Call of Duty: Vanguard Zombies is arguably the most interesting part of the game, as it is making far bigger changes than those seen in the multiplayer or campaign. While it is unclear if the risky Der Anfang experience will pay off, most fans have been able to stay calm due to leaks indicating that a round-based map is coming shortly after launch. However, that may not be the case after all.
The first roadmap for Call of Duty: Vanguard has been revealed, and it features plenty of info about the content coming to multiplayer and Call of Duty: Warzone. However, for those interested in what Call of Duty: Vanguard Zombies will be getting once Season 1 kicks off in December, no real information has been provided. With the Roadmap keeping things limited to “new Zombies updates,” though, fans can assume that the content will be a lot smaller than a full new map - and this could be devastating for fans of round-based gameplay.
The Call of Duty: Vanguard Zombies Roadmap Goes Against Early Leaks
Initially, leaks had claimed that the first proper round-based Zombies map would drop during Season 1. These same Zombies leaks mentioned that, instead of a traditional map, players would get a combination of Outbreak and Onslaught come launch day. This turned out to be accurate, with Der Anfang being revealed earlier this month. However, it seems like Season 1 might not be bringing a Survival map after all.
If the map (supposedly called War of the Dead) was really coming in Season 1, it likely would have been mentioned on the roadmap. Instead, the Zombies section features a shot from Der Anfang, seemingly suggesting that players will be experiencing new content tied to the launch experience as opposed to a full new map. War of the Dead could instead be held onto until Season 2, meaning that gamers have to wait even longer for a Zombies experience that resembles those seen in older games.
This lines up with comments from @TheMW2Ghost, a leaker who claimed that they were unsure if the map would launch in Season 1 like they had originally reported. Treyarch may have run into some troubles during its development, or the developer may want to ensure that the first “true” Zombies map is a polished experience. While it is admirable that Treyarch may be taking extra time so that some of the many bugs seen in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Zombies can be avoided, it would be a bit of a double-edged sword.
With Der Anfang being so different from normal Zombies, and resembling Outbreak mode so closely, round-based players could feel no need to pick up the game at launch. After all, some players prefer traditional experiences, as Survival had been the norm for over a decade. If a round-based map were to come in Season 1, players would not be waiting long for the content, something that could ease concerns. However, with this roadmap not mentioning a Season 1 Zombies map at all, and recent leaks saying that it might not be happening, fans of the traditional Zombies style could be in for a long wait.
What Content Could Be Added To Call of Duty: Vanguard Zombies In Season 1?
With the wording of “new Zombies updates” implying smaller content drops as opposed to a fresh map, fans should lower their expectations. Based on how things worked with Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Zombies, though, it is easy to predict how Seasons without a new map will work. While this is obviously speculation, fans should anticipate a few potential additions to be made during Season 1.
The most obvious inclusion is more Zombies intel. In ever seasonal update, as well as the midseason Reloaded updates, fresh Audio Logs and documents were added for fans to collect. These lore-filled items expanded on the Dark Aether story in a major way, with Outbreak alone featuring well over 200 items to gather. While not everyone will be interested in collectible hunting, finding secret recordings has been a part of Zombies since Call of Duty: World at War, so it is unlikely to go anywhere. Hopefully, players will be able to listen to the intel at the menu like in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War.
In terms of actual gameplay additions, fans can expect limited time modes that resemble things like Jingle Hells and Cranked from the previous iteration of Zombies. While many would like to see Shi No Numa made into a separate Survival map to help kill the time until some bigger content is added, fans should not bank on this happening. Smaller additions could join the limited time modes, though, like a new perk being introduced or the Altar of Covenants being expanded with some additional buffs.
The biggest addition that will likely be made is fresh objectives and regions being incorporated in Der Anfang. As Outbreak expanded throughout Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s Seasons, players were treated to additional regions and objectives. That same approach will likely be taken with Der Anfang, with more portals likely being added to the Stalingrad hub area. More multiplayer assets could be reused, with a map like Castle being given a Zombies-focused makeover. This way, Der Anfang could be made better over time, with Treyarch expanding on the mode in all the Seasons that lack new round-based maps.
Obviously, this is purely speculation, and fans should not give up hope on a Season 1 round-based map just yet. After all, Firebase Z came earlier than expected in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, so War of the Dead may still come later in Season 1. However, it certainly seems like fans should not be expecting it to drop anytime soon. It is more likely than not that “more Zombies updates” will translate to fresh Der Anfang regions and objectives, as well as additions to the core gameplay loop. While those are certainly welcome, it will be hard to blame fans if they are let down by a lack of round-based content over the next few months. Though Der Anfang could turn out to be incredible, it does not cater to the audience that has been with Zombies from the beginning - and that could end up being problematic.
Call of Duty: Vanguard launches November 5 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.