Call of Duty: Vanguard Patch Notes Fixes Broken Bundles And Adds Game Improvements

Call of Duty: Vanguard's Season 2 update is already available for download, and while the seasonal content doesn't go live until February 14, the patch notes detail some gameplay improvements and bug fixes have already been implemented with the new update.

Multiplayer updates

According to the patch notes from Sledgehammer Games, improvements have been made to Call of Duty: Vanguard that should result in better connectivity and lower crash rates. These changes include several improvements to player textures and animations that resulted in packet burst spikes, and a bug fix for an issue that previously resulted in players disconnecting during MVP Highlight Animations. The time to connect to online services should also be reduced.

A few killstreak bugs were also squashed ahead of Season 2. The developer says it fixed a bug that resulted in graphical corruption when attack dogs were killed by a Glide Bomb killstreak, and another bug that resulted in the flare and smoke VFX from a previously called-in Mortar Barrage killstreak to temporarily reappear. Additionally, deploying the Mortar Barrage will no longer force the player's weapon to switch.

Not all of Call of Duty's cosmetic weapons bundles have been working as intended, but the patch notes show several fixes for broken weapon tracers or missing items. Sledgehammer Games says that players who purchased the Year of the Tiger bundle but did not receive the Tiger Blueprint, should now have the item. Tracers for the Red Reactor Mastercraft should now be displayed on weapons as intended, and the Ashed tracers for the Graveyard Shift Mastercraft will now display correctly when applied to the Ore Sniper Rifle.

Zombies updates

For Zombies, a few changes were made to Artifacts. The Energy Mine now triggers the Splatterfest Covenant, while Frost Blast Tier I now freezes Sturmkriegers. The patch notes also addressed an issue where players weren't being ignored by zombies after activating Aether Shroud immediately following a Self-Revive.

Players should hopefully notice that Zombies mode runs smoother now. The update mentions fixes for various stability issues related to Covenants, objectives, perks, Power-Ups, and equipment, as well as corrections for various UI issues related to Challenges.

Additionally, players can now unlock Season 1's Cooper Carbine assault rifle and Gorenko Anti-Tank Rifle sniper through in-game challenges for Zombies mode.

Here are all the details for Call of Duty Season 2 for both Vanguard and Warzone. The recent cinematic trailer reveals a season themed around tanks and chemical warfare.

The full patches can be seen below, as shared by Sledgehammer Games.

MULTIPLAYER UPDATES

Stability

• Made several improvements to player textures and animations that resulted in Packet Burst spikes.
• Stability improvements should result in better connectivity and lower crash rates. The time to connect to Online Services should also be reduced.
• Fixed a bug that resulted in disconnecting during MVP Highlight Animations.

Maps

• General
  • A thorough pass on map environments has been completed to fix objects with unintended collision, issues with portaling through the ground, and to remove out-of-map exploits.
• Champion Hill
  • There will no longer be two consecutive buy rounds at the beginning of every Champion Hill Duos 2v2 private match.
  • A bug has been resolved that resulted in players losing Perk and Field Upgrade functionality in Private Matches if they played a match in Champion Hill previously.
  • Spawn improvements have been made for teams of three.

Modes

• Control
  • Fixed a bug that resulted in matches ending prematurely after a spectator disconnects.
  • Late match joiners are now able to spawn in when lives are available.
  • Swapping to spectate/different teams now consistently updates the lives left.
  • The last player alive warning now consistently appears.
• Private Matches
  • Silent Plant Option now works in Search and Destroy Private matches (fixed Feb 3rd).

Progression

• Seasonal Challenges
  • All players can now unlock Season 1 Mastery Cards after completing all challenges.
  • Field Specialist challenge is now tracking for all players.
  • Counter Measures challenges are now tracking consistently for all players.
• Operator Challenges
  • The Diamond operator skins will now unlock for Barbarian and Shadow operators.
• Welgun
  • Gold and Diamond camos are now unlockable after completing all weapon Challenges.
• Launchers
  • Ground based Killlstreaks now count towards the 'Deadeye' camo.

Weapon Adjustments

• Combat Shield
  • Fixed a bug that exposed player’s heads to damage above the shield.
• Throwing Knife
  • Distortion VFX have been removed.

Equipment

• Incendiary Grenade
  • Fixed a bug that caused additionally visuals to appear when Incendiary Grenades are used.
  • Number of Incendiary Grenade uses are now tracked in your combat record.

Perks

• Dauntless
  • Suppression no longer applies to players with the Dauntless perk when the player is hit by shots.
• Engineer
  • Players are no longer able to see an enemy Goliath’s diamond through walls without the Engineer perk.

Killstreaks

• Glide Bomb
  • Fixed a bug that resulted in graphical corruption when Attack Dogs were killed by a Glide Bomb.
• Mortar Barrage
  • Fixed a bug that resulted in the flare and smoke VFX from previously called-in Mortar Barrages temporarily re-appear.
  • Deploying the Mortar Barrage will no longer force-switch the player's weapon.
• Flamenaut
  • Activating the killstreak and getting killed at the same time will now grant you the killstreak.

Field Upgrade

• Fix a bug with Deployable Cover that resulted in constant screen shake.

Bundles & MTX

• Attack on Titan
  • Fixed a bug that resulted in missing VFX on the Kar98k.
• Year of the Tiger
  • Players who purchased this Bundle but did not receive the Tiger Blueprint, should now have the item.
• Red Reactor Mastercraft
  • Tracers are now displayed on weapons as intended.
• Graveyard Shift Mastercraft
  • “Ashed” tracers will now display correctly when applied to the Ore Sniper Rifle.
• Animalistic
  • Fixed a lighting bug with the Aquatint SMG that cause unintended lighting effect.
• Santa Slay
  • The Lucas Operator outfit, “Yarn Burner”, is no longer invisible for some players.

UI/UX

• A bug has been fixed that stopped players being unable to select a weapon when editing Prestige weapon classes.
• Prestige player progression is now viewable and tracking properly.
• Watch preview is no longer missing from the Battle Pass menu.

Misc

• A bug resulting in Play of the Game not playing or ending early has been fixed.
• Quips no longer play after an Operator is dead.

• Free Trial players should no longer encounter the error "This content is only available in the full game.

ZOMBIES PATCH NOTES

Maps

• "Terra Maledicta"
  • New Zombies experience located in Egypt available on Feb. 14th.
• Arenas
  • Three new Arenas available in "Terra Maledicta": Eastern Desert, Corrupted Lands, and Hall of Truth.

Story Quest

• New Story Quest available in "Terra Maledicta" starting at 9AM PT / 12PM ET on Feb. 14th.

New Intel

• New narrative intel available in "Terra Maledicta" to advance the Dark Aether story.

Wonder Weapons

• Ray Gun
  • Ray Gun Wonder Weapon available via the Mystery Box and loot drops on Feb. 10th.
• Decimator Shield
  • Available via the Story Quest in "Terra Maledicta."
  • Added to the Mystery Box once it has been obtained from the Story Quest.
  • Offers players superior protection and the unique Decimation Blast ability.

New Ally

• Vercanna the Last
  • New Dark Aether entity available, featuring the Healing Aura ability via her Artifact, the Wand of the Wilds.

Enemies

• Zaballa the Deceiver
  • New enemy type added to "Terra Maledicta" and "Der Anfang."

Objectives

• Sacrifice
  • New Objective type available in "Terra Maledicta," and added to "Der Anfang" at a later date.
  • Keep the Syphoncores from feeding on undead essence to stop the hordes from being unleashed. Prevent zombies from filling all three Syphoncores to stop the dark ceremony and complete the Objective.
• Void
  • Modified the way the Objective complete XP bonus is awarded when returning to Stalingrad after a Void Objective in "Der Anfang."
• Harvest
  • Closed exploits related to the Sin Eater in "Der Anfang."

Artifacts

• Healing Aura
  • New upgradable ability available via Vercanna the Last's Artifact.
  • Tiers:
    • Tier I - The Wand of the Wilds summons Vercanna's Life Energy to instantly heal yourself and allies to full health.
    • Tier II - Knock down normal enemies and stun Sturmkriegers near each player.
    • Tier III - Revive all downed allies.
    • Tier IV - Revived allies have their lost Perks returned.
    • Tier V - The Life Energy persists at each location for 10 seconds and continues to heal and revive players.
• Energy Mine
  • Energy Mine now triggers the Splatterfest Covenant.
• Frost Blast
  • Frost Blast Tier I now freezes Sturmkriegers.
• Aether Shroud
  • Addressed an issue where players weren’t being ignored by zombies after activating Aether Shroud immediately following a Self-Revive.

Covenants

• Artifact Ward
  • New ability with three rarities added to the Altar of Covenants on Feb. 10th.
  • Equip for a chance to trigger your Artifact for free when hit by a melee attack from the rear.
  • Rarities:
    • Rare: Being hit by a melee attack on the back has a chance to trigger your Artifact
    • Epic: Being hit by a melee attack on the back has a higher chance to trigger your Artifact.
    • Legendary: Being hit by a melee attack anywhere has a higher chance to trigger your Artifact.

Weapons

• Season Two
  • KG M40 and Whitley available in Zombies loadouts once unlocked via the Season Two Battle Pass.
• Unlock Challenges
  • New Weapon Unlock Challenges added to Zombies for the Cooper Carbine and Gorenko Anti-Tank Rifle.
• Support
  • The Warmachine and Deathmachine can now be obtained from the Mystery Box, chests, and as loot drops from enemies.
  • Addressed an issue where critical damage was not being correctly displayed for the Warmachine.
• General
  • Addressed various issues with attempting to swap out a melee weapon for a weapon from the ground.

Pack-a-Punch Camos

• New Camos
  • Three new camos available at the Pack-a-Punch machine in "Terra Maledicta."
• General
  • Pack-a-Punch Camos in "Der Anfang" are now animated.
  • Pack-a-Punch Camos now properly apply to Weapon Blueprints, weapons found in the Mystery Box, and weapons dropped by enemies.

Challenges

• Season Challenges
  • New Season Challenges available at the start of Season Two.
  • Addressed an issue where the Season One Mastery Calling Card was not displayed correctly.
• General
  • Addressed an issue where Launchers and the Combat Shield were not correctly contributing to certain Challenges.
  • Addressed various UI issues related to Challenges.

Stability

• Fixed various stability issues related to Covenants, Objectives, Perks, Power-Ups, and Equipment