. It's not clear how much of the game will have this, but it's nice to see.

Historically fictitious birth of special forces

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

Even with the historic setting, Sledgehammer is telling a decidedly fictitious story. The campaign examines the birth of special forces, as the Allies put together a team of extroardinary fighters from across the various theaters of the conflict. They're not refined or used to working as Spec Ops, but are instead referred to as a "hammer instead of a scalpel," according to Bridge.

A grand conflict requires a grand score, which is why Sledgehammer solicited the help of Bear McCreary, well-known for his work on God of War. McCreary's music focuses on small notes, befitting the individual characters, rising in grandeur and strength to reflect their role in a greater story as a whole.

Speaking of the characters, players will be setting foot in four pairs of boots across the singleplayer campaign, with every character directly inspired by someone from real history. For example, the design and idea behind Russian Polina Petrova draws directly from Lyudmila Pavlichenko, a famous Soviet sniper better known as Lady Death. Arthur Kingsley, Wade Jackson, and Lucas Riggs make up the remaining playable cast.

Their target is a member of Nazi High Command, Heinrich Freisinger, who was inspired by Heinrich Mueller, the head of the Gestapo in Nazi Germany. Freisinger is working on a fictional plot known as Project Phoenix. After the Allied team is captured, they're interrogated, which seems to set the stage as a narrative device for understanding how they were all selected for this mission.

Multiplayer features new technology, with support from different teams

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

When it comes to multiplayer, Sledgehammer is going big. We're in a live service age, with smaller initial offerings in games and more content added over time. Players can expect 20 maps at launch, with 16 maps for classic 6-versus-6 gameplay, while there are four maps for 2-versus-2 modes. These maps are divided across the theaters of war featured in the campaign.

No matter what maps or modes you go for, players can set something called Combat Pacing, which alters the numbers of players on a per-map basis.

One big change Sledgehammer touts is something the team refers to as Reactive Gameplay, which is a fancy way of saying there's destruction physics. It doesn't mean players can level buildings, but when you shoot a door, you'll shoot through it. Shoot it enough and it'll fall apart. Props explode realistically and as the carnage continues, layers on a map are peeled back, revealing new sightlines and pathways.

When you shoot a door, you'll shoot through it. Shoot it enough and it'll fall apart.

We haven't been shown much gameplay footage, however, so we'll definitely have to wait and see just how well it all works in action. In theory? It could be the evolution that Call of Duty gameplay needs.

As for the other multiplayer modes and tie-ins, Zombies is confirmed to return, with Treyarch handling development. It's set to be a prequel to the Zombies mode seen in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. Meanwhile, Raven Software is working on a tie-in Warzone map, as well as a comprehensive anti-cheat system, both of which are set to launch later this year.

There's also the new Champion Hill mode and while there aren't a lot of details we can share at this time, Sledgehammer seems to indicate this is the premiere mode at launch, with players going solo or in small teams, facing off in tournament-style gameplay. Sledgehammer Games also proudly notes that Vanguard is running on the latest version of the Modern Warfare (2019) engine, while the team is working directly with Infinity Ward to share technology and ideas.

Bottom line: What do we think about Call of Duty: Vanguard?

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

If you've truly been craving a return to World War II, this looks like it'll be the game for you. For a setting that video games, movies, and TV have visited time and time again, Sledgehammer Games has a couple of neat ideas and we're curious about how well fleshed-out the fictional birth of special forces is. It's also nice that we'll be visiting every theater of war, especially the oft-ignored campaign in Africa. At the same time, it feels strange to draw so heavily on real characters, instead of simply telling those stories. Will it be one of the best Xbox games available? Time will tell.

It's also worth reiterating the ongoing Activision Blizzard lawsuit and while steps have been taken, including several staff being fired such as the game director on Diablo 4, the work isn't over. We're hoping to see proof of further change, so that developers can continue to make the game they truly want to make.

We'll check in on all this later in the year, as Call of Duty: Vanguard is currently scheduled for a Nov. 5, 2021 release date. It's coming to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC, PS5 and PS4.

A leak confirms Call of Duty: Vanguard will be revealed on August 19 (now with trailer)

jez@windowscentral.com (Jez Corden) — Mon, 16 Aug 2021 14:38:23 +0000

What you need to know

Call of Duty Vanguard is the expected 2021 version of the annualized shooter franchise.
In a leak on the PlayStation Network store, it appears Call of Duty Vanguard's worldwide reveal trailer could be imminent.
According to the promo, we'll see Call of Duty: Vanguard revealed on August 19, 2021.

Update August 16, 2021: Activision has now confirmed the reveal date and time, and provided a nifty teaser trailer to boot.

Original article:

In what is likely the worst-kept secret of the quarter, Call of Duty: Vanguard's worldwide reveal date has been leaked, courtesy of the PlayStation Network.

Call of Duty: Vanguard is the hotly anticipated next entry in the annualized shooter franchise, which has seen info trickle out in various leaks and rumors over the past few months. Very little is actually known about the game by way of hard confirmation, but we shouldn't have to wait much longer to find out.

Call of Duty: Vanguard will be unveiled on August 19, 2021, 6:30PM BST according to a premature promo graphic uploaded to the PlayStation Store, we verified with our own consoles earlier today.

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

There's no telling what the reveal will entail, typically we get trailers or teasers ahead of more in-depth information later on, as the hype cycle rolls on. It could include a launch date, as well as preorder information, as well as collector's editions and other features. Call of Duty: Vanguard will join the most recent Call of Duty as a cross-gen title most likely, with a $10 premium "next-gen" version for Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, and PlayStation 5, despite offering the same benefits on PC for free.

Interestingly, if you zoom in, the promo says the reveal will take place "within Warzone," Call of Duty's free-to-play battle royale component. Fortnite has been pioneering in-game events of this nature for some time, so it's no surprise to see Activision jump on this trend as well.

Activision will also likely hope that the reveal of Call of Duty: Vanguard can distract investors from its massive lawsuit from the state of California, alledging inappropriate work practices and unequal opportunities for women within the Activision-Blizzard family.

Keep it locked to Windows Central for all the latest news and info as we get it.