The Call of Duty Vanguard alpha has long since concluded, meaning it is no longer accessible. However, the full game was released in November 2021.
The build-up to the Call of Duty: Vanguard had a great amount of steam, not least because the reveal event involved players taking down an armored train in Warzone. After the reveal and trailers, the next stop on the hype train was the Vanguard alpha. Here, players got their first chance to get hands-on with the new CoD title and got to grips with the all-new mode that came with Vanguard – Champion Hill.
This 48-hour alpha not only gave fans of the series a taste of what was to come for Vanguard’s multiplayer, but it was also an important step in fine-tuning the game for its full release in November 2021. From discovering bugs to balancing weapons and attachments, the Vanguard alpha was a great opportunity for developer Sledgehammer Games.
But when was the Vanguard alpha, which platforms could you play it on, and which modes were available? Well, here’s all you need to know about the Call of Duty Vanguard alpha now that it’s long since done and dusted. Don’t worry though, with the game now fully released, you can enjoy the full experience instead.
Call of Duty: Vanguard alpha dates
The Call of Duty: Vanguard alpha was available between Friday, August 27 and Sunday, August 29, 2021, lasting just 48 hours. This experience started, and ended, at 10:00 PT/ 13:00 ET/ 18:00 BST.
This meant you had to get in pretty quickly if you wanted to take part, especially as you were required to first download the CoD Vanguard alpha beforehand, which could significantly eat into the available time if you had a slow download speed – at least if you hadn’t already preloaded it.
Vanguard Alpha preload
You could preload the Vanguard alpha to your console starting Monday, August 23, 2021, giving you plenty of time to get it downloaded and installed ahead of it going live at the end of the same week.
Call of Duty: Vanguard Alpha platforms
Unfortunately, the Vanguard alpha was only playable on PS4 and PS5 consoles, as this early hands-on was a PlayStation-exclusive bonus. The alpha was a PS4 build, with backwards compatibility for those who were playing on the PS5.
Sadly, you weren’t able to play the Call of Duty: Vanguard alpha on PC or Xbox consoles. However, PC and Xbox players did get access to the Call of Duty: Vanguard beta later in the year, though only if they had pre-ordered Vanguard.
Vanguard Alpha Champion Hill
Champion Hill was the only mode featured in the Call of Duty: Vanguard alpha period.
The mode was essentially an adaptation of the Gunfight mode made popular by 2019’s Modern Warfare but put a battle royale and round-based spin on it. During the alpha, Champion Hill could be played as a Duo (2v2) or Trio (3v3).
For more information on Champion Hill, check out our explainer guide.
Vanguard Alpha rewards
For those who participated in the Vanguard alpha, you were rewarded with two in-game items. You would receive an exclusive Emblem and a Calling Guard for taking part that showcased that you were among the first to play this CoD title.
The Calling Card and Emblem were redeemable in Vanguard when it was released fully in November 2021, and were also usable in Warzone after it was integrated with Vanguard.
That’s everything there is to know about the Call of Duty: Vanguard alpha if you’re taking a flick through the history books. While it’s now long since over, it was fun getting an early, hands-on look at the latest Call of Duty title at the time – even if it’s PlayStation exclusivity was a frustrating hurdle for many.