As noted by Activision's in-house blog One Of Swords, Black Ops II may not be sporting a new game engine but that doesn't prevent it from improving on its predecessors.

Speaking to One Of Swords' Dan Amrich, Lamia compared a game engine to a house renovation.

"Just because you're remodeling the house and it will look new or it will have a new kitchen, you don't tear out the foundation, or break out some of the framing... There's a lot of good still in that foundation that you wouldn't get rid of, and we don't."

On the other hand, better graphics and lighting are promised for November's Black Ops II, a desire for which Lamia feels he has in common with Call of Duty fans.

Black Ops II is to blend Cold War flashbacks with a near-future US military catastrophe on home soil, and features characters both new and old.

Its planned release date, November 13, is scheduled three weeks after Electronic Arts' competitor Medal of Honor: Warfighter; Ubisoft provides another angle on high-tech conflict with Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, available the week of May 22.