CoD Vanguard alpha trick reportedly shows Activision pulled its logo

Footage claiming to show an unpatched version of the Call of Duty: Vanguard alpha appears to confirm that Activision did pull its logo from the test’s intro before it was made publicly available.

PlayStation users have been able to preload the Vanguard alpha this week ahead of its live date on Friday, and as is the case in Vanguard’s reveal trailer, Activision’s logo is conspicuously absent from the alpha’s start-up screen.

However, VGC reader Martin Rener has since shared footage claiming to show an unpatched 1.0 version of the Vanguard alpha and as you can see in the video below, it prominently includes Activision’s logo as part of its start up.

VGC has not yet verified the authenticity of the video, but it’s possible to download unpatched versions of digital games from the PlayStation Store using third-party software.

While Activision’s logo traditionally features prominently in Call of Duty marketing, it was also noticeably absent from Vanguard’s debut trailer, which released last week.

Vanguard is the company’s first major product announcement since the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing filed a lawsuit against Activision Blizzard last month accusing it of failing to handle sexual harassment and discrimination complaints.

The game’s marketing has been perceived as an attempt to distance Activision Blizzard‘s biggest brand from the numerous allegations of wrongdoing aimed at the company, which have seriously tarnished its reputation.

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But asked about the decision to omit the Activision logo from the game’s debut trailer, a company spokesperson claimed the move was a creative one.

“Call of Duty has continued to expand into an incredible universe of experiences,” they said. “This was a creative choice that reflects how Vanguard represents the next major installment in the franchise.”

The PlayStation-exclusive Call of Duty: Vanguard alpha test will begin on August 27 at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST and run for 48 hours.