Call of Duty: Vanguard has made several changes to what players have come to expect from the Call of Duty series, a few of which are divisive to say the least. However, while destruction, bloom, and suppression may have their detractors, most players will agree that the way Call of Duty: Vanguard has handled its lineup of Operators is a massive step in the right direction.
Introduced in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2019, Operators allow players to take control of fully voiced characters with unique skins - some of which are instantly recognizable figures from the campaigns. Fully usable in Call of Duty: Warzone, the system as a whole has been well-received, though it lacked some depth prior to Call of Duty: Vanguard. Through some smart additions, Sledgehammer Games has made the concept of Operators far better, and it should be the standard format going forward.
Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Operator Levels
The biggest improvement made with Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Operators is the addition of a proper leveling system. Players can bring each character all the way up to level 20, unlocking additional items on the way. Previously, there was no progression for Operators, as players received nothing extra for sticking with one specific character. As such, the new system is a major step up, as it gives players another thing to work toward alongside camo and calling card challenges.
Alongside Double Operator XP tokens and Double Operator XP weekends, players will level up their characters just by using them in a match. They can also complete challenges with each of them, like winning a certain number of matches or racking up a specific number of melee kills. However, the best part about Sledgehammer Games’ Operator system is the Favorite Weapons feature.
Each Operator is given a favorite weapon, with anything from an SMG to a Sniper Rifle being their gun of choice. If players pair an Operator with their preferred weapon, they will get significantly more XP for said Operator - leveling them up a lot faster than they would if they were using a different gun. Likewise, the weapon will rank up quickly, meaning that players can acquire attachments and unlock the gun’s high-level camo challenges sooner rather than later. On top of this mechanic making the process for weapon and Operator leveling smoother, it adds a bit of extra personality to each Operator as well.
Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Operator Unlocks
Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Operator levels are not pointless ranks, however, as they allow players to unlock an array of cosmetic items to customize their favorite characters. Voice lines are one such option, with players able to assign lines to their characters when they capture a flag, get a headshot, or go on a killstreak in Call of Duty: Vanguard. Players are also able to leave this dialogue unassigned, making their Operator quiet if they do not want to hear them speak - a great solution to the overly talkative Operators some fans have complained about in the past.
Other unlocks include highlight intros, which play during the best teammate voting screen and Call of Duty: Vanguard’s play of the games. Having this extra customization is excellent, and it will likely only get better as the Seasons progress and more intros are unlocked. Operator-exclusive finishing moves are unlocked, too, giving players some special takedowns that are themed around their character’s fighting style. Previously, the battle pass and marketplace were the only ways to get fresh finishing moves, so having a few executions that are unlockable just by playing is a welcome change.
However, the star of the show is undoubtedly Call of Duty: Vanguard’s skins. While the Season 1 battle pass and the upcoming addition of the marketplace will add some fancier outfits to unlock, players have been able to get color swaps for each of their Operators just by playing. Further, getting all three Operators from one group to the max level unlocks a fancy gold outfit for each, and getting every Operator to level 20 gets players an even fancier chrome outfit for every single Operator. Having the equivalent of mastery camos is a great incentive to play as all the characters, and with the final unlock giving the Operators a neat gas mask, the grind is worth the effort.
Why Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Operators Need To Be The Norm
There are other improvements to Operators as well, such as the addition of special Operator cutscenes. These showcase the high production value Call of Duty is known for, as they are stunning cinematics on par with those from the campaign. In these bonus cutscenes, players get to see their Operators in action, giving more insight into their personalities and what they are fighting for. While bios are still present to provide a written breakdown of their backstories, having these scenes makes for more fleshed out characters that players have a reason to actually care about and want to play as.
Future Call of Duty games need to have an Operator system like Call of Duty: Vanguard. The proper cutscenes are much more interesting than the brief montages of the Operators posing, the Operator levels give players something else to work toward as they play the game, and the extra customization the system adds will always be welcome. With Call of Duty having so much depth for its weapons, it makes sense for the Operators to follow suit. Further, it is easy to imagine how the system can be improved upon, as each Season could add extra levels for each Operator – with free cosmetics being easily unlockable all the way throughout a Call of Duty game’s life cycle.
While the system may not be perfect, as many players want Factions to return so that visibility is better and enemy Operators are easier to recognize, Call of Duty: Vanguard is still a massive step in the right direction. Hopefully, Infinity Ward features a similar system in next year’s Call of Duty title, building from what Sledgehammer Games has accomplished. From there, Call of Duty can continue to expand on its Operators, giving players access to more cosmetics to unlock and stories to get invested in going forward.
Call of Duty: Vanguard is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
