Black Ops 2 design director irked by complaints about Call of Duty engine

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is powered by an engine that debuted seven years ago, and the game's design director at Treyarch remains bemused at comments from people who believe that to be a technical disadvantage, according to an interview with the Official Xbox Magazine UK.

Original Call of Duty developer Infinity Ward created the IW engine for Call of Duty 2, which was an Xbox 360 launch title in 2005. Both Infinity Ward and Treyarch have since iterated on the technology in numerous ways, and Treyarch's David Vonderhaar told OXM UK that the version in Black Ops 2 offers "significant upgrades" in areas such as lighting, shadows and textures.

"People like to talk about the engine, but the truth of the matter is that this isn't like something that was invented six years ago," he said.

Vonderhaar also believes that the engine's frame rate, which is locked at 60 frames per second, should outweigh any perceived shortcomings. "To me, it's like I never really understood," he said. "It runs at 60 [frames per second] and it's gorgeous. What exactly is there to be upset about with the engine?"

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 launches on Nov. 13 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC, with a Wii U version coming alongside the console's North American launch on Nov. 18. Check out our most recent look at the game's multiplayer component.