Activision has revealed a new collaboration that allowed war photojournalists inside Call of Duty: Vanguard to capture in-game war photographs that feel true to life, through the lens as if they were embedded within the war missions themselves.
Renowned long-time war photojournalists Alex Potter and Sebastiano Tomada Piccolomini have vast experience shooting in conflict regions, including numerous battles throughout the Middle East. For the upcoming release of the World War II-themed Vanguard, which is scheduled for release on 5 November, the two ventured inside the game engine for an exclusive photoshoot held at publisher Activision’s motion capture studios. Potter and Piccolmini’s journeys were then reflected in a trailer, allowing fans to see these photographers’ experiences and reactions in real-time.
“Call of Duty: Vanguard captures the epic intimacy of World War II in an incredibly immersive manner,” says Fernando Machado, chief marketing officer of Activision Blizzard. “We tested its realism by sending in Alex Potter and Sebastiano Tomada Piccolomini with special camera-like portals into the game engine itself, which took them back in time as if they were a photographer in that period, showing how real Vanguard will truly look and feel to gamers everywhere.”
Vanguard’s incredible graphics and visual immersion reflect the latest technological advancements coming when the new game launches next month, including its use of photogrammetry where locations, scenes and objects are recreated in-game to lifelike photoreal quality.
Photojournalists Alex and Sebastiano waited for the right moments to snap their shots the same way they would on the ground. “These were situations that I would normally capture,” said Alex Potter in the film. “I was impressed with how kinetic and immersive it all was,” says Sebastiano. “As photographers, this is what conflict looks like.”
Limited edition prints of the Call of Duty: Vanguard in-game photography will be available at www.BleeckerTrading.com and Bleecker Trading NY starting at 3pm ET on 21 October. All proceeds from the photography sales will be donated to the Call of Duty Endowment.
Call of Duty: Vanguard is scheduled for release on 5 November 2021. Vanguard is the newest release from the blockbuster franchise that’s sold over 400 million copies to date over its lifetime.