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The beta period for the upcoming Call of Duty: Vanguard has just been extended from September 20 to September 22, according to a recent announcement from the game's official Twitter account. This will allow players to get more time with this early build of the game, which was made available on September 16 following a two-day PlayStation-exclusive beta run in late August and another PlayStation early access window earlier this month.
Call of Duty: Vanguard is slated to release in full on November 5, making it the eighteenth mainline game in the generation-spanning military shooter franchise. In this entry, players will get another chance to tackle World War II-era combat and narratives. As is the series custom, the game will be broken up into four main modes: Campaign, Multiplayer, Zombies, and the more recent Warzone, a now traditional integration with the franchise's free to play battle royale. Anyone who pre-ordered the game can take part in the ongoing beta build of the multiplayer mode, which yields useful feedback and player data for the developers of the game.
Despite the alleged instances of hacking in the Vanguard beta, the Call of Duty Twitter account recently revealed that the early access period would be extended by two days. This extension applies to users on all platforms, ensuring that the crossplay game will keep its lobbies full until the beta closes on Wednesday night at 10 PM PT. This also means that anyone who has yet to pre-order the game can do so before this cutoff to experience the multiplayer for themselves. Beta access will be granted regardless of what version of the game is purchased.
While neither Sledgehammer Games nor Activision has given any explicit reason as to why this early access period is being extended, it's possible that the developers are looking for more data ahead of the game's official release. Currently, Vanguard is plagued with visibility and audio issues, and other bugs and performance maladies could crop up as players explore these early builds of the game. With more feedback, Sledgehammer Games could more effectively iron out these problems.
Another possible reason behind this extension could be to incentivize gamers on the fence to pre-order the game, as a larger beta window means more potential customers. As the eighteenth Call of Duty game and the sixth entry taking place during WWII, franchise fatigue could very well be settling in for some of the series' fans. If this is the case, then catering to players with more "free" content ahead of the release date could help bolster sales. The game will likely perform well either way, though, so hopefully this extended beta period can provide both Sledgehammer Games and consumers with the best information possible.
Call of Duty: Vanguard will release on November 5 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Source: Call of Duty/Twitter