Killstreaks have become a Call of Duty staple, an iconic game mechanic that awards players’ performance in-game by unlocking powerful abilities with limited uses after you score a number of kills in succession. The mechanic has popped up throughout the franchise, sometimes called Scorestreaks, and is one of the most recognizable gameplay elements of Call of Duty.
What started out as a mere rumor has solidified with actual in-game proof - Killstreaks are a part of Vanguard. While this information does come from in the game itself, it wasn’t discovered how you’d think. Instead of there having been an actual Killstreak spotted or possibly even used - the alpha doesn’t start until this weekend, but apparently some people have their hands on test builds - an option from the settings menu spoiled the fun. As revealed by a screenshot posted by ModernWarzone on Twitter, you can separately tweak the music volume of just the Killstreaks themselves, independently of other music and sound effects. The description of the setting specifically names the Flamethrower Killstreak - a fan favorite that appeared in several other Call of Duty games set during World War 2, and was recently added to Black Ops Cold War. The fact that Vanguard specifically uses the Killstreak name instead of Scorestreak has led to speculation among the fandom whether the old system will make a return. The more recent Scorestreak system drew a lot of criticism, as it was designed specifically as a crutch for less skilled players. This led to some balance issues inherent to the entire system, as well as angry grumbling from the “get good” circles of the fandom which wantonly ignore accessibility concerns.
— ModernWarzone (@ModernWarzone) August 23, 2021 If Vanguard returns to the Killstreak system, accessing these abilities will be made somewhat more difficult - but hopefully, all the more rewarding. The Flamethrower specifically is a fun callback to previous Call of Duty games, and we’re eager to learn more about what other Killstreaks will be included, all with a World War 2 flavor. Call of Duty: Vanguard will launch on the 5th of November, and the very first chance to test it will arrive on August 27, exclusively on PlayStation consoles, with broader betas launching later in September.
