The length of a game's campaign is often a deciding factor for players. Do you want a sprawling epic that will keep you immersed for weeks, or a concise, action-packed experience that you can complete over a weekend? For Call of Duty: Vanguard, the answer leans heavily towards the latter.
How Long Was the Vanguard Campaign? Your Comprehensive Guide to Playtime
Welcome, soldier! Are you ready to dive into the heart of World War II and confront the rising threat of Project Phoenix? Before you embark on your mission with Task Force One, you're probably wondering: just how long will this deployment last? Let's break down the expected playtime for the Call of Duty: Vanguard campaign, from a quick sprint to a full completionist crawl.
Step 1: Engage Your Expectations! What Kind of Player Are You?
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let's set the stage. Are you the type of player who:
- Rushes through the story, focused purely on the objective?
- Enjoys a balanced playthrough, taking in the sights and sounds without getting bogged down?
- Leaves no stone unturned, meticulously searching for every secret and achievement?
Your playstyle will significantly impact your total time in Vanguard's campaign. Keep that in mind as we explore the different completion categories!
Step 2: The Core Campaign - A Focused Assault
For most players, the main objective is to experience the compelling narrative of Task Force One and stop Project Phoenix.
Sub-heading: The "Main Story" Playthrough
If you're primarily interested in the story and getting through the campaign's core missions, Call of Duty: Vanguard offers a relatively swift experience.
Tip: Don’t just scroll to the end — the middle counts too.
- Average Playtime: Most players report completing the main story in around 6 hours.
- Mission Count: The campaign consists of nine distinct missions. Each mission typically takes 30-45 minutes to complete.
- Difficulty Impact: Playing on "Recruit" or "Regular" difficulty will likely keep you closer to the 5-6 hour mark. If you opt for "Hardened" or "Veteran" difficulties, where enemies are more aggressive and you're more vulnerable, you can expect the playtime to extend to 7-8 hours due to more retries and tactical approaches.
This makes Vanguard's campaign consistent with recent Call of Duty titles, which often prioritize a focused, cinematic single-player experience over a lengthy one.
Step 3: Beyond the Main Objective - Seeking Full Control
While Vanguard's campaign is largely linear, some players might want to explore a bit more or tackle the campaign on a higher difficulty for a greater challenge.
Sub-heading: Main Story + Extras
Unlike some previous Call of Duty titles, Vanguard's campaign does not feature collectibles or intel to gather within the missions themselves. This means there isn't a significant amount of "extra" content to prolong a casual playthrough beyond simply replaying missions or trying different difficulties.
- Average Playtime: For those who might replay a favorite mission, try a harder difficulty, or simply take a bit more time to appreciate the environments, the "Main Story + Extras" category generally falls around 9.5 hours. This could also include players who might pause more frequently or engage in brief breaks during their play session.
Step 4: The Ultimate Challenge - True Completionist Status
For the dedicated few who aim to achieve every single accomplishment the game offers in its single-player mode, the journey will be considerably longer.
Sub-heading: 100% Completionist
Becoming a Call of Duty: Vanguard campaign completionist involves more than just finishing the story on the highest difficulty. It typically includes:
Tip: Don’t skip — flow matters.
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Completing all missions on Veteran difficulty: This alone will add substantial time due to the increased challenge and need for precise execution.
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Earning all campaign-related achievements/trophies: While Vanguard's campaign doesn't have collectibles, there are still achievements tied to specific actions, challenges, or simply completing the game on certain difficulties.
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Exploring every nook and cranny: Even without collectibles, taking the time to explore the detailed environments and observe the visual storytelling can contribute to a longer playthrough.
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Average Playtime for Completionists: Reaching 100% completion in Call of Duty: Vanguard can take anywhere from 28 hours to upwards of 50+ hours, with some extreme cases reported at over 100 hours! This wide range reflects the variability in how players approach "completion" and how much time they dedicate to mastering challenges.
It's worth noting that a significant portion of this extended playtime for completionists often comes from repeated attempts at challenging sections on higher difficulties and specific achievement hunting, rather than a vast amount of hidden content.
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Step 5: Speedrunning - The Blink-and-You'll-Miss-It Run
For a select group of highly skilled players, the goal isn't just to finish the campaign, but to finish it as fast as humanly possible.
Sub-heading: Any% Speedrun
Speedrunning involves exploiting game mechanics, memorizing level layouts, and executing precise movements to minimize the completion time.
- Fastest Recorded Times: Professional speedrunners have completed the Call of Duty: Vanguard campaign on "Recruit" difficulty in just over 2 hours! This is achieved by skipping cutscenes, minimizing combat engagements where possible, and utilizing expert-level game knowledge.
This highlights just how streamlined the campaign can be when every second counts!
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| How Long Was The Vanguard Campaign |
In Summary: How Long Was the Vanguard Campaign?
- Main Story (Average): 6 hours
- Main Story (Rushed): 5 hours
- Main Story (Leisurely/Harder Difficulty): 7-8 hours
- Main Story + Extras: ~9.5 hours (primarily replaying missions/harder difficulties)
- Completionist (100%): 28+ hours (can go much higher depending on individual approach to achievements)
- Speedrun (Any%): ~2 hours
No matter your playstyle, Call of Duty: Vanguard offers a concise yet impactful single-player experience.
QuickTip: A slow read reveals hidden insights.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Call of Duty: Vanguard Campaign
Here are 10 related FAQ questions with quick answers to further assist you:
How to assess the difficulty before starting the Vanguard campaign? You can choose from four difficulty levels (Recruit, Regular, Hardened, Veteran) at the start of the campaign, and you can change it at any time during your playthrough if you find it too easy or too hard.
How to replay specific missions in the Vanguard campaign? Once you've completed the campaign, you can go to the mission select menu to replay any mission you desire, often useful for trying different tactics or higher difficulties.
How to find collectibles in the Vanguard campaign? The Call of Duty: Vanguard campaign does not feature traditional collectibles or intel to gather within its missions, making it a more streamlined experience in that regard.
How to improve your completion time in the Vanguard campaign? To speed up your completion, focus solely on objectives, skip all cutscenes, and play on an easier difficulty like "Recruit" to minimize combat time.
QuickTip: Read again with fresh eyes.
How to unlock all achievements/trophies in the Vanguard campaign? Unlocking all achievements typically involves completing the campaign on Veteran difficulty, performing specific in-game actions tied to certain achievements, and potentially replaying missions to fulfill those requirements.
How to understand the story without playing the campaign? While playing is best, you can watch full campaign playthroughs on platforms like YouTube or read detailed story summaries and lore breakdowns online to understand the narrative.
How to prepare for the Veteran difficulty in Vanguard? Prepare for Veteran by understanding each character's unique abilities, utilizing cover effectively, prioritizing headshots, and being patient as you'll die very quickly.
How to utilize character-specific abilities in the Vanguard campaign? Each main character has a unique ability (e.g., Polina's traversal, Lucas's explosives). The game will prompt you when and how to use these abilities during their respective missions.
How to determine if the Vanguard campaign is worth buying the game for alone? For most players, the 6-8 hour campaign length alone might not justify the full price of the game; Call of Duty titles are often bought for their comprehensive multiplayer and Zombies modes as well.
How to experience the full narrative of the Vanguard campaign? To experience the full narrative, play through the entire campaign from start to finish, paying attention to cutscenes and character interactions, as the story unfolds in a non-chronological order through flashbacks.
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