Was Call of Duty: Vanguard a Flop? A Deep Dive
Unequivocally, Call of Duty: Vanguard, while not a complete commercial failure, underperformed significantly compared to expectations and historical franchise benchmarks, making it largely considered a critical and commercial disappointment within the Call of Duty series. While it was the best-selling new game of 2021, that statement comes with a substantial caveat: its sales figures lagged far behind previous Call of Duty titles, including Black Ops Cold War and Modern Warfare. This article will explore the factors contributing to Vanguard’s tepid reception and its impact on the Call of Duty franchise. Let’s break it all down.
Factors Contributing to Vanguard’s Underperformance
Several elements converged to create a less-than-stellar experience for players and contribute to Vanguard’s disappointing sales. Here’s a closer look:
1. Setting Fatigue
The World War II setting, while historically significant, felt somewhat recycled to many players. The Call of Duty franchise has visited this era numerous times, and Vanguard struggled to offer a fresh or compelling take. Many felt that the game didn’t resonate with parts of the Call of Duty community.
2. Lack of Innovation
Critics and players alike criticized Vanguard for its lack of innovation. The gameplay mechanics felt familiar, and the game failed to introduce any groundbreaking features that would differentiate it from its predecessors. This sense of stagnation was a major factor in its negative reception.
3. Bugs and Glitches
Vanguard’s launch was plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, negatively impacting the player experience. These technical issues ranged from minor inconveniences to game-breaking problems, further souring the reception of the game. The slow pace of addressing these problems during Vanguard’s life cycle also compounded the issue.
4. Map Design
While Vanguard launched with a generous number of multiplayer maps, the quality and design of these maps were widely criticized. Many felt that the maps lacked memorable locations and strategic depth, contributing to a repetitive and unsatisfying multiplayer experience. Few maps stood out as eminently playable or particularly well-designed.
5. Narrative Weakness
Even though it featured a star-studded cast, the campaign mode’s narrative failed to captivate audiences. Many reviewers found the storyline uninspired and the characters underdeveloped, leading to a lackluster single-player experience. The campaign mode ultimately fell flat when it came to both narrative and gameplay.
6. Player Dissatisfaction with Promos and Case Ratios
Playerbase wasn’t happy with hard to get expensive promos and lowered case ratios (base rarity and high rarity) + increased case costs.
Impact on the Call of Duty Franchise
Vanguard’s underperformance had a ripple effect throughout the Call of Duty franchise. Its disappointing sales figures contributed to a 40% year-on-year decline in sales following its launch. This setback forced Activision to re-evaluate its strategy and address the issues that led to Vanguard’s failure. This prompted a shift in development priorities and a renewed focus on innovation and quality for future installments. This game highlighted the importance of consistently delivering high-quality, innovative experiences to maintain player engagement and ensure the long-term success of the franchise. Insights into why games succeed or fail are crucial for developers and can be explored further through resources like the Games Learning Society (GamesLearningSociety.org).
Future of Call of Duty
Despite the setback with Vanguard, the Call of Duty franchise remains a powerhouse in the gaming industry. Activision’s commitment to addressing past issues and delivering innovative experiences suggests a promising future for the series. With new titles on the horizon and a renewed focus on quality, Call of Duty aims to reclaim its position as the leading first-person shooter franchise.
Call of Duty: Vanguard FAQs
1. Did Call of Duty: Vanguard sell well compared to other Call of Duty games?
No, while it was the best-selling new game release of 2021, its sales were significantly below expectations and less than previous Call of Duty titles like Black Ops Cold War and Modern Warfare. Call of Duty: Vanguard has sold worse than Black Ops Cold War and Modern Warfare, and is in fact one of the worst-selling Call of Duty games in years.
2. Did Call of Duty: Vanguard lose money for Activision?
While it’s unlikely the game resulted in a net loss due to the franchise’s established popularity, it certainly underperformed financially and contributed to a decline in overall Call of Duty sales. Following the launch of Vanguard in 2021, sales were down by 40% year-on-year.
3. Why was Call of Duty: Vanguard considered a failure?
It was considered a failure due to a combination of factors, including a recycled World War II setting, a lack of innovation, numerous bugs and glitches, uninspired map design, and a weak narrative.
4. Was Call of Duty: Vanguard the worst Call of Duty game ever made?
While opinions vary, many consider Call of Duty: Ghosts to be the worst, Vanguard is often ranked among the lower-tier entries in the franchise.
5. What were some of the biggest complaints about Call of Duty: Vanguard?
Major complaints included the uninspired World War II setting, lack of innovation, numerous bugs and glitches, and poorly designed multiplayer maps.
6. Did Call of Duty: Vanguard have an impact on the Call of Duty franchise?
Yes, its underperformance contributed to a significant decline in overall Call of Duty sales and prompted Activision to re-evaluate its development strategy.
7. Is Call of Duty losing popularity?
While Call of Duty experienced a slump in 2021, losing millions of active monthly users, the franchise remains incredibly popular. New titles and continued support for existing games keep the player base engaged.
8. Why did Call of Duty: Vanguard “flop” according to Reddit users?
Reddit users often cited the lack of innovation, numerous bugs, and overall poor quality as reasons for Vanguard’s failure. They felt the game didn’t offer anything new or unique compared to previous Call of Duty titles.
9. Is Call of Duty shutting down in 2023?
No, there was a rumor about COD Mobile being phased out, but that was quickly debunked. The Call of Duty franchise is not shutting down.
10. Is there a new Call of Duty game coming out in 2024?
Yes, there is a new Call of Duty game planned for release in 2024, being developed by Treyarch.
11. Which Call of Duty game is currently the most popular?
Right now, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) and its sequel, Modern Warfare II (2022), often have the most online players, due to their popularity and consistent updates.
12. Which Call of Duty game has the best graphics?
Modern Warfare II (2022) is often cited as having the best graphics in the Call of Duty franchise, offering a visually stunning experience.
13. Which Call of Duty game has the best Zombies mode?
Black Ops 3 is often regarded as having the best Zombies experience, thanks to its exciting maps, varied weapons, and action-packed gameplay.
14. How many copies did Call of Duty: Vanguard sell?
The game is reported to have sold more than 30 million copies.
15. What is the most sold game in the world?
The best-selling video game to date is Minecraft, a sandbox game released by Mojang in May 2009 for a wide range of PC, mobile and console platforms, selling more than 300 million copies across all platforms.