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Call of Duty: Vanguard is Sledgehammer Games’ 2021 World War II shooter, and in 2026 it’s worth playing mainly through Xbox Game Pass rather than at full price. It offers a short, cinematic, character-driven campaign, fast multiplayer with a huge launch map pool, and a Treyarch-built Zombies mode that most fans considered the series’ weakest. This spoiler-free Call of Duty: Vanguard review covers the campaign, multiplayer, and Zombies, plus server and player population status in 2026 and how it compares with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, the current release.
Quick verdict: Vanguard is a competent, good-looking Call of Duty game that rarely surprises. Its campaign cast stands out, and its multiplayer still plays smoothly, but its Zombies mode disappointed and Activision moved on quickly. Play it free on Game Pass if you subscribe, or grab a cheap disc copy for the campaign. If you want an active, supported multiplayer game, buy Modern Warfare 4 instead. Check the Call of Duty: Vanguard price on Amazon.
Key takeaways
- What it is: A World War II first-person shooter from Sledgehammer Games and Activision, released November 5, 2021, for PlayStation 4 (PS4), PlayStation 5 (PS5), Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
- Critic reception: It holds a 72 Top Critic Average on OpenCritic, with 51% of critics recommending it (as of November 2026).
- Main strength: A memorable campaign cast, led by Laura Bailey as sniper Polina Petrova, and fast, polished multiplayer.
- Main weaknesses: A short campaign, a thin Zombies mode at launch, and little innovation over earlier Call of Duty games.
- Where to play now: Xbox Game Pass (Premium, Ultimate, and PC Game Pass) since June 17, 2026; the current series entry is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 (October 23, 2026).
Call of Duty: Vanguard at a glance
| Detail | Call of Duty: Vanguard |
|---|---|
| Release date | November 5, 2021 |
| Platforms | PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Battle.net, later Steam) |
| Developer | Sledgehammer Games (campaign and multiplayer); Treyarch (Zombies) |
| Publisher | Activision |
| Main cast | Chiké Okonkwo (Arthur Kingsley), Laura Bailey (Polina Petrova), Derek Phillips (Wade Jackson), Martin Copping (Lucas Riggs), Dominic Monaghan (Jannick Richter) |
| Modes | Campaign, multiplayer (including Champion Hill), and Zombies |
| Rating | Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB): Mature 17+ |
| Critic scores | OpenCritic Top Critic Average 72, 51% of critics recommend (as of November 2026); GameSpot 7 out of 10 |
| Where to play now | Xbox Game Pass Premium, Ultimate, and PC Game Pass (added June 17, 2026); also sold on disc and digitally |
Sources: OpenCritic, TechRadar’s review roundup, Charlie Intel’s cast list, and Windows Central.
What is Call of Duty: Vanguard about?
Vanguard takes place in the final stretch of World War II. It follows Task Force One, a fictional squad of Allied specialists that the game presents as the origin of modern special forces. The setup sends the team after a secret Nazi program called Project Phoenix, and a series of interrogation scenes frames flashback missions that introduce each soldier.
Those flashbacks span four major theaters: the Eastern Front, the Pacific, North Africa, and Western Europe. You play as British paratrooper Arthur Kingsley, Soviet sniper Polina Petrova, American Navy pilot Wade Jackson, and Australian soldier Lucas Riggs. Empire noted that the writers loosely based Petrova on real Soviet sniper Lyudmila Pavlichenko and Kingsley on Black British paratrooper Sidney Cornell. We won’t spoil the story beyond that.
Campaign: great cast, short ride
The campaign’s biggest strength is its characters. Laura Bailey’s performance as Petrova earned a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Games Awards nomination, and her Stalingrad missions are the campaign’s high point, mixing tense stealth with rooftop sniping. Chiké Okonkwo gives Kingsley quiet authority, and Dominic Monaghan makes the main villain, Jannick Richter, a slippery, unsettling presence.
The missions look spectacular. Dive-bombing runs over Midway, street fights in a burning Stalingrad, and night drops over Normandy show off Sledgehammer’s lighting and destruction effects. GameSpot gave it a 7 out of 10 and praised the focus on distinct characters, though it noted that the story doesn’t always match the series’ run-and-gun gameplay.
The downside is length and variety. IGN called the campaign brief and repetitive in places, and many players finish it in an evening or two. PC Gamer described it as “just ok.” The game also gives each character a special ability, like Petrova’s agility or Kingsley’s squad commands, but these rarely change how you play.
Multiplayer: fast, familiar, and huge at launch
Vanguard launched with one of the biggest multiplayer map pools in series history, and Sledgehammer added a Combat Pacing system that lets you pick lobby sizes and match intensity (Tactical, Assault, or Blitz). Destructible walls and windows add some variety, and the Gunsmith system lets you customize weapons heavily. IGN called the multiplayer fast, fun, and familiar.
Champion Hill, a new tournament mode for teams of two or three, became a fan favorite. Squads fight round-robin matches on small maps and spend in-match cash on weapons and upgrades between rounds. Many players criticized the launch weapon balance and the game’s visual clutter, which made enemies hard to spot, and Sledgehammer adjusted both in later seasons.
Vanguard also tied into Call of Duty: Warzone, which added the Pacific-themed Caldera map in December 2021. Activision later shut down that version of Warzone, so the integration no longer matters.
Zombies: Treyarch’s weakest outing
Treyarch’s Zombies mode, called Der Anfang, ditched the classic round-based formula. Instead, players work through objectives from a hub in a ruined Stalingrad and pick up power-ups at altars. Empire described it as part horde survival, part roguelike, but many longtime fans found it shallow and repetitive at launch. Treyarch added more traditional content over the following seasons, including a reimagined Shi No Numa map, but the mode never matched the depth of earlier Black Ops Zombies.
Is Call of Duty: Vanguard still active in 2026?
Yes, Vanguard’s online servers still run as of November 2026, and its June 2026 arrival on Game Pass gave the player base a lift. Activision ended new seasonal content in 2022, though, and the game’s population is a fraction of what the newest releases draw. On Steam, where the game arrived in 2023, concurrent player counts sit in the low hundreds or below, but most players use consoles, Battle.net, or Game Pass, so Steam figures don’t tell the whole story. Expect quieter lobbies than in the newest game, especially in niche modes and at off-peak hours.
Vanguard also underperformed commercially. Activision said the game fell short of its expectations, and the next year’s Modern Warfare II became the fastest-selling Call of Duty game at the time. For a look at what happens when a publisher shuts servers down completely, see our NBA 2K24 review.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Memorable campaign cast and strong performances
- Spectacular visuals and set pieces
- Fast, polished multiplayer with lots of maps
- Champion Hill is a fun, tense mode
- Included with Xbox Game Pass in 2026
Cons
- Short, uneven campaign
- Thin, divisive Zombies mode
- Few new ideas for the series
- Smaller player base and no new content
Vanguard vs. the current Call of Duty games
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, from Infinity Ward, launched on October 23, 2026, for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2, and it skips PS4 and Xbox One. Its campaign covers a North Korean invasion of South Korea, according to Activision’s announcement. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 (November 2025) still has an active community too. Both get regular content updates, which Vanguard no longer does.
Amazon is our main affiliate partner, and it carries Vanguard, the newest Call of Duty games, and gear for a better shooter setup.
Shop related picks on Amazon
| Product | Platform | Best for | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Call of Duty: Vanguard | PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One | A cheap World War II campaign | Check price |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 | PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Switch 2 | The newest, most active multiplayer | Check price |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 | PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC | Last year’s game with Zombies | Check price |
| Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership | Xbox and PC | Playing Vanguard without buying it | Check price |
| Wireless gaming headset | PS5, Xbox, PC | Hearing footsteps in multiplayer | Check price |
- Modern Warfare 4: If you mainly want multiplayer, the newest game has the biggest player base and ongoing seasons. See Modern Warfare 4 on Amazon.
- A 120Hz screen: Fast shooters look and feel smoother on a TV with 4K at 120Hz support. See our picks for the best gaming TV for PS5 and Xbox.
You can also play Vanguard through Game Pass on Xbox’s Game Pass page, and our unique gifts for gamers list has more ideas for shooter fans.
Who should play Call of Duty: Vanguard?
Play Vanguard if you have Game Pass, enjoy World War II settings, or want a short, polished campaign with a strong cast. It also suits players who loved Champion Hill or want a less crowded lobby than the newest game offers. Skip it if you mainly play Zombies, want the most active multiplayer, or expect a long, varied campaign.
Frequently asked questions
Are the Call of Duty: Vanguard servers still online?
Yes, the Call of Duty: Vanguard servers are still online as of November 2026. Activision stopped adding seasonal content in 2022, so lobbies are quieter than in newer games, but the June 2026 Game Pass release brought in new players.
Is Call of Duty: Vanguard on Game Pass?
Yes, Call of Duty: Vanguard joined Xbox Game Pass on June 17, 2026. It’s included with Game Pass Premium, Game Pass Ultimate, and PC Game Pass, and you can play it on console, PC, or the cloud.
How long is the Call of Duty: Vanguard campaign?
The Call of Duty: Vanguard campaign is short, and most players finish it in an evening or two. IGN and other critics called it brief, though its cast and set pieces make it worth playing.
What is the newest Call of Duty game?
The newest Call of Duty game is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, which launched on October 23, 2026. It’s available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.
Final verdict
Call of Duty: Vanguard is a solid but forgettable entry with a standout cast, slick multiplayer, and a weak Zombies mode. Its servers still run, and Game Pass makes it an easy, free try for subscribers in 2026. Just don’t expect the content or crowds of Modern Warfare 4. Check the current Call of Duty: Vanguard price on Amazon.