[Iceman]

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is on course to become the biggest entertainment launch of all time, according to publisher Activision.

The shooter sequel arrived in stores worldwide yesterday (November 13), having already broken pre-order records at online retailer Amazon and garnered strong reviews in the press.


© Activision

© Activision


"From the very beginning, our goal with Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 was to deliver a new high watermark for the franchise. And thanks to the hard work and creative brilliance of our team at Treyarch, I think that's exactly what we've done," said Activision CEO Eric Hirshberg.

"In addition to an amazing and innovative game, we're also proud and humbled to see the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 creating yet another legitimate, pop cultural phenomenon.

"To our millions of fans worldwide, who have driven everything from pre-orders to YouTube views, to midnight lines outside of stores worldwide to new levels, we just want to say, thank you. You are the best fan base in the world, and the unprecedented thrill ride that is Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is all for you."

Bookmakers including Paddy Power and Ladbrokes recently tipped Black Ops 2 to become this year's Christmas bestseller, outperforming the likes of FIFA 13 and Halo 4 in the process.

"From day one, we've pushed ourselves to make the best gaming experience of our lives and I am so incredibly proud with what this team has created with Call of Duty: Black Ops 2," said Treyarch studio head Mark Lamia.

"Our vision has been to deliver the complete package - something for every type of player. Beginning with the single player campaign, Treyarch introduces things that you've never seen in the Call of Duty franchise before, like branching storylines, non-linear missions and customising player load outs; or multiplayer, where we've re-written the rules."

Black Ops 2 is available on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC worldwide now, and on Wii U from November 18 in North America and November 30 in Europe.

Getting it later.