Call of Duty Vanguard Zombies Easter egg, Der Anfang explained

Call of Duty: Vanguard
(Image credit: Activision)

The Call of Duty Vanguard Zombies Easter egg Der Anfang has been hotly anticipated for a while now, with a major story update for zombies in which players can follow a hidden plotline through the map. While the Der Anfang easter egg story has been delayed, we know some aspects and details around it already, including release dates and more. In the meantime you can try our Vanguard Zombies guide to get started on what's currently in the game, or take a look at the new Vanguard zombies perks system. 

How to find the Vanguard Zombies Easter egg

Call of Duty Vanguard Zombies easter egg

(Image credit: Activision)

Bad news - at time of writing, there is no Easter egg or running playable story in Call of Duty: Vanguard Zombies mode, and isn't likely to be for a little while. In a recent blog post, the developers confirmed that the Der Anfang Easter egg quest would be added to the game at a later date - specifically with the commencement of the game's first season, which launches on December 2nd. While details are thin on the ground, the blog does give this information:

"This Main Quest will be tied to the arrival of an unexpected ally after Season One, which will further expand the narrative of the Dark Aether, and reveal more details about the characters and entities that players will have encountered thus far."

Not especially helpful, but on the plus side, a month to wait isn't too long, and will give players the chance to get acquainted with the map itself before having to engage with the more esoteric plot elements. 

However, available information in the blog also makes it clear that this will only be the first stage of Vanguard's zombie-related plotline, and like previous COD games, will likely be followed up both by other Zombie maps and locales, or changes and developments to existing ones (likely both, but information is currently thin on the ground). Whatever happens, we'll be sure to update this page accordingly when new information is available, both regarding the Zombies Easter egg and additions to the Vanguard Zombies mode, post launch.

Call of Duty Vanguard best weapons | Warzone Pacific map | Call of Duty Vanguard ammo types | Call of Duty Vanguard release time | Call of Duty Vanguard pre order bonuses | Call of Duty Vanguard Assassin Proficiency glitch | Call of Duty Vanguard error codes | Call of Duty Vanguard camo challenges | Call of Duty Vanguard Bloom

Joel Franey
Guides Writer

Joel Franey is a writer, journalist, podcaster and raconteur with a Masters from Sussex University, none of which has actually equipped him for anything in real life. As a result he chooses to spend most of his time playing video games, reading old books and ingesting chemically-risky levels of caffeine. He is a firm believer that the vast majority of games would be improved by adding a grappling hook, and if they already have one, they should probably add another just to be safe. You can find old work of his at USgamer, Gfinity, Eurogamer and more besides.

Read more
A player wearing a gasmask and holding a gun during the shooter, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
Call of Duty season 2 brings back Gun Game and a fan-favorite Zombies weapon we haven't seen in 10 years
Black Ops 6 zombies loot keys
How to get Black Ops 6 Zombies Loot Keys and open the Vault
Two Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 players using omnimovement to dive past each other on the Skyline map
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Season 2 brings back a beloved game mode fans have been begging for, but all I care about is a practically meaningless bug fix
Black Ops 6 radio signal
How to solve the Black Ops 6 radio signal puzzle and get the code
Helldivers 2
Helldivers 2 has an endgame problem, but a developer assures us "things are coming," they just can't say what yet because otherwise our expectations will be too high
The Blood of Dawnwalker: A screenshot of the vampire Brencis holding up a crown during the trailer for the upcoming game.
The Blood of Dawnwalker: Everything we know so far
Latest in FPS
Counter-Strike 2 release trailer screenshot showing an old-style white desktop PC running the Counter-Strike menu atop a wooden desk
After concerns from Valve, creators of CS:GO mod that aimed to "recreate the 1.6 vibe" are now "auditing the current build" to comply with guidelines
Doom: The Dark Ages screenshot
Doom director claims The Dark Ages can be beaten without using a gun, but "the game's not necessarily built to do that"
Battlefield Bad Company 2
Battlefield dev reveals more of his Bad Company 3 script and confirms the plot would revolve around the squad getting kicked out of the military and brought back for a final suicide mission
A Titan readies for combat in an animated trailer for Apex Legends Season 19
Yet another Respawn shooter has reportedly been canceled, following the studio's Star Wars FPS and rumored Titanfall Legends game to the grave
A cropped screenshot from the pre-alpha gameplay footage shown in the 'Introducing Battlefield Labs' video.
Battlefield 6's first teaser takes me back to the days of Modern Warfare 2 lobbies and 24/7 Metro matches, proving we all crave a return to shooters' simpler times
Doom
Doom: The Dark Ages' new cutscenes exist because of fans' unlikely obsession with the series' lore: "A Doom game that doesn’t have a story is just an arcade game”
Latest in Guides
Fortnite Gold Veins
Fortnite Gold Veins: How to mine them for Bars
WWE 2K25
WWE 2K25 locker codes guide to free MyFaction cards
Fortnite Outlaw Keycard
Fortnite Outlaw Keycard: How to unlock it and what does it do
Umaga is a key player in The Bloodline Showcase
How to unlock all wrestlers in WWE 2K25
A shop in The Sims 4 Businesses and Hobbies
How to start a small business in The Sims 4 Businesses and Hobbies
FC 25
FC 25 FUT Birthday guide and full cards list