The announcement trailer for Call of Duty: Vanguard did not prominently feature Activision’s name or logo, instead opting to begin with “Call of Duty presents.” Now that the game’s alpha test is up for pre-load, fans have noticed that Activision’s name and logo are largely missing as well.
A spokesperson for Activision, whose parent company Activision Blizzard is being sued over claims of discrimination and harassment against women, said this was a creative decision.
“Call of Duty has continued to expand into an incredible universe of experiences. This was a creative choice that reflects how Vanguard represents the next major installment in the franchise,” a representative told reporter Stephen Totilo. The publisher also sent the statement to GameSpot, and said it applies to both the trailer and the alpha startup page.
In the case of the Vanguard reveal trailer and the alpha startup screen, Activision’s logo never appears, and the company’s name only shows up in the boilerplate tiny-font legal text. According to CharlieIntel, every other Call of Duty game boots up by displaying Activision’s logo.
Here’s the Call of Duty: Vanguard Alpha start up screen.
Very interesting to note…Activision logo does not appear. Only shows Activision at the end for copyright. Every other CoD game starts up with Activision’s logo. pic.twitter.com/VN8vGrpSHH— CharlieIntel – Call of Duty News (@charlieINTEL) August 23, 2021
Vanguard’s first alpha test will take place this weekend, running August 27-29 on PlayStation consoles. It gives players a first look at the Champion Hill 3v3 mode. The rest of the game’s multiplayer will be revealed on September 7, and then a PlayStation-exclusive preorder beta will take place September 10-13. An open beta takes place later in the month on all platforms. For more, check out the full Call of Duty: Vanguard multiplayer beta schedule.
Vanguard’s campaign will be shown off during the Gamescom Opening Night Live event on August 25. Other games that will be shown off include Far Cry 6, and a reboot for the Saints Row franchise.
Vanguard is set to launch on November 5 for console and PC. It is expected to be the best-selling game of 2021 in the US, even bigger than Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto V for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
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