Call of Duty: Vanguard is set to be the latest release in the Call of Duty franchise when it fully releases later this year. The game has already received its first alpha release, which highlighted a handful of minor issues. Before Call of Duty: Vanguard releases in early November, fans are set to receive yet another hands-on experience with the game in the form of a beta. Based on early impressions, though, it looks as though Vanguard could be a big hit.
Call of Duty: Vanguard is likely to bring fans together once again, following the troubled release of Black Ops Cold War which divided opinions, as well as the fanbase. Call of Duty games consistently rank among the best-selling titles of the year, and barring any exceptional circumstances, Vanguard should continue this trend. For a number of reasons, Call of Duty: Vanguard is a safe bet to be one of the top-selling titles of 2021.
Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Next-Generation Engine
Call of Duty fans complained at launch about Black Ops Cold War’s engine, and that it felt like a step backward when compared to Modern Warfare’s more grounded and realistic feel. However, along with Modern Warfare’s next-gen engine came a handful of complaints, such as closeable doors that made camping easier. Indeed, one of the main bonuses of Black Ops Cold War not using Modern Warfare’s game engine was that it felt more like a traditional Call of Duty title than Modern Warfare. But nevertheless, the consensus among fans seems to be that Modern Warfare was a great evolution of the franchise, while Cold War was a step in the wrong direction. This split has since divided the fanbase, with some remaining with Modern Warfare while others transitioned to the latest Call of Duty in Cold War.
This is where Call of Duty: Vanguard could prove to be a bonus for Call of Duty fans. Vanguard looks as though it could be set to reunite the divided Call of Duty fanbase, as it will be making use of the same engine that Modern Warfare used. This could prove to be enough to bring Modern Warfare fans over to Vanguard, while fans of traditional Call of Duty titles may be drawn in by Vanguard’s traditional World War 2 setting. The release of a new Call of Duty title is always an exciting time for Call of Duty fans, but the release of Vanguard may prove to be one of the most hotly anticipated in recent memory. Vanguard has a little something for just about every type of Call of Duty fan out there.
A World War 2 Call of Duty Game
Back when Call of Duty: WW2 was announced in 2017, Call of Duty fans were excited to see the series return to its roots. Unfortunately, Call of Duty: WW2 received a lukewarm reception from fans, and the series has since explored other settings. But this could be a chance for Sledgehammer Games to win fans over and produce the game that Call of Duty fans had hoped WW2 would be. Fans have already received a first look at Call of Duty: Vanguard in the game’s alpha, and early impressions paint a good picture of the game’s future.
Call of Duty: Vanguard’s alpha took place on the weekend of August 27 to August 29. This didn’t give fans a complete overview of the game, as it instead focused on an all-new game mode for the Call of Duty franchise. Call of Duty: Vanguard’s alpha centered around Champion Hill, which is a bit of a mixture between a battle royale mode and Gunfight, Call of Duty’s 2v2 or 3v3 mode which debuted in Modern Warfare. While the alpha centered around Champion Hill, it provided some valuable insight for developer Sledgehammer Games. Fans noticed and highlighted a number of issues in Vanguard’s alpha, including spawn tuning, mini-map visibility, visibility while damaged, and issues with aim assist. These are set to be addressed by Sledgehammer Games prior to the game’s full launch in November.
Call of Duty: Vanguard is also set to receive a series of betas before its full release, while Vanguard’s multiplayer reveal event happened recently. Call of Duty: Vanguard’s beta will come to PlayStation consoles first on September 10-13, before early access will be available to Xbox and PC owners September 16-17, and the game will receive a cross-platform open beta from September 18-20. This will center around Vanguard’s multiplayer more generally following its multiplayer reveal trailer, which showed fans quite a lot. Fans were shown new game modes, returning World at War maps, and new features including destructible environments and the ability to blind fire. Call of Duty: Vanguard’s multiplayer reveal gave CoD fans plenty of reason to be excited for the game’s upcoming beta release.
Call of Duty’s Popularity and Success
Call of Duty: Vanguard is just the latest in a long line of yearly installments in the Call of Duty franchise. While in the past fans have complained about the series becoming stale, potentially as a result of the unwavering release cycle, this has never killed fans’ enthusiasm for the latest Call of Duty titles. Last year’s release, Black Ops Cold War, was one of the top-selling games of 2021. This is despite the fact that Cold War’s development cycle was heavily disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic and there was some discourse at launch accusing the game of being rushed out. Call of Duty games are consistently among the best-selling titles of the year due to the large fanbase the series has amassed over the years.
When considering the upcoming release of Call of Duty: Vanguard, it is unlikely that this trend of Call of Duty ranking among the best-selling titles of the year will end now. Vanguard has a lot going for it and looks set to be the perfect middle-ground for Call of Duty fans. Vanguard’s appeal is multifaceted, with its World War 2 setting and use of Modern Warfare’s engine likely to bring the community together. Sledgehammer’s acknowledgment of issues that arose from the first alpha is also encouraging for fans of Call of Duty, as this could mean the game will avoid another release like that of Black Ops Cold War’s.
Call of Duty: Vanguard launches November 5 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.