The Call of Duty franchise is taking a page from the Tom Clancy universe, as Call of Duty: Black Ops II will take gamers into the near future (the year 2025) when it releases for Xbox 360, PS3 and other systems on Nov. 13 this year. Is a Wii U version in the works as well? Most likely — and we’ll find out more at E3 in June.
Call of Duty: Black Ops II will shove players into a global conflict featuring advanced weapons, robotics and drone warfare in a new Cold War-like scenario driven by current events. The game will use an all-new graphics engine and support non-linear missions, both of which will be major upgrades for the franchise.
“Hands down, this is the most ambitious Call of Duty ever,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing. “We are bringing disruptive innovation to the franchise and we are doing it on several fronts. We’re pushing the boundaries technologically, graphically, and from a narrative and gameplay perspective. At the same time, we need to stay true to the epic realism, authenticity, heart pumping adrenaline, and cinematic action that so many people love and expect from a Call of Duty game. Treyarch’s vision for Call of Duty: Black Ops II will redefine the Call of Duty franchise for the future–both literally and figuratively.”
“With Call of Duty: Black Ops II, the team is crafting an experience that Call of Duty fans have never seen before,” said Mark Lamia, Studio Head for Treyarch. “We are challenging assumptions on every front, with the single player campaign, Zombies and multiplayer. In the campaign, we are creating a thought-provoking story that introduces branching storylines and meaningful choices that impact the narrative. Running in the multiplayer engine for the first time, Zombies gives players a bigger and more diverse set of gameplay experiences, as well as entirely new ways to wage war with the undead. And in multiplayer, we’re embracing all skill levels and play styles to give players more ways to engage. With Call of Duty: Black Ops II, we’re all in and we won’t rest until we’ve launched nothing less than the best Call of Duty we’ve ever made.”
We will have much more information and, hopefully, hands-on impressions from E3 next month. Stay tuned.
