Call of Duty: Vanguard has provided plenty of info over the past several days, as fans have gotten insight into a lot of the game’s content. A campaign is confirmed, with four playable characters set to feature. Zombies will be returning, with none other than Treyarch being the developer of the latest iteration. Multiplayer will offer an impressive 20 maps at launch, 16 of which will be aimed at 6v6 play. The other four maps will be for Champion Hill.
Call of Duty: Vanguard revealed Champion Hill alongside the announcement of the PlayStation exclusive Alpha test, and the mode certainly looks like an interesting change from what Call of Duty players are used to. Call of Duty: Vanguard’s equivalent of Ground War or Multi-Team, this large-scale mode will provide a different experience from traditional multiplayer. For those excited to test it out on PS4 or PS5 this weekend, here is what can be expected from Champion Hill.
How Does Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Champion Hill Mode Work?
As shown in the trailer for Champion Hill, the mode is essentially an evolution of the Gunfight Tournament system seen in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. However, instead of waiting in the main menu for the other team to progress in the bracket, Champion Hill will see all the action taking place in-game. The “multi-arena survival tournament” will center on teams of two or three during the Call of Duty: Vanguard Alpha, though it remains to be seen if larger squads will be permitted in the full version of the game.
Like Call of Duty’s Gunfight Tournaments, players will be up against several other squads, with eight total teams featured in every match of Champion Hill. Every squad has a set number of lives, essentially making the mode a small-scale version of Search and Destroy - though there are no bombs for players to plant. The entire focus will be on maintaining lives while whittling away on the enemy squads' ticket counts, with the last team standing being declared the winner.
Intriguingly, the mode will feature a cash mechanic like Counter Strike, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s Heist mode. Everyone will start the match with the same loadout, but they can loot item drops or kill enemies to gather cash during each round. There will then be a buy round that offers players a breather and gives them the chance to upgrade their weaponry. Perks, equipment, and killstreaks can all be purchased during these special rounds. A V2 Rocket can even be bought, which is the equivalent of a nuke. This will likely be the most expensive streak by far, as it is a guaranteed match ender.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about Champion Hill is that, while it is comprised of four different maps, all are merged into one massive arena. Outside of the buy station area, players will be able to fight at an Airstrip, Trainyard, Market, and Courtyard. All these maps will boast unique layouts, and players will be able to spectate the action once they have been eliminated. This spectating occurs from a special platform or through spectator mode, which lets players view specific arenas or watch through the eyes of other players.
The concept of a tournament fits perfectly within Call of Duty’s 2v2 and 3v3 setups, and with Gunfight performing so well in the past few games, expanding upon it through Champion Hill makes sense. As of now, the only question is whether these maps will be separated as standalone 2v2 locations so that players who just want quick Gunfight games have that option. Regardless, Champion Hill sounds like a fun time, and players can expect more arenas to be added during Call of Duty: Vanguard’s post-launch Seasons if the mode turns out to be a hit.
Call of Duty: Vanguard is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.