With Black Ops 2 Treyarch is embracing e-sports to a greater extent than any Call of Duty game. "We think there is a tremendous opportunity here to bring e-sports to the masses, and we think Call of Duty is the game to do it," Vonderhaar said.
Treyarch has introduced League Play, a skill-based matchmaking system that sorts players into divisions. It is hoped it will mean players of all skill levels can get something out of the game, traditionally inhospitable to newcomers. To rank up into a division, you'll need to win and win consistently, Vonderhaar said.
Complimenting this is Codcasting, a new system that lets shoutcasters "put a show together". Shoutcasters have a number of viewing options they can switch between, and more information is displayed in the UI, including the score panel and a large name plate on the bottom left-hand corner of the screen. Feeds include an overhead map view and a picture in picture view, which shows the action on the left and player information on the right. Shoutcasters can also tune in to the players themselves, listening to communication during a match.
But perhaps the most exciting new e-sports related feature is Live Streaming. This work-in progress system is designed to allow players to stream their games from within the game itself with the press of a single button. Vonderhaar showed a live game running on multiple iPads, suggesting we'll be able to watch matches from multiple devices.
There is little information on Live Streaming at present. There is room for players to use a USB camera to show themselves picture in picture. "You're going to need some decent upstream bandwidth," Vonderhaar added. "You do not need a high end PC. You do not need complex streaming software and hardware." More information will be revealed closer to launch.