Those who have yet to jump into the latest Call of Duty game can do so for free this weekend. Call of Duty: Vanguard has a free multiplayer access weekend beginning today and running until December 21. As well as all of the maps and modes currently in the game, players will also have access to the Festive Fervor event in COD Vanguard and Warzone due to begin tomorrow, December 17.
The free access weekend is running right now and will give access to ten multiplayer maps, four multiplayer modes and three playlists, two of which focus on the Festive Fervor event. There will be “maximum double XP” enabled meaning there will be double XP, double Weapon XP, double Operator XP, double Clan XP, and double Battle Pass XP that will all be transferred to the full game if players choose to upgrade.
Regardless of whether you’re making use of the free access weekend or you own the game already, all players can take part in the Festive Fervor event in Vanguard and Call of Duty: Warzone. Vanguard will get several limited-time Multiplayer features, such as Armageddon mode (previously known as Drop Zone). Two teams fight for control over an area of the map where care packages are dropped regularly. Once a certain number of them have been collected, the zone switches to another area of the map. Points are only earned through kills, although those earned with Killstreaks get bonus points too.
Elf Team Six is making an appearance across Vanguard‘s multiplayer modes too. These enemies are “ready to roast Operators like chestnuts on an open fire if they aren’t found before they disappear”. Those who manage to eliminate them will earn bonus score and Killstreak progress. On the other hand, players who don’t play the objective in any of the multiplayer modes will face Krampus, who’s hot on the heels of the person with the lowest objective score. He’ll even go for the ultimate humiliation by using a finishing move.
Shipment has had a Christmas makeover and has been renamed Shipmas for the event period, while other maps and even Zombies mode get “subtle seasonal visuals”. Shipmas plays a key part in one of the three playlists available throughout the free access period; Shipmas 24/7 is a mix of Team Deathmatch, Domination, Armageddon, and Hardpoint matches solely on Shipmas. The map also features in the Free Kills Playlist, which features the same four game modes but also a selection of six maps: Radar, Das Haus, Hotel Royal, Eagle’s Nest, Numa Numa, and Shipment/Shipmas. Finally, the third playlist is Champion Hill, a Trios based tournament.
The free access period will end at 10am PT on December 21. Those who then choose to upgrade to the full game (or who already own it) before December 31 will get a variety of bonuses that will start arriving after 9pm PT on December 16.
- 10 Battle Pass Tier Skips for Season One – Enough automatically unlock a free Calling Card and 100 COD Points, or even more rewards if the Season One Battle Pass is purchased.
- A 10% Global Player, Weapon, and Battle Pass XP Boost During Season One – Earn that next Prestige Icon, weapon attachment, or Battle Pass Tier just a bit quicker with this XP Boost.
- The 24 Vanguard Tiers of the Season Six Battle Pass. If you have not already earned them last season, anyone who purchases Vanguard will receive these for free.
Warzone isn’t missing out on the festivities either. Caldera will be strewn with festive fir trees marked on the map with their own special icon. Squads who manage to stay nearby for a set period of time will spawn Supply Boxes and Holiday Crates with Legendary items, limited-time rewards and other items. There’s even coal that will attract the attention of Krampus, who’ll spend three minutes hunting down his target. If he’s killed, he’ll give out a permanent reward for the squad he was targeting. Krampus will also appear on Rebirth Island. Both islands will also hide elves that can be hunted down for rewards like a Double XP Token or a Calling Card.
