Tradition once had it where every year's Call of Duty title would be announced in April or May, early on in the year. Black Ops Cold War broke this reveal pattern when it was first showcased in late August, and now the next title, rumored to be Call of Duty: Vanguard, is set to follow a similar path. Insider Tom Henderson has suggested that the game would get a proper reveal inside Warzone on August 19, a week away as of this writing.
Assuming this is true, then not only should fans expect marketing to pick up majorly after the fact, but the leaks prior to it may even increase. The latest leak for Call of Duty: Vanguard may even be the most substantial yet, as it shows the box art for the standard edition, cross-gen bundle, and ultimate edition. Unfortunately, the leak doesn't reveal what comes with the Ultimate Edition (while the cross-gen bundle is rather obvious), but it does confirm a few key details for fans.
RELATED: Call of Duty: Warzone Devs Confirm Anti-Cheat Information Will Be Coming
First, it's worth mentioning that this image leak, shared through multiple sources, seems to come from Black Ops Cold War's files. There was a recent update in which these were added and have now been datamined, so while they should be taken with a grain of salt, they do seem rather legit. Those interested in checking out the new Call of Duty: Vanguard images themselves can do so here and here.
The images confirm the rumored World War 2 setting and the first image seems to be the standard, showing four soldiers advancing in a field of war. The cross-gen bundle darkens the image and makes it a bit more red, confirming the game for both the PS4/Xbox One gen as well as the PS5/Xbox Series X gen, while the Ultimate Edition takes the same soldiers and puts them in a new position. One image of the Ultimate Edition reveals it'll include early access to the Open Beta, XP boosts, weapon and operator skins, and more.
According to Henderson, Call of Duty: Vanguard's exact setting takes place just after the Nazis lose the war, with the Gestapo trying to reclaim Nazi rights, and Gestapo chief Heinrich Muller is the main villain. It may even feature a co-op campaign, though that is unconfirmed at this time. Other rumors indicate it'll also visit the Pacific Theater of War, which the cover image seemingly supports more. The guns in it, though with a wide margin for error, seemingly include a Japanese Type 100 SMG, among others including a Mosin Nagant 91/30 Sniper with a PU scope, an Enfield (potentially) up front, and an apparently modified Sten Gun. With weapons from both theaters of war present, it would make sense to see the campaign covering more than just Germany.
Of course, while these show fans a lot about the game, the devil is always in the details, and there's a lot of details fans don't know. Reportedly,CoD: Vanguard is using Modern Warfare's engine, not Black Op Cold War's, and if that's the case, it should play more like the former than the latter. Still, a lot is up in the air, but if the August 19th reveal is legitimate, fans don't have to wait much longer.
Call of Duty: Vanguard is in development.
MORE: Call of Duty Leaker Says Fans Are Going to 'Explode' When They See Vanguard
Source: Earthbound Fan, Charlie Intel, Tom Henderson