Call of Duty maker Activision to use Facebook live video to push e-sports

World's largest computer game publisher also hopes broadcasts on Twitch and Instagram will help take e-sports mainstream

The world's largest computer game publisher, Activision Blizzard, is hoping to use Facebook's live video to turn e-sports into a mainstream attraction, and make the people who play computer games competitively into the next sporting stars.

In New York on Thursday the company announced a slew of improvements to its e-sports platforms, which host video of competitive gamers playing titles such as Call of Duty or Starcraft. The company's most popular event to date was the Major Championship of first-person shooter Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, which attracted 71m live and on-demand views.