CoD: Vanguard's campaign won't be shying away from the historical realities of World War 2; uncensored swastikas will be in the game. But if that's too much for you, you can turn them off.
Call of Duty: Vanguard devs knew that sensitive topics were going to come up when dealing with the Second World War. That probably explains why we don't have a way to play as Axis characters in the multiplayer, and why they won't be making any cosmetics for those forces. And they've now addressed how they will handle the even more sensitive issue of explicit Nazis and Swastikas.
CoD: Vanguard Will Not Censor Nazis or Swastikas
It's a bizarre world we live in, but yes - "Toggle for Swastikas" is an option we will soon be able to choose in a Call of the Duty settings menu. The Swastikas will be replaced with the Iron Cross if you want them to be. The Iron Cross, for those who don't know, is a symbol many games choose to replace the Swastika with, it's a generic military symbol that predates the Nazis. But the Iron Cross looks close enough to a Swastika. When you put it on a red background, it gives off Nazi vibes, so to speak.
Here's the justification that Sledgehammer co-founder Michael Condrey gave:
There are, of course, cultural boundaries that we felt we needed to respect. And we also wanted to be authentic in our approach to game design. It's a fine balance of not glorifying the symbolism, while also not ignoring or shying away from this dark moment in human history. There's certainly a line that we are very conscious not to cross, while still honoring the sacrifice of those who fought to push back the world from the brink of tyranny. In short, it's not something we take lightly."
And we'll happily defend Sledgehammer's wise decision here. This should appease both history buffs that want authenticity and the people who just don't want to see that symbol.
Here's a rundown of some of the best weapons in Vanguard - so you're ready to hunt those Nazis:
- Vanguard Weapon Setup Guides - The MP40
- Vanguard Weapon Setup Guides - The Volk
- Vanguard Weapon Setup Guides - The STG44
Do you think this is a good approach - including sensitive topics but giving players a way to censor them? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter, and remember, you should consider joining MyEarlyGame today for exclusive tourneys and loads of great giveaways!