Call of Duty: Vanguard release date, setting, weapons, maps, & more

Call of Duty: Vanguard release date, setting, weapons, maps, & more
Images: Activision

Written by 

Jack Marsh

Published 

4th May 2021 15:59

When is the Call of Duty Vanguard release date? Amongst wanting to learn about the maps, setting, weapons, and more, that's one of the most commonly asked Call of Duty Vanguard questions right now. Vanguard is the next instalment in the Call of Duty franchise and after an in-game Call of Duty Warzone event where players blew up a train that led into the trailer, we finally know more details about Vanguard. We've got everything you need to know about the new game right here including the Vanguard release date, confirmed maps, setting, guns, and Warzone integration.

Use the jump links below to find exactly what you're looking for:

Call of Duty Vanguard Release Date

Thanks to the latest trailer embedded above, we now know that the Call of Duty Vanguard release date is November 5 2021, slightly earlier than our previous estimations. This date was leaked well in advance and the trailer, which took place at the end of the Warzone Battle for Verdansk event, went ahead and confirmed that. As expected, Call of Duty Vanguard will launch on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC via Battle.net.

This is par for the course with Call of Duty titles, with most previous instalments (Warzone excluded) having released in the first week or two of November. As for the Warzone tie-in with Vanguard, expect a "massive calendar of post-launch content", but unfortunately it looks like there won't be anything on launch.

Call of Duty Vanguard Setting

Call of Duty Vanguard release date
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Call of Duty Vanguard will be set, as previously rumoured, during World War II. Players will experience the war "through the eyes of a multinational group of soldiers", who make up a group called Task Force One. Pivotal battles from the war will be retold from this new perspective of "four soldiers with diverse backgrounds".

The trailer shows that during the campaign, Task Force One will travel to North Africa, the Eastern Front, the Western Front, and the Pacific, making it a truly global operation. Expect a plethora of varying environments and locations, which will carry over into the multiplayer.

We know a lot about Vanguard from before the trailer too. For example, the game won't shy away from showing Nazi imagery like previous WWII titles have, and when it comes to the Zombies mode, Treyarch is in charge.

Call of Duty Vanguard Weapons

Call of Duty Vanguard release date
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Call of Duty Vanguard weapons is one aspect we don't know a whole lot about just yet, but given the WWII setting, we can definitely make confident guesses on what guns we'll be using. Classics like the MP40, MP44 (or STG-44), and M1 Garand will likely be a given.

The most likely weapon that is inevitable will be the PPSh Submachine Gun. The Russian gun gets its name from the phrase "Pistolét-pulemyót Shpágina" meaning "Shpagin's machine pistol" after its founder Georgy Shpagin. As a reliable weapon that seems to have spanned even to the 1980s (as seen by its addition to Black Ops Cold War and Warzone), the PPSh-41 is set for yet another run in the limelight.

A much earlier leak, prior to the teasers and official reveal, claimed that they saw some gameplay featuring a Kar98k, Molotov cocktails, and a trench shotgun. All three weapons are classics from that era, so it'd be a surprise if they didn't feature.

Other weapons that have been a staple mark to historical Call of Duty titles could also feature, such as:

  • M1A1 CARBINE (Assault Rifle)
  • TYPE 100 (SMG)
  • MG 42 (LMG)
  • LEE ENFIELD (Sniper)
  • MOSIN NAGANT (Sniper)
  • PANZERSCHRECK (Rocket Launcher)

Call of Duty Vanguard Maps

Call of Duty Vanguard release date
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Even though we don't know the names of all the Call of Duty Vanguard maps, we do know a lot about them. Since the campaign will take the player to such varied and distinct locations, expect a lot of variety in the Call of Duty Vanguard multiplayer maps, as maps in Call of Duty games are often built upon from campaign levels.

It's also been confirmed that there will be 20 Call of Duty Vanguard maps in multiplayer on launch. 20 is far more than most titles in the series have launched with in the past, and of those 20, 16 are considered "core multiplayer maps". This means they've been built for the main playlists; Team Deathmatch, Domination, Hardpoint, etc.

The other four maps are for a brand new gamemode called Champion Hill. This combines elements of battle royale and gunfight where teams compete to be the last squad standing on smaller maps. Gunfight was one of the most welcome additions to Modern Warfare in 2019, so here's hoping Champion Hill will have a similar effect.

Much earlier this year, the London Docks map from Call of Duty: WWII was leaked to be included in Vanguard too. This is the first actual map we know about, although since it's yet to be confirmed, we don't know whether it's actually true. If it is however, it was one of the better maps in WWII, so would be a welcome inclusion.

Call of Duty Vanguard Warzone Integration

Call of Duty Vanguard release date
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When it comes to Warzone, the most popular Call of Duty game at the moment, Raven Software is developing a brand new map to launch later this year. We don't know exactly what the map will be like, but the presumption is that it's Vanguard-themed, much like the major updates to Verdansk were Black Ops Cold War-themed. Raven Software is also implementing a brand new anti-cheat system, which is a huge welcome given the recent hacker problem that has plagued the battle royale.

"Seamless weapon and operator integration" will feature in Warzone after Call of Duty Vanguard launches thanks to sharing the same tech, while Warzone will receive free post-launch content with "new maps, modes, playlists, limited time events, and seasonal events, as well as community celebrations and more". It's looking like bright times ahead for Warzone, even if the game is in a rough spot at the moment.

Make sure you check out all of our Call of Duty Warzone guides below and keep your eyes peeled on GGRecon for more news and guides around both games.

Best Warzone loadouts | Warzone best TEC-9 loadouts | Warzone best EM2 loadouts | Warzone best CX-9 loadouts | Warzone best AN94 loadouts | Warzone best C58 loadouts | Warzone best FARA 83 loadouts | Warzone best Galil loadouts | Warzone best Grau loadouts | Warzone best Krig 6 loadouts | Warzone best MG82 loadouts | Warzone best assault rifles | Warzone best snipers | Warzone best AK74u loadouts | Warzone best AUG loadouts | Warzone best Fennec loadouts | Warzone best ISO loadouts | Warzone best M4A1 loadouts | Warzone best Milano 821 loadouts | Warzone best OTs 9 loadouts | Warzone best RAM-7 loadouts | Warzone best Rytec AMR loadouts | Warzone best SKS loadouts | Warzone best SMGs | Warzone best Uzi loadouts | Does Warzone have skill based matchmaking | Best Warzone sensitivity settings | Warzone bunker codes | Warzone player count

 

Jack Marsh
About the author
Jack Marsh
Jack is an Esports Journalist at GGRecon. Graduating from the University of Chester, with a BA Honours degree in Journalism, Jack is an avid esports enthusiast and specialises in Rocket League, Call of Duty, VALORANT, and trending gaming news.
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