Editor’s Note: A lawsuit has been filed against Activision Blizzard by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, which alleges the company has engaged in abuse, discrimination, and retaliation against its female employees. Activision Blizzard has denied the allegations. The full details of the Activision Blizzard lawsuit (content warning: rape, suicide, abuse, harassment) are being updated as new information becomes available.
Confirming older rumors, Call of Duty: Vanguard appears to be the official title for the latest entry in the annualized shooter franchise. New images and details from Call of Duty: Vanguard have hit the internet, affirming that it will be set during World War II. Although there are still some unknown variables, it sounds as if the game's reveal could be imminent.
It was revealed by insiders earlier this year that the new entry would be titled Call of Duty: Vanguard and would be some kind of successor to 2017's Call of Duty: WWII. The last WWII game largely focused on the fight against Nazi Germany, while Vanguard will apparently take players to locations like Japan to fight the other side of the war. Both of these settings were touched on in Call of Duty: World at War, so it remains to be seen just what Sledgehammer Games plans to do to iterate upon past games. Thankfully, new leaks provide somewhat of an idea.
New images of Call of Duty: Vanguard have leaked in Black Ops Cold War game files (via CharlieIntel), showcasing what could be the game's cover art. Four soldiers with older gear are fighting on a battleground with palm trees in the background, seemingly confirming that Call of Duty: Vanguard is a WWII game that takes at least partially takes place in the Pacific. Insider Tom Henderson also reported that the game has a co-op campaign and that the leaked images show the playable characters. If true, Vanguard will be the second game in the series to feature a four-player campaign. Treyarch is also reportedly helping develop the title's Zombies mode, but that claim (along with the rest) remain unconfirmed. Call of Duty: Vanguard will allegedly be revealed on August 19 and possibly release on November 5, according to Henderson. Twitter user Solidas6 has shared the leaked images online.
Plans for an event in Call of Duty: Warzone have also reportedly been abandoned, meaning Vanguard could be revealed with a more traditional trailer drop online. Regardless of how it's revealed, Call of Duty pros have doubts about Vanguard in light of the franchise's current esports state and early rumors surrounding the game. OpTic Scump has stated he may not renew his contract if he's left unimpressed with the reveal of the game, and public knocks on the unrevealed game could affect its ability to generate excitement and (potentially) launch sales.
As of right now, Activision has not detailed its plans to reveal the game, but it seems likely fans will hear something very soon. Officially, Call of Duty: Vanguard is expected to launch this holiday season and will be on both last-gen and current-gen consoles. Call of Duty: Warzone is also expected to get a WWII update later this year to tie-in with the new entry.
Sources: CharlieIntel, Tom Henderson, Solidas6