Black Ops 2 has brought along a lot of new features into the Call of Duty franchise. One of which is League Play. League Play aims to pit players with the same skill level against each other. It's a monthly skill-based ladder that you can enter as a team or individually.
Given that League Play is based on skill, all weapons, attachments, equipment and perks are all available at the start. This is to ensure that all players have a level playing field. So the typical "He's got better weapons" excuse has flown out the window.
League Play is Treyarch's version of a Ranked/ELO system. It works similar to Starcraft 2's system. It divides players into leagues depending on their skill level, wins and losses. Each League will have four subdivisions. Each team or individual must play 5 placement matches before getting put into one of the six leagues.
Iron League: Lowest possible level of competition
Bronze League: Pretty low level of competition, slight increase in skill
Silver League: You'll find a lot of the competitive amateur players here.
Gold League: Players with a lot of experience in First Person Shooters. They'll know how to take you out.
Platinum League: Expect to find top teams here. Rarely would you find a solo player here. Pro teams like Optic and Fear can be found in this league.
Master League: Top International teams compete here. Expect to find world champion teams and top notch players.
Pro League: Currently there are no teams in the Pro League. It will start to populate in the beginning of Season 1. You can expect no less than the best in this league.
Remember, each league is divided into subdivisions of four. So if you get into the Pro League, you could place in either of the four subdivisions within the Pro League depending on your performance. You could be placed at the top of the bottom on the league. Notice in the subdivisions above. Each subdivision has a emblem similar to the rest but with a unique touch.
League Play features almost all the maps but includes only a few gametypes like Capture the Flag, Hardpoint, Domination and Search & Destroy. There is no Team Deathmatch which is just another reason to enter League play with a team.
A season lasts 30 calendar days. The leagues will reset and you will be faced again with another 5 placement matches and another shot at getting placed in a higher league. At the start of every season you and your team will start off with zero points. You will gain and lose points for every win and loss. Of course, with any ELO ranking system, defeating a higher skilled team will earn you more points than defeating a lower skilled team. Winning is the only way to rank up, so I highly suggest you enter League Play with a team. Playing with random players online will only hinder your progression.
All in all, I think its a great addition to the game. With the ability to play with similarly minded and skilled players who actually want to win as opposed to those who just care about their K/D and have all of the attachments, equipment, camouflages and perks all available for me to chose from. I don't think I'll be playing anymore public matches.