Wait. Stop. If you’re searching for a specific "Vanguard Medal of Honor" game or a cross-over expansion, you might be looking for something that doesn't actually exist in the way most people think it does.
It's confusing. Honestly, it is. We have Call of Duty: Vanguard, the 2021 release from Sledgehammer Games that took us back to the gritty, mud-soaked trenches of WWII. Then we have the legendary Medal of Honor franchise, the granddaddy of military shooters that basically paved the way for every FPS you love today. When people talk about the Call of Duty: Vanguard Medal of Honor connection, they’re usually touching on a deep-seated nostalgia or a misunderstanding of how these two titans of the industry are linked by blood, sweat, and a whole lot of former employees.
There is no official "Medal of Honor" DLC for Vanguard. There is no secret crossover event where Captain Price meets Jimmy Patterson. But the history here? It’s wild. It involves a massive corporate fallout, a "mutiny" at a major studio, and the reason why World War II games look the way they do in 2026.
The Shared DNA Between Vanguard and Medal of Honor
To understand why people keep mashing these two names together, you have to go back to 2002. Before Call of Duty was a billion-dollar annual juggernaut, the king of the hill was Medal of Honor: Allied Assault. That game was developed by a studio called 2015, Inc.
After Allied Assault became a massive hit, most of that team—led by Vince Zampella and Jason West—split off to form Infinity Ward. They took everything they learned making Medal of Honor and created the original Call of Duty. Fast forward nearly two decades, and Call of Duty: Vanguard was Sledgehammer's attempt to recapture that cinematic, character-driven WWII magic that started with the early MoH titles.
When you play the Vanguard campaign, specifically the parts involving Arthur Kingsley or Polina Petrova, you’re seeing the evolution of the "Saving Private Ryan" style of gameplay that Medal of Honor pioneered. It’s not just a coincidence. It’s intentional design.
Why the confusion persists
Search engines often get tripped up because of the Vanguard Medal of Honor terminology appearing in achievement lists or specific historical military honors mentioned in the game's lore. In Call of Duty: Vanguard, you are playing as the "Vanguard" task force—the tip of the spear. Naturally, these characters earn medals. In real-world history, several of the real-life inspirations for the Vanguard characters were recipients of the actual Congressional Medal of Honor.
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For example, the character of Lucas Riggs is loosely inspired by Charles Upham, a New Zealand soldier who was actually awarded the Victoria Cross (twice!), which is the Commonwealth equivalent of the Medal of Honor. People search for these historical overlaps and the terms get muddled.
What Really Happened to the Medal of Honor Franchise?
While Call of Duty: Vanguard was trying to push the boundaries of the engine with destructible environments and tactical sprinting, Medal of Honor was essentially in a coma.
The last time we saw the MoH brand was Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond in 2020. That was a VR-only title developed by Respawn Entertainment. Here’s the kicker: Respawn was founded by the same guys who left the Medal of Honor team to start Call of Duty. It’s a complete circle.
- 2002: The team makes Medal of Honor: Allied Assault.
- 2003: The team leaves to make Call of Duty.
- 2010: The team leaves Activision to form Respawn.
- 2020: The team returns to the Medal of Honor series for one last VR hurrah.
So, when you look at Vanguard Medal of Honor discussions, you're looking at the two sides of the same coin. Vanguard is the corporate successor, the polished machine. Medal of Honor is the soul of the genre that has largely been sidelined because it couldn't keep up with the live-service model of Warzone.
Gameplay Differences: Vanguard vs. The MoH Legacy
If you’re coming from the old-school Medal of Honor days and you jump into Call of Duty: Vanguard, the first thing you’ll notice is the speed. It’s fast. Almost too fast for a WWII game.
Vanguard utilizes the Modern Warfare (2019) engine. It feels heavy but kinetic. You can slide-cancel. You can mount your weapon on almost any surface. Medal of Honor, even in its 2010 and 2012 reboots, tried to stay a bit more grounded. It was more about the "authentic" military experience, whereas Vanguard is unapologetically an action movie.
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The "Realism" Factor
Let’s be real. Neither is a simulator. If you want a simulator, you play Hell Let Loose.
Vanguard caught a lot of flak for its historical inaccuracies—things like red dot sights in 1944 or neon-colored weapon skins. The Vanguard Medal of Honor "purists" hated this. They missed the days when Medal of Honor would include actual historical footage from the National Archives as unlockable bonuses. Vanguard prioritized "fun" and "customization" over the somber tone that the Medal of Honor series was famous for.
Is a Crossover Ever Possible?
In the current gaming landscape, never say never. We’ve seen Snoop Dogg and King Kong in Call of Duty. However, a formal Vanguard Medal of Honor collaboration is a legal nightmare.
- Activision Blizzard owns Call of Duty.
- Electronic Arts (EA) owns Medal of Honor.
These two companies are the fiercest rivals in the FPS space. EA is busy with Battlefield (even if that’s been a rocky road lately), and Activision is now under the Microsoft/Xbox umbrella. The chances of EA licensing the Medal of Honor name to appear as a pack in a Call of Duty game are basically zero.
The only way these two brands "meet" is in the resumes of the developers. Sledgehammer Games has plenty of industry veterans who grew up playing and making MoH. You can feel that influence in the Pacific theater missions of Vanguard. The lighting, the jungle density—it feels like a high-budget remake of Medal of Honor: Rising Sun.
How to Get the "Medal of Honor" Experience in Vanguard
If you’re a fan of the classic MoH vibe and you’re stuck with Vanguard, there are ways to bridge the gap. It’s all about how you play the game.
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First, ditch the multiplayer for a second. The Vanguard campaign is actually quite underrated. It’s a globetrotting adventure that focuses on the formation of the first Special Forces unit. It has that "behind enemy lines" feel that Medal of Honor: Frontline mastered.
Pro-Tip for Realism:
Turn off the HUD. Go into the settings and minimize the on-screen clutter. Suddenly, the game becomes significantly more immersive. When you aren't staring at a mini-map or hit-marker pop-ups, the sound design of Vanguard—which is honestly incredible—takes over. You hear the ping of the M1 Garand. You hear the dirt kicking up. That is the closest you will get to a modern Vanguard Medal of Honor experience.
The Verdict on the Vanguard Medal of Honor Connection
The "Vanguard Medal of Honor" isn't a product you can buy. It's a phantom of the industry—a result of the complicated, messy history of first-person shooters. We wouldn't have the "Vanguard" version of WWII without the foundation laid by "Medal of Honor" twenty years ago.
One was a pioneer. The other is a spectacle.
If you are looking for actual medals in Call of Duty: Vanguard, focus on the "Mastery" challenges. These are the modern equivalents of the old-school MoH commendations. They require hundreds of hours, precise headshots, and a deep knowledge of the maps.
Actionable Steps for Enthusiasts
- Research the History: If you love the lore of Vanguard, look up the "Medal of Honor: Allied Assault" credits. You’ll see names that eventually built the games you play today.
- Play the VR Title: If you have an Oculus or Valve Index, play Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond. It’s the true successor to the WWII throne, even if it’s niche.
- Vanguard Campaign: Don't skip it. While the multiplayer is polarizing, the campaign is a high-water mark for cinematic WWII storytelling, regardless of the historical liberties taken.
- Support Indie WWII Games: If you want the "Medal of Honor" feel without the "Call of Duty" arcade mechanics, look at Enlisted or Post Scriptum. They capture that 2002 tension much better than modern AAA titles do.
The era of these two giants competing head-to-head might be over, but the influence of the Medal of Honor remains baked into the code of every Vanguard match you play. You just have to know where to look.
Check your achievements. Look at the names of the missions. The ghosts of 2002 are everywhere.