Treyarch wants more than to exist in the eSports arena -- it plans to dominate it, but not in the way you expect. Call of Duty is such a juggernaut that Black Ops II could probably brute force its way to the top with Activision marketing money and sheer numbers. With a few strokes of brilliance, though, Black Ops II involves its entire audience in the constant competitive spectacle.
You Are the Shoutcaster
If you find yourself better at observation than competition, the role of a shoutcaster -- or CODcaster, in the Black Ops vocabulary -- could be something that’s up your alley. Any player can switch to the shoutcaster “team” before a match starts, thus opening their adversarial player slot for another person, and broadcast their live commentary to anyone willing to listen. Shoutcasters function like a sports broadcaster, giving viewers a play-by-play account of the events on screen, as well as identifying players accomplishments and notable strategies. Users can also team up and co-broadcast any match, whether it’s live or recorded in your Black Ops II Theater.
There’s more to proper shoutcasting than just yelling into your mic, though. Using your controller or mouse and keyboard, shoutcasters can easily shift player perspectives to get a greater view of the most important action. Itemized counters indicate who’s scoring well, carrying the flag, or capturing a control point, so you’ll always know where to go to give your audience the best perspective. Other functionality includes a top-down view of the map with every player’s location, listening in on live team chat, and customizable menus to maximize your presentation. Players can also It’s a terrific system that’s easy and fun to use, and in the hands of a skilled shoutcaster, it’s entertaining as all get out to watch.
League of Legend
Treyarch kept off-handedly mentioning eSports when Black Ops II came up in conversation, but we didn’t really know what any of that meant. Call of Duty’s League system is emblematic of what the developer’s looking to achieve. Players divide into one of seven divisions based on their skill level – not their rank or Prestige. The Starcraft-style ladder system moves better players up into higher leagues and matched them against similarly skilled opponents. Those of us who are, uh, terrible, will find talentless hacks to team up with, and have fun in our own corner of the playground. How well you play and place in each match determine how quickly you move up or shift back down. It’s about consistency, which keeps players happy, which keeps them playing.
It’s Always On
At any given moment, you could be part of a Black Ops broadcast. Any user can live stream a custom match by simply turning it on in the options menu, and when Black Ops II releases on November 13, everyone will have access to streaming matches on all platforms. You can load up a live stream on your PC at work, or a mobile browser on the train, and watch a game happening right then and there. Treyarch isn’t talking yet about a potential iOS and Android app for streaming, or how Elite functions with eSports – but this is a strong start.
Mitch Dyer is an Associate Editor for IGN's Xbox 360 team. He’s also quite Canadian. Read his ramblings on Twitter and follow him on IGN.
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