Call Of Duty: Black Ops' Multiplayer Will Introduce A New Currency System.

We were one of the first websites to put some serious backing behind Treyarch, and insist that they might actually outdo the good, but over-rated Modern Warfare 2. Going by the details coming out of last night's Black Ops multiplayer reveal, we couldn't feel more comfortable about our prediction.

And that's because Treyarch are changing things up a bit. Sure, at heart Black Ops is still a Call Of Duty game — but it's also going to have a slightly different progression to other CoD multiplayer components. And that's a welcome change.

The first big new addition is Combat Training, a separate mode which brings AI into the mix. The mode will have its own ranking system and can be played with friends. Treyarch's introduced the component because they found that 30-40 percent of single player gamers never touched multiplayer. The mode is an attempt to "introduce the Call Of Duty game to an entirely new set of players who we feel are missing out."

Bigger than bots though, is the new progression system. Treyarch's introducing a currency to the multiplayer known as CP (or CoD Points). Everything in the game has a price (and XP level) attached to it. This is a big departure because instead of waiting to unlock a specific item, players can now save up CP for the specific items they want to buy. This may be a weapon unlock or perk. Incidentally, perks now change the character's appearance, so other players will be able to suss out opponent's unique abilities just by observing their character models. The Ghost perk, for example, puts the player in a gilly suit.

What's most exciting about the new currency system is the ability to gamble with it. A new multiplayer playlist, known as Wager Mode, will allow players to put down a specific ante, with only the top three players getting paid at the end of the match. Pressure then. New playlists include a match where players only have a pistol and one bullet. Killing someone else earns you a bullet, while missing leaves you stranded with just a knife. Other modes have you moving through weapon tiers with each kill you make.

If that wasn't enough, players will also be able to buy "Contracts". These pay-off when certain criteria is met. For example, you might state that you can make 50 kills in 10 matches. Completing this will earn you some additional CP; but failing it will cost you the price of entry.

Honestly, it sounds brilliant. It's just the kind of "out-of-the-box" thinking that the Call Of Duty multiplayer's needed for some time. While Modern Warfare 2 delivered an enjoyable multiplayer component on top of a pre-existing basis, Black Ops appears to be taking things to the next level, while staying true to the franchise's core mechanics. We're excited.

There's a trailer after the jump.