CoD Vanguard patch completely breaks S&D one day before CDL season

Just one day ahead of the Call of Duty League’s 2022 opener, a February 3 Vanguard patch completely broke the Search and Destroy mode. The new bug crashed the entire match as soon as someone fired at the bomb defuser, though it may already be fixed.

Competitive Call of Duty has always followed a similar pattern for modes. Every season, teams play on Hardpoint and S&D, with a third mode rotating annually.

For CDL 2022, the three modes intended for play are Hardpoint, S&D, and Control. Unfortunately, in a last-minute effort to fix a “Silent Plant” bug with the tactical mode, Sledgehammer Games temporarily broke something else.

As shared on Twitter by numerous players, it seems that February 3’s Vanguard patch made private S&D matches crash as soon as someone either planting or defusing the bomb was shot.

Vanguard Search & Destroy bug completely crashed games

As you can see in the clip, the S&D match crashed literally as soon as a bullet hits someone touching the bomb.

Like a glitched scene from the Matrix, bullets freeze in mid-air, and the entire game stood still.

• Read more: CoD Vanguard February 3 update: Welgun nerfs, S&D plant fix, full patch notes

This is obviously a concerning issue, especially since the CDL’s season is set to kick off officially with February 4’s first day of Major 1 Qualifiers.

Call of Duty League 2022 concerns due to S&D bug

Being able to shoot people defusing and planting bombs is pretty self-evident for competitive play, leaving the CDL’s opener in doubt.

• Read more: Classic CoD mode leaked for return in Vanguard and it is exactly what the game needs

Some community members came up with unique solutions, like an honor rule to avoid shooting defusers. But there’s also the possibility they simply play on an older patch.

Sledgehammer Games rushes S&D bug fix

Just hours after this issue came to light, Sledgehammer Games rushed out a hotfix. As a result, Search games should be back in working order.

The mode “should function properly with Silent Plant enabled,” devs followed up on February 4.

However, given recent bug fixes have completely missed the mark, there’s a chance this update doesn’t quite fix the problem.

We’ll be sure to keep you posted here if any further issues arise.