Seasons are changing

Season 1 begins TODAY, with a huge season from the off as we finally get to step on to new territory in Warzone as we visit The Pacific.

Meanwhile in Vanguard, we're being treated to the familiar formula of seasonal content with a number of new weapons and some exciting multiplayer maps!

Zombies players will be pleased to hear that an Easter Egg is on its way in the debut season to encourage more life in slaughtering the undead.

With so much going on and so much speculation, you'll need to read up on all the juicy content for yourself.

Here's everything we know about Season 1 of Vanguard.

Release Date

We're expecting Season 1 of Vanguard and Warzone to begin on the 8th December 2021.

This is due to the fact the new map 'Caldara' also know as 'The Pacific' will come into effect for those that own Vanguard and a day later for those that do not. It's also when the current Season 6 Battle Pass for Cold War and Warzone Ends.

Given the Battle Pass timer is set to expire at 5PM GMT, it could be this is when the new pass goes live. However, most Seasonal updates have been arriving at 6AM GMT.

Update Size

According to @SizePlayStaion the new update will put Vanguard at 40.773GB in size on PlayStation. The Season 1 Vanguard update will be roughly 9GB.

Trailer

We're awaiting the official Season 1 trailer, but we do have the opening Cinematic to set up the new Warzone map.

Roadmap
Patch Notes

Vanguard

MULTIPLAYER UPDATES

Gameplay

  • Did an overall pass on Mounting. Players reported issues regarding mount height and objects not appearing mountable.

Weapons

  • Balancing (Dec 9th)
    • General
      • Corrected Loadouts using 7 Round Mags so the total ammo count is divisible by 7.
    • M1 Garand
      • Reduced Recoil.
    • Type 99
      • Reduced Aim Flinch.
      • Reduced ADS Time.
      • Retain One Shot Kill potential for chest shots when smaller caliber ammo is used.
    • 3-Line Rifle
      • Reduced ADS Time.
    • Kar98
      • Retain One Shot Kill potential for chest shots when smaller caliber ammo is used.
    • Sniper Attachments
      • Hollow Points now reduce range.
    • Top Break
      • Using lower caliber ammo now reduces range instead of damage
    • Shotguns
      • Buck and Slugs
        • Reduced ADS speed penalty.
        • Reduced headshot multiplier.
      • Birdshot
        • Reduced headshot multiplier.
  • Gunsmith
    • Custom Mods: players can save custom builds.
    • Adjusted the camera position when selecting specific weapons or attachments. Players reported the weapon preview was cut off for a handful of attachments.
  • In-Game
    • Bug where players would load into game with an invisible weapon has been fixed.
    • Combat Shields now correctly display skins while stowed.
  • Progression and Camos
    • XP
      • XP rates have been increased for Snipers.
    • 3-Line Rifle
      • Bloodthirsty Challenges have been changed to Prone Challenges.

Killstreaks

  • Mortar Barrage - (Dec 9)
    • Improves visibility by reducing full-screen smoke effects. As a result, players need to be closer to the barrage to be affected.
  • Flamenaut
    • Added damage direction indicators for players using Flamenaut.
  • Fire Bombing Run
    • Fixed issue where players did not see where the fire VFX started, resulting in players taking damage though they were not standing in the flames.
  • Attack Dogs
    • Fixed a missing VFX path when the whistling animation plays.
  • UI
    • Performance pass on Killstreak decals to reduce flickering.

Field Upgrades

  • Dead Drop
    • Fixed a bug where players were continually awarded their top killstreak when using Dead Drop.
    • Charge time has been doubled.
  • Goliath
    • Made it easier to determine if a deployed Goliath is friendly

Challenges

  • Fixed an issue with “Grizzled Veteran - Get X Eliminations in Hardcore Mode” not tracking properly.

Progression

  • Fixed bug preventing some players from unlocking reticles.

Maps

  • Demyansk
    • Fixed an exploit where players could exit the map.
  • Oasis:
    • Fixed exploits where players could exit the map.
  • Tuscan
    • Fixed a rare issue where players spawn outside of the map.
  • Numa Numa
    • Fixed a rare issue where players spawn outside of the map.
  • Shipment (Dec 9)
    • Adjusted spawn logic to prevent spawn traps

Clan

  • UI/UX
    • Fixed a bug where player names were blank in “incoming clan requests” if the request was received while in the Clan Request menu.

Menus

  • Players will see a warning when equipping 2XP tokens while a global 2XP event is running.

Performance & Connectivity

  • Improved stability when connecting to lobbies.
  • Fixed bug resulting in “Server Snapshot Error,” where players would get kicked out of matches and into MP menus. (Dec 9)

 

CAMPAIGN UPDATES

  • Stalingrad
    • Fixed bug where the game would crash when Polina picked up an NPC.
  • Battle of Berlin
    • Fixed a bug that would cause the game to crash after a cutscene.

 

ZOMBIES UPDATES

New Objective

  • Purge
    • Purge the Augmentors from existence by capturing powerful Control Runes throughout the area.
    • Augmentors will spawn waves of enemies as a defense mechanism as players attempt to capture the Control Runes.
    • Survive the enemy waves and successfully capture all Control Runes within the time limit for a perfect Objective completion and bonus rewards (Max Ammo, Max Armor, and Bonus Points power-ups).
    • Fail to capture all Control Runes before the time limit expires, and a huge horde of zombies will spawn that must be taken down to complete the Objective with standard rewards.

New Covenants

Wield five new Covenants with 14 total rarity tiers at the Altar of Covenants.

  • Brimstone
    • Deal damage to nearby enemies (Rare/Epic/Legendary).
  • Deadshot
    • Aiming down sights snaps the crosshairs to headshot location on enemies. Bonus damage on the first critical attack for each enemy. Removes weapon sway (Rare/Epic).
  • Dead Wire
    • Stuns an enemy (Rare/Epic). Stuns an enemy and nearby enemies (Legendary).
  • Scrapper
    • Gain more Salvage from pickups (Rare/Epic). Gain more Salvage from pickups and Objective rewards (Legendary).
  • Swift Vengeance
    • Deal more damage the faster you move. Activates shortly after you start moving. Fire while sprinting (Rare/Epic). Activates immediately upon moving (Legendary).

New Weapons

  • Season One Weapons
    • Once unlocked, players can bring in the all-new Cooper Carbine, Gorenko Anti-Tank Rifle, and Sawtooth Melee weapon in their Zombies loadouts at the start of Season One.
  • Launchers
    • All Launchers will now be available in loadouts and in the Mystery Box in Zombies at the start of Season One.

Career Challenges

  • Added new Zombies Career Challenges to the Barracks with unique Calling Card and XP bonus rewards.

Season Challenges

  • Added 20 Zombies Season Challenges to the Barracks with unique Calling Card and XP bonus rewards to earn, including a Season One Master Calling Card for completing all 20 challenges.

Progression

  • Addressed an issue which prevented players from unlocking the Dark Aether Completionist camo.

Pack-a-Punch

  • Addressed an issue that prevented Pack-a-Punched Shotguns with 10 Round Drums from reloading all 10 rounds in a single reload animation.
  • Addressed an issue that could incorrectly flag un-upgraded weapons as Pack-a-Punch Level 1.

Gameplay

  • Closed various exploits including out-of-map exploits.

Stability

  • Fixed a stability issue related to the Frost Blast Artifact.
  • Fixed a stability issue related to multi-kills obtained via Equipment.
Battle Pass

What Is It?

If you're not sure what it i, it's an additional avenue for earning rewards for your grind in both Vanguard and Warzone. The Battle Pass in universal and progress will be made whether you play Vanguard's Multiplayer, Zombies or even Warzone. You can unlock new skins for your weapons, Operators, new accessories and plenty of other goodies.

Price

The Battle Pass should cost 1000 COD points (roughly $10), once again, with a 2400 Battle Pass Bundle being available for those that want to pay a bit extra to skip 20 tiers.

However, if you bought the Ultimate Edition, you will already be given the Vagnuard Battle Pass Bundle for free.

There is, as always, a free version of the Battle Pass in which only a selection of the freebies are available - most importantly the two new weapons that will be featured.

What's Included?

Usually you can expect a new Operator and two new Weapons. While, the weapons are free, the Operator is a premium reward only obtainable by purchasing the Battle Pass or a store bundle. The Battle Pass also includes an array of Blueprints, Operator skins, dozens of cosmetic acccessories, COD Points, XP tokens, Emblems and Calling Cards.

Speaking of skins and cosmetics, PlaystationSize has also noted that the update was added to the internal database, and we get some insight to some of the skins coming to the battle pass or perhaps in the store?

Rewards

Tier 0 also offers these instant rewards upon Battle Pass purchase:

- “Alleyway” Arthur Kingsley Skin. Dive into the Pacific prepared for the heat with this new Skin for Vanguard’s leader.

- Season One XP Boost. Enjoy a 10% increase on Player XP throughout Season One.

- 45-Minute Double Weapon XP Token. Level up those new armaments faster with this token.

Warzone

The new Warzone Map 'Caldera' also known as 'The Pacific' will arrive in Season 1 on the 8th December.

Here's what's new in Warzone:

  • When Warzone Pacific drops, any player who wins a Gulag will drop back in with the weapon – or weapons – and lethal equipment given to them during that deadly duel.
    • Any ammo and remaining equipment carries over between the Gulag and the redeploy. Deal with the enemy efficiently, and you will have more at your disposal back in Caldera.
  • Dead Silence is being nerfed
  • Stopping Power Rounds are gone
  • Nerfs to Stun Grenades
  • Nerfs to Heartbeat Sensors
  • Nerf to dual-wielded melee weapons such as the Kali Sticks and Sai
  • Gun-butting "no longer primary method of attack on the Caldera"
  • Lethal equipment will be buffed
  • Snapshot grenade nerfed
  • Stim now gives a movement boost
  • Decoy grenade pack rubber bullets dealing damage to enemies
  • Gas Masks won't interrupt as many actions
  • New 'Explosive Canisters' item added
  • Operators can now wade through shallow water
  • Crouching in water gives Cold Blooded effects
  • Fire-based equipment now cause smoke when it hits the water
  • Supply Drop and Big Game Bount contracts added
  • Restock and Resurgences public events added
  • RICOCHET Anti-Cheat added
Zombies

Fans are hoping to see a brand new map after the rocky start to Vanguard's Zombies mode - we are aware that the first Easter Egg will arrive in the new Season.

"This Main Quest will be tied to the arrival of an unexpected ally after Season One, which will further expand the narrative of the Dark Aether, and reveal more details about the characters and entities that players will have encountered thus far" explained a recent blog post.

Weapons

This season's weapons are the Cooper Carbine, Sawtooth, Katana, Gorenko Anti-Tank Rifle and Welgun.

An American hybrid rifle with SMG-like properties, the Cooper Carbine is a short-range Assault Rifle that’s easy to control with a fast fire rate.

A heavy semi-automatic rifle, the Gorenko offers the most damage per shot of any ballistics-based weapon, capable of one-shotting any enemy in Multiplayer with ease.

Sewn with shark’s teeth along the club’s perimeter, the Sawtooth can whack and slice up foes just as well as the FS Fighting Knife.

The single-edged Japanese longsword adds another deadly close-quarter combat option alongside the FS Fighting Knife and Sawtooth.

A prototype developed by Captain Butcher’s S.O.E., the Welgun finds its way into the Vanguard arsenal despite being produced in limited quantities.

No concrete evidence has emerged as to what weapons will arrived for the new season.

@ZestyCODLeaks has been datamining the game since launch and has found a number of melee weapons, thanks to some execution moves.

These include:

  • Hockey Stick
  • Katana
  • Zweihänder
  • Wood Axe
  • Nunchucks
  • Spear Shield
  • Shurikens
Maps

Paradise and Radar are this season's new maps with Radar being a MW3 Dome remake!

We are hoping for one map to get a Christmas themed makeover, which we're expecting to be either Shipment or Red Star. Red Star has the natural snowy aesthetic, but Christmas themed maps tend to be focused on smaller maps.

Check out some of the Christmas themed maps from past Call of Duty games!

@ZestCODLeaks has mentioned a new map and mode called 'FTUE' but these have 'S4' strings - meaning it may not come for a while.

Operators

This season's Operators are Francis, Lewis and Isabella.

@ZestyCODLeaks is a well known dataminer and leaker, who has informed us that Krampus is coming to Vanguard at some stage.

He's found a number of Operators that will come to Vanguard at some stage including:

  • Anna
  • Liu
  • Thomas
  • Gustavo
  • Ramon

The latest info comes via an image that seems to confirm that Anna and Lewis are being added in Season 1 as well as one unknown Operator.

One strange addition is Krampus, who is a horned, anthropomorphic figure, in Alpine folklore, who during the Christmas season scares children who have misbehaved, assisting Saint Nicholas. While this won't be included in the Battle Pass, it will likely realease as a separate bundle around Christmas time.

Cosmetics And Store Bundles

@ZestyCODLeaks again has told us about more cosmetics and accessories from his datamines including an Elf and Tiger themed execution. Something more long term includes Cupid, a Firecracker, Glaive and more.

We are getting Holiday themed content including Christmas Calling Cards, Sticker Sets and New Years Calling Card.