Ready to take on the undead horde with your friends? You've come to the right place! Call of Duty: Vanguard's Zombies mode offers a thrilling cooperative experience where teamwork is key to survival. Whether you want to jump into a game with friends online or play alongside a buddy on the same couch, this comprehensive guide will walk you through every step.
Step 1: Get Your Squad Together
So, you want to slay some zombies, huh? The first thing you need is a team! Playing solo is a great way to test your skills, but the real fun of Zombies is tackling the waves with a squad. Before you even think about starting a game, reach out to your friends. Who's online? Who's ready to face the undead?
Sub-heading: Online Multiplayer
This is the most common way to play with friends. You can team up with players from all over the world.
Invite Your Friends: Launch Call of Duty: Vanguard and navigate to the Zombies menu. Look for the 'Social' or 'Friends' tab, typically accessed by pressing a specific button (e.g., F1 on PC, R or X on console). From there, you'll see your friends list. Select the friends you want to play with and choose "Invite to Party."
Join a Friend's Lobby: If your friends are already in a lobby, you can often quick-join their party from the 'Social' menu. Just hover over their name and look for the 'Join' or 'Quick-Join' option.
Sub-heading: Local Split-Screen
Want to play with a friend on the same console? Call of Duty: Vanguard's Zombies mode does not officially support split-screen. This is a significant change from previous Call of Duty titles and has been a point of contention for many players.
The Unfortunate Truth: As confirmed by the developers and in-game messages, the Zombies mode in Vanguard does not allow for split-screen co-op. If you try to add a second controller in the Zombies menu, you'll receive a message stating that the area does not allow split-screen.
A Workaround for Local Play: While you can't play Zombies in split-screen, you can play other multiplayer modes in local split-screen. If you're determined to play locally, you can create a local multiplayer game and add bots. This is not the same as Zombies, but it can still be a fun way to play together on one screen.
Step 2: Navigate the Zombies Menu
Once you have your party assembled in the Zombies menu, it's time to choose your game mode and prepare for the fight.
Choose Your Mode: Vanguard Zombies is different from the traditional round-based experience. The main mode, "Der Anfang," is a hub-based experience where you complete objectives to progress. You'll be teleported to different locations like Stalingrad, the Shi No Numa swamp, and the Hotel Royal.
Ready Up: After you've selected your mode, ensure everyone in your party is "ready" to start the match. Once everyone is set, the party leader can launch the game.
Step 3: Prepare for the Undead Onslaught
Before you jump into the action, you'll be in the hub area, "Der Anfang." This is your staging ground, where you can get your bearings and prepare for the challenges ahead.
Check Your Loadout: Your loadout is crucial. You can choose your starting weapon, Field Upgrade, and equipment. Choose wisely! Some weapons are more effective against zombies than others.
Interact with the Altar of Covenants: This is a new feature in Vanguard Zombies. The Altar offers powerful "Covenants" that provide temporary buffs and abilities in exchange for "Sacrificial Hearts," which you earn by completing objectives. Make sure to check what Covenants are available and equip the ones that best suit your playstyle.
Use the Pack-a-Punch Machine: A staple of Zombies, the Pack-a-Punch machine allows you to upgrade your weapons for a significant damage boost. In Vanguard, the Pack-a-Punch machine is located in the hub area.
Activate Demonic Fountains (Perks): The classic perk machines are now "Demonic Fountains." There are a few different perks available, each with a different benefit.
Fiendish Fortitude: Increases your health (similar to Juggernog).
Aethereal Haste: Increases your movement speed (similar to Stamin-Up).
Demonic Frenzy: Increases your reload speed (similar to Speed Cola).
Venomous Vigor: Increases your health regeneration rate (similar to Quick Revive).
Diabolical Damage: Increases critical hit damage (similar to Deadshot Daiquiri).
Utilize the Mystery Box: The iconic Mystery Box is back! You can spend points to get a random weapon. It's a great way to get a powerful gun early on.
Step 4: Complete Objectives and Survive
Once you are ready, you will be prompted to choose a portal to a new location. Each portal will have a specific objective.
Transmit: You need to follow a floating zombie head until it reaches the objective, while fending off hordes of the undead.
Blitz: This is a timed survival round where you have to stay alive in a specific area for a set amount of time.
Harvest: In this objective, you have to kill zombies and collect their souls to feed "Sin-Eaters."
After completing an objective, you will be teleported back to the hub. The difficulty will increase with each objective you complete, so be prepared for a challenge!
Sub-heading: Teamwork is Everything
Revive Your Teammates: If a teammate goes down, make sure to revive them as quickly as possible. A downed teammate can be a liability, and a full squad is your best chance at survival.
Share Resources: Share salvage and points with your teammates if they need to Pack-a-Punch their weapon or get a perk.
Communicate: Call out enemy locations, special zombies, and downed teammates. Good communication is the difference between a successful run and a swift defeat.
Step 5: Survive as Long as You Can!
The goal is to survive as many waves and objectives as possible. As the difficulty increases, you'll face more powerful zombies and special enemies. Use your skills, weapons, and teamwork to push your limits. How far can you and your friends go?
10 Related FAQ Questions
How to Invite Friends to a Zombies Match on Vanguard? Simply go to the Zombies main menu, open the Social menu, select a friend from your list, and choose "Invite to Party."
How to Play Split-Screen Zombies on Call of Duty Vanguard? Unfortunately, Call of Duty: Vanguard's Zombies mode does not support split-screen co-op. You can only play with friends online.
How to Get Perks in Vanguard Zombies? You can get perks by interacting with the "Demonic Fountains" located in the hub area. Each perk costs a certain amount of points.
How to Pack-a-Punch a Weapon in Vanguard Zombies? The Pack-a-Punch machine is in the main hub area, "Der Anfang." You can upgrade your weapons using points.
How to Get Powerful Covenants in Vanguard Zombies? You get Covenants from the Altar of Covenants. You earn "Sacrificial Hearts" by completing objectives, which you can then use to buy Covenants.
How to Get to Higher Rounds in Vanguard Zombies? The game doesn't have traditional "rounds." Instead, the difficulty increases with each objective you complete. To progress, you must complete the objectives and then choose a new portal.
How to Level Up Weapons in Vanguard Zombies? You can level up your weapons by getting kills and completing objectives. Using a specific weapon will earn you weapon XP, which unlocks attachments.
How to Get Salvage in Vanguard Zombies? You get salvage by killing zombies and finding it in the environment. You can use salvage to buy armor and upgrade your Field Upgrade.
How to Use Field Upgrades in Vanguard Zombies? You can equip a Field Upgrade in your loadout. As you kill zombies, your Field Upgrade will charge up. Once charged, you can activate it to use a special ability.
How to Play with Random Players in Vanguard Zombies? You can select a public match when you start a game. The game will then automatically match you with other players.
