One of the great recurring stories year in and out is speculation over the latest installment of Call of Duty. If one reporter is to be believed, this year's game is going to be closer to a Call of Duty title of old than its most recent outing.
It is strange to be so far into 2021 without many concrete details about the next Call of Duty besides that it is, in fact, still coming out. In the past few months, many rumors have surrounded the game regarding which Activision team is developing it, what the gameplay will be like, and what era the game will be set in. According to the plenty of leaked information, this year's Call of Duty is unofficially titled Vanguard and is being developed by Sledgehammer Games. The studio's last was 2017's Call of Duty: WW2, and with other leaked information, this has led fans to believe that Vanguard will be dropping players back into the Second World War.
Well known Call of Duty leaker ModernWarzone recently reported information about the gameplay and engine of the game, following their leak earlier this year that Vanguard was being helmed by Sledgehammer Games. In their latest tweet, they state that Vanguard will play very similarly to 2019's Modern Warfare, especially for those who have played Black Ops Cold War. They continue to explain that Vanguard will be using an upgraded version of the IW8 engine, the engine used in Modern Warfare and Warzone.
The comments of this post showcase a divided fanbase, uncertain whether this information is promising or detrimental for Vanguard. On one hand, many fans are excited to return to what they feel is a more fluid Call of Duty experience if it's like Modern Warfare. On the other hand, this is not much for fans to grab onto, as the game using the IW8 engine does not guarantee gameplay that will play like Modern Warfare. Like deciding which Call of Duty game is the best, this development may ultimately come down to preference of the series' multiple formulas.
As with most leaks, this one may be best if taken with some salt, considering the variety of information that has come out about it. For instance, one Call of Duty leaker reported that Vanguard would be essentially Black Ops Cold War 2.0, which is practically the opposite of what ModernWarzone is claiming. At the same time, there have also been reports touting Vanguard's grittiness, trying to channel some of Modern Warfare's controversy when that game launched. Regardless, with eyes set for a reveal later this month, hopefully some more definitive details will finally be revealed about this year's game.
Call of Duty 2021/Vanguard is in development.