Anti-cheat, new map and more: the new Call of Duty brings major changes to Battle Royale from 5 November.
Call of Duty: Vanguard has dropped the covers – and the reveal of the new CoD should also elicit loud cheers from many Warzone fans. Because solutions for the biggest problems of Battle Royale are finally in sight!
First of all, the most important key points about the Vanguard integration:
- All weapons together: Loadouts from Vanguard, Cold War and MW are possible at the same time
- All unlocks, skins and items from all previous games will be retained
- Future Battle Passes can be leveled up in Vanguard, MW, Warzone and Cold War
- Full Vanguard integration should be completed with the new map by the end of 2021
Meanwhile, the Vanguard open beta is over, where we got our first taste of the new multiplayer. (Some criticisms are shared by most players)
Table of Contents
What Vanguard is changing all about in Warzone
New Seasons: When does integration with Vanguard start
CoD Vanguard will be released on November 5, 2021, which is while Season 6 of Warzone and Cold War are still in full swing. There are two possibilities: Either Season 6 will be shortened (though there is no indication of this) or Season 1 of Vanguard and Warzone will start later (which is more likely). According to insider Tom Henderson it could start on 23 November, which also fits well into the usual rhythm. After that, it will probably continue with the usual eight-week seasons until Call of Duty 2022 takes over.
Will all the new weapons end up in Warzone in one fell swoop? That is unclear so far. In Cold War times, this was exactly what caused massive balancing problems that were only resolved to some extent months later. We will of course keep you up to date as soon as information on the release. Download or a release event become known!
New Map: What do we know about the WW2 map in the Pacific?
What has been announced? The new Warzone map will still be released in 2021 and will put us on a tropical Pacific island. So beach and palm trees instead of bombed Verdansk with its ash colours! The developers promise new exciting locations, and according to credible rumours, the map will be even bigger than Verdansk. As before, it will again be composed of multiplayer maps from the main game, of which Vanguard will bring 20 at launch.
At the very end of this teaser for Vanguard, you can see the new island arena for the first time, which rises from the blue waves of the Pacific Ocean:
It stands to reason, of course, that the new Warzone map fits the World War 2 era. All confirmed info and credible leaks can be found in our separate info article, which, by the way, already contains lots of pictures of the new map.
Old map: What will happen to Verdansk now?
It’s time to say goodbye to the old map. The developers are already openly preparing for Verdansk to soon make its final journey to the map graveyard. After all, it should be a bombastic end, as the last (small) map change was also accompanied by a dramatic release event.
It is not yet known what kind of fireworks Raven Software will set off for the finale, but already in Season 6 parts of the city will be destroyed. The final battle against the villain Stitch will probably lead to the destruction of Verdansk. Or a good old time travel will have to be used. If you’re wondering who the heck Stitch is, you might want to check out this short video:
It is not known if Verdansk might return at some point, possibly as an alternative map. Also, we don’t yet know what will happen to the smaller Rebirth Island map.
Weapons: What new weapons are coming and what do they change about the meta?
As with Cold War, Vanguard will also bring new weapons to Warzone. Logically, this time they are not from the Cold War, but from the Second World War. Together with the modern guns from Modern Warfare, three fundamentally different eras will be united in Battle Royale – the balancing will certainly be exciting! These weapons have been confirmed through the beta so far:
Even before Vanguard launches, you can unlock two new weapon blueprints in Warzone: the STG-44 and the M1. You can unlock both guns and some cosmetics via the Battle Pass.
An important difference is that the weapons in Vanguard can be customised with up to ten attachments, which is more than was previously possible with the weaponsmith. This could lead to you being able to better align your loadouts with Vanguard weapons according to your preferences. Basically, the developers have already stated that they want to broaden the meta again, so that there are not always a handful of overpowered guns and the rest gather dust in the corner.
If you are looking for useful loadout and weapon guides for Season 6, take a look here at CharlieIntel or at the Youtuber Xclusive Ace There you’ll find the latest tests, tips and tutorials
The technology: Which engine will be used from now on?
Vanguard and the “new Warzone experience” are based on the same technology, namely the upgraded engine from Modern Warfare. This should mean that there are fewer gameplay differences between the main game and the Battle Royale and that both feel largely the same. In Cold War, the engine difference still caused some problems.
The anti-cheat: What does Ricochet bring?
Along with the new map (more on that in the next paragraph), an anti-cheat is finally coming to Warzone! There is no exact release date yet, but it should be 2021 – coinciding with the release of the new Pacific map.
The new system is called “Ricochet” and relies on a kernel driver that can make far-reaching accesses to your PC. In this way, cheat programmes can be quickly detected and appropriate consequences drawn. However, such anti-cheats with kernel drivers are not without controversy, mainly because of questions about stability and data protection.
(You can read all about how Ricochet works here in our FAQ)
The Battle Pass: How to unlock which rewards?
The first Battle Pass for Warzone and Vanguard has not been released yet, that should happen when Season 1 gets closer. So probably mid-November 2021. But of course the basic principle is well known by now: Every player automatically receives a Battle Pass with 100 ranks per season, which you level up with experience (i.e. games) and thus unlock rewards such as new weapons or cosmetics. For 1,000 CoD points (approx. 10 euros) you can also buy a premium version, which gives you additional rewards such as XP boosts and skins.
The Studios: Who will continue to develop Warzone now?
There is no change in Warzone management this time, Raven Software remains the responsible development studio. That was different last time – at the launch of Cold War, Infinity Ward passed the torch to Raven Software. Which unfortunately went rather bumpily.
We want to know your opinion, of course: What do you think of the whole thing? Which change gives you the most hope for Warzone? Or are you basically critical of the Vanguard release? Feel free to write us in the comments.
