20 mins of Call of Duty: Vanguard Zombies gameplay has leaked

20 minutes of Call of Duty: Vanguard Zombies mode gameplay has leaked, ahead of the game’s release later this week.

The off-screen footage offers the most extensive look at the new Zombies mode since it was revealed by developer Treyarch last month.

Vanguard’s Zombies mode is a “franchise-first crossover” and “the precursor to Black Ops Cold War Zombies”, according to its developer.

“Taking place in 1944, Vanguard Zombies shifts the focus of the Dark Aether story to the disturbing occult activities carried out by the Third Reich during WWII. This is a completely new tonal direction for Call of Duty Zombies, and one that offers plenty of opportunities for new gameplay and storytelling experiences in Vanguard,” according to Treyarch.

“The gameplay of ‘Der Anfang’ blends fan-favorite Zombies elements with fast-paced, objective-based action, ensuring there’s never a dull moment as you and your fellow Special Forces operatives fight to survive the undead. From the war-torn battlements of Stalingrad to the classic setting of Shi No Numa in Japan, your squad will face the undead threat on every front.

“Players will also be introduced to a brand-new cast of Zombies characters, including the sinister Oberführer Von List, demonologist Gabriel Krafft, and several Dark Aether entities that have entered into a pact with humans to achieve their own mysterious goals.”

Call of Duty: Vanguard is scheduled for release on November 5, 2021 for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC via Battle.net.

A pair of Vanguard’s writers said last month that they want to help create two sequels to the game.

Discussing the upcoming shooter and its prequel comic during a New York Comic Con panel, Sledgehammer contractor Sam Maggs said she hopes Vanguard’s characters can become new mascots for the blockbuster franchise over multiple series entries.

“We came into this process saying, ‘how do we make the iconic CoD characters?’ because you don’t really have that in Call of Duty right now,” she said. “You know when you think about a game like Halo, you think of Master Chief, but when you think of CoD there’s not really those standout characters.”

Last month, Sledgehammer announced it’s opening a new UK studio based in Guildford to support Vanguard’s live seasons as well as future projects it has planned for the coming years.