Of all theCall of Duty2021 leaks thus far, one thing that fans have latched onto is the game’s supposed title. Rumored to be calledCall of Duty WW2: Vanguard, or sometimes justCall of Duty: Vanguard, this subtitle is being used by fans across the internet. While there is certainly a chance that this does turn out to be the name of the nextCall of Dutygame, fans should not be too certain that the title will carry over to release.
Not only have leakers like Modern Warzone suggested that the title could be changed upon release, but it would match the approach taken byCall of Duty’s biggest competitor. On top of this, a direct sequel toCall of Duty: WW2is questionable to say the least, making the rumored title a bit less believable. WithCall of Dutyusing codenames in the past, but changing them before release, players should bot be too shocked ifCall of Duty: Vanguardcontinues this trend.
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Could Call of Duty: Vanguard Follow In Battlefield 2042’s Footsteps?
Prior to thereveal ofBattlefield 2042, nobody had predicted the game’s title. Most had simply referred to it asBattlefield 6, which would have made sense given how the mainline games are usually titled. Instead, DICE shocked gamers with the game’s unique title. While it works well given the year-based names of otherBattlefieldgames, it certainly would not have been something that games predicted. In fact, it was assumed that the game would be a different title.
Per the reputable insider Tom Henderson, the game had been rumored to have the title ofBattlefield. Removing any subtitle, the name suggested a reboot of sorts that would take the franchise in a new direction. WhileBattlefield 2042is doing some new things, includinga Specialist systemand dynamic weather, it is not the new beginning that many had expected. Instead, it is a traditionalBattlefieldexperience on a larger scale, with the suggested title ofBattlefieldproving to be incorrect.
While it is unclear if the game’s name changed during development or was always meant to be namedBattlefield 2042, it is applicable toCall of Duty’s situationeither way. Rumored titles have been false before, with bothBattlefield 6andBattlefieldturning out to be inaccurate. Instead, fans of the franchise were given a title that they did not expect, and the same could happen withCall of Duty WW2: Vanguard. As such, when the game releases, fans should not be shocked if the name turns out to be inaccurate, with a completely different subtitle attached instead.
Why A Direct Sequel To Call of Duty: WW2 Does Not Make Sense
Another thing working againstCall of Duty WW2: Vanguardis the original game’s story mode. TheCall of Duty: WW2campaigntells a self-contained story that follows a platoon of soldiers. The game wraps up with protagonist Red Daniels returning home from the war, leaving his Bronze Star at his brother’s grave. He then returns to his wife and son, beginning his life away from the battlefield and giving him a much-deserved happy ending. As such, his story is wrapped up completely, as is that of his platoon.
With this in mind, the nameCall of Duty WW2: Vanguarddoes not make much sense. While it suggests a continuation of the story, there is no real story for such a game to continue. Further, though the story of Red and his fellow soldiers like Zussman was solid, none of the characters have becomeas iconic as Frank Woodsor Captain Price. As such, it would be hard to build a campaign around them. While there could theoretically be more to tell with Josh Duhamel’s Sergeant Pierson, few fans of the franchise would be clamoring for more of the character.
This extends toCall of Duty: WW2’s Nazi Zombies mode as well. While it did have its strengths, such as its gnarly enemy designs and the introduction of the armor concept, it never did catch on. Its characters fell flat, and while the story had its moments, it lacked the mystique of Treyarch’s Aether narrative. With the titleCall of Duty WW2: Vanguard, though, it could be assumed that this specific version oftheCall of DutyZombies modewould be returning as well. While it did have its fans, Sledgehammer Games would have a hard time convincing fans to come back for more. With its dark ending also not leaving much room for a follow-up, it is hard to imagine a second outing for Sledgehammer’s Nazi Zombies.
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Call of Duty: Vanguard And Past Call of Duty Codenames
The final thing to keep in mind aboutCall of Duty: Vanguardis that it could simply be a codename forSledgehammer Games’ latest project.Call of Dutyhas dabbled with codenames in the past, and they have not stuck with the game upon release. The latest example of this is The Red Door, which wasCall ofDuty: Black Ops Cold War’s codename. While it does reference a significant plot point from the campaign, it was ultimately very different from what the game’s final title became.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2fansmay rememberCall of Duty: Iron Wolfas well, as it served as the 2012 title’s codename. Overall, titles like this show that a game could have an internal name that is very different from that of the final product. As such, players may want to look at the title as a hint of what the game could be like as opposed to its actual name. With vanguard being defined as the part of a military force that leads the charge into battle, players can expect to be seeing some of the conflict’s greatest fights from the very beginning.
While it is impossible to say ifCall of Duty WW2: Vanguardwill or will not serve as the title for the game,theCall of Dutycommunityhas a few reasons to be doubtful. Further, if it were to stick, it would make sense if the “WW2” portion were dropped. Not only isCall of Duty: Vanguarda fine enough name on its own, but it would sever ties between 2021’s entry and the divisiveCall of Dutygame from 2017. As such, until it is officially confirmed, gamers should remain doubtful of theCall of Duty: Vanguardtitle.
Call of Duty: Vanguardis rumored to be releasing this November for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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