Activision and Sledgehammer Games has once again hit the reset button on a franchise I think we can all agree has been around the block (and then some). If the 2019 Modern Warfare reboot was a breath of fresh air, Call of Duty: Vanguard promises to be a goddamn oxygen tank, taking a page out of Battlefield’s book by going back in time – with a twist.
Unlike the previous historically inspired instalment produced by Sledgehammer, Call of Duty: World War II, the upcoming 2021 title’s gripping campaign offers an experience “like never before.” Set across four major theatres of war – Western Front, Eastern Front, North Africa, South Pacific – players will witness the origins of Special Forces as they form Task Force One.
Task Force One’s special ops soldiers you’ll inhabit via gameplay are as follows:
- Sergreant Arthur Kingsley – 9th Parachute Battalion (British)
- Lieutenant Polina Petrova – 138th Rifle Division (Soviet)
- Lieutenant Wade Jackson – Navy Scouting Squadron Six (US)
- Private Lucas Riggs – 20th Battalion, 9th Infantry Division (Australian)
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“The four playable characters overcome the desperation and chaos of war, captured by the Axis powers, each rising from the trenches to become one of the original Operatives; the prototype for the modern special forces soldier as they fight for victory in tide-turning battles across the globe.”
The multiplayer aspect will be no less epic with 20 launch maps to begin – including 16 built for core gameplay – each showcasing a distinct environment. Additionally, there’ll be more ways to play as Call of Duty: Vanguard introduces an advanced Gunsmith + Calibre system, reactive environments, and so forth; plus seamless integration with Warzone (as expected). Further details have yet to be announced.
Finally, onto the matter of Zombies. In a franchise first crossover, Call of Duty: Vanguard features an all-new Zombies game mode developed by none other than Treyarch Studios.
“This cooperative experience continues and intertwines with the Dark Aether story to create deeply engaging lore, all while innovating on the core gameplay that the mode is famous for. Discover the unspeakable horrors of the precursor to Black Ops Cold War Zombies while holding off the relentless onslaught of the undead.”
Call of Duty: Vanguard officially launches on November 5th of 2021 for PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S, and PC (courtesy of Beenox) – check out the trailer above.
