Call of Duty: Vanguard fans have been calling out a number of issues recently, though a problem with Free-For-All may be the worst of the bunch. Call of Duty: Vanguard players are exploiting the game’s spawn issues to pick up cheap kills, with the tactic being particularly noticeable in hardcore Free-For-All.
Call of Duty: Vanguard’s spawns have been one of the most consistently troublesome parts of multiplayer, with maps like Dome seeing players spawn in entirely random locations. While this can be frustrating in matches like Domination, dying in those games is a lot less problematic than it is in Free-For-All. With players needing to rush to 30 kills before anyone else in the lobby, and each death adding to someone’s kill count, spawn issues make the mode completely unfair.
This Call of Duty: Vanguard issue becomes even worse when players are in the hardcore version of Free-For-All. Players often use Hardcore playlists to work on camo challenges, as even the weakest weapons kill quickly with the low time-to-kill. Some players also prefer the focus on reaction time over long gunfights, enjoying the realistic removal of the HUD as well. However, Reddit user KobraKay87 is one of many players having their Hardcore Free-For-All experience ruined due to exploitable spawns.
In the clip, the player can be seen standing next to a tank on the Call of Duty: Vanguard map Oasis. They are killed almost instantly after the clip begins, however, something that repeats several times in quick succession. The player respawns right next to the tank where they were killed, doing so two more times for a total of four deaths in the exact same spot. This is entirely unfair, as the player has no choice over where they spawn and no opportunity to fight back due to how quick they die in Hardcore. Their opponent simply needs to aim down sights next to the tank and tap the trigger for several kills.
Though the Call of Duty: Vanguard player ends their clip by getting revenge on the camping enemy, the footage makes it very clear that something is wrong with the Free-For-All spawns. While players spawning in random areas or near enemies is frustrating, gamers spawning exactly where they were last killed is particularly problematic. With the post title stating that this happens in “every round,” it is clearly a major issue with the mode. Alongside hundreds of upvotes, many comments back KobraKay87 up. Redditor League_of_DOTA suggests wearing a riot shield in Free-For-All, while Lassie-Maven states that they have seen the same spawn watching in their games.
Hopefully this video will be seen by Sledgehammer Games so that they can address the spawn system soon. For now, it may be best to avoid Free-For-All - especially the Hardcore version.
Call of Duty: Vanguard is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
