Call of Duty: Vanguard

Plot

The campaign unfolds non-chronologically across multiple theaters. In August 1941, Australian demolitions expert Lucas Riggs serves with the Rats of Tobruk, recovering supplies and intelligence on Rommel before being detained for insubordination. In June 1942, U.S. pilot Wade Jackson participates in the Battle of Midway, destroying two Japanese carriers. In November 1943, Jackson and his gunner are shot down over Bougainville, rescued by the 93rd Infantry Division, and later use a captured Aichi D3A to help reclaim the island.

In August 1942, Soviet nurse Polina Petrova witnesses the invasion of Stalingrad, fails to save her father, and escapes with her brother Misha. She becomes known as the Lady Nightingale, killing German commander Leo Steiner in January 1943 after Misha sacrifices himself. Petrova then targets Steiner's superior, SS officer Hermann Freisinger.

Marketing and release

In August 2021, leaks about Vanguard's editions and reveal trailer emerged, which Call of Duty social media acknowledged humorously. A teaser in Warzone showed Polina Petrova sniping winning players during extraction. The game's title was announced alongside a Warzone event called The Battle of Verdansk, where players cooperated to destroy a train and escape bombing.

The reveal trailer played at the event's end. At Gamescom on August 25, Sledgehammer Games showed an extended campaign mission, Stalingrad Summer, from Petrova's perspective. On September 7, a 30-minute live broadcast revealed multiplayer details, including tactical gameplay, competitive modes, and environmental destruction features, led by creative director Greg Reisdorf, lead designer Zach Hodson, and associate art director Matt Abbott.

Reception

Call of Duty: Vanguard received mixed or average reviews on Metacritic. IGN's Simon Cardy gave it a 7 out of 10, praising the polished campaign but noting its brief length and lack of variety. Clement Goh of CGMagazine also awarded a 7, citing a fun campaign and multiplayer but a duller Zombies mode.

Yussef Cole of Polygon criticized the game's retelling of World War II, arguing its progressive lens suffered from tokenism and whitewashed history. John Walker of Kotaku wrote that the game sought progressive representation without considering how it rewrote marginalized people's realities, and criticized the lack of player freedom compared to 2003's Call of Duty. The Zombies mode was negatively received for lacking content; IGN's Luke Winkie gave it a 5 out of 10, and GameRant's Richard Warren noted the absence of Wonder Weapons and Easter eggs.

Did You Know?

• Vanguard is the third Call of Duty title developed by Sledgehammer Games, following Advanced Warfare and WWII.
• After WWII, the studio underwent a rebuilding process after the departure of co-founders Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey.
• Studio Head Aaron Halon stated the team wanted to think about the future of the studio while being proud of their legacy.