Activision Blizzard is granting audiences free access to Vanguard’s multiplayer and Zombies components as a way of promoting the latest season, Mercenaries of Fortune.
Play the full Vanguard Multiplayer and Zombies experience for a full week for 🆓 from July 20 through July 26. Read the #CODBlog for all the details ➡️ https://t.co/LJOyWOZhxj pic.twitter.com/PndERKzV98 — Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) July 19, 2022 Call of Duty: Vanguard brought back the franchise to a World War 2 setting for the first time since 2017’s Call of Duty: WWII, which Sledgehammer Games also helmed. Vanguard marks the second straight Call of Duty game not to meet sales expectations. Initially, many blamed Activision’s high expectations. After all, 2019’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare by Infinity Ward set new records. Not to mention, Vanguard still topped sales charts for a while. But, it’s now clear that fan interest in the series as well as other shooters is on a serious decline. In addition to Vanguard, marquee FPS titles like Halo: Infinite and Battlefield 2042 are both dealing with disappointing numbers as well even if the latter is starting to show signs of recovery. If nothing else, the free-to-play period of Vanguard from July 20 to July 26 should help tide audiences over until Modern Warfare 2 comes out later this year. The latest free access period is the second time that Activision is opening Vanguard’s doors wide open. It wouldn’t surprise us if Vanguard’s single-player campaign ends up becoming free-to-play either. Unfortunately, this also reinforces the idea that the studio is feeling the pressure to squeeze more out of the latest Call of Duty game. Vanguard’s free access period will include 20 different multiplayer modes like the Blueprint Gun Game, Team Deathmatch, Domination, and the recently returned Shi No Numa map for Zombies. Speaking of Call of Duty, Modern Warfare 2’s open beta dates might start in September.
