How to prestige in Modern Warfare 2

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Details on the new Modern Warfare 2 seasonal prestige system, and how to improve your MW2 Prestige Rank

Warzone 2
(Image credit: Activision)

How to Prestige in Modern Warfare 2 has changed compared to previous Call of Duty games, and you'll be able to experience it for yourself soon enough. Season One of the Modern Warfare 2 Battle Pass is coming online on November 16, and this will introduce a new seasonal prestige system – allowing you to progress beyond Military Rank 55 and earn special rewards as you do. 

Below you'll find all the information on how you can earn XP in Modern Warfare 2, which will allow you to level your MR from 1 to 55, and information on how to Prestige in Modern Warfare 2 – which should be everything that you need to know ahead of the Season 01 Battle Pass coming online. 

How to Prestige in Modern Warfare 2

Modern Warfare 2 prestige

(Image credit: Activision)

If you're wondering how to prestige in Modern Warfare 2, I'm afraid you're going to need to hang on a little longer. The prestige system release date is November 16, where it'll come online alongside Season 01 of the Modern Warfare 2 battle pass. 

The reason for that is Modern Warfare 2 features a 'Seasonal Prestige' system, with progression shared with Warzone 2. Beginning with Season One, once you reach Military Rank 56 you will unlock Prestige 1. 

As a reward for this achievement, you'll be granted a unique Emblem, additional rewards, and a set of challenges – and if you complete those challenges you'll unlock an exclusive Battle Pass Season Calling Card.

Once you reach Prestige 1, you'll stop earning Military Rank levels and will instead begin to earn Prestige Ranks. You'll gain one Prestige Rank for every 50 levels that you achieve, up to a max-cap of Prestige 5 – with each tier of progression introducing new challenges and rewards. 

Here's how the new Prestige system in Modern Warfare 2 is structured: 

  • Prestige 1: Unlocked at Rank 55
  • Prestige 2: Unlocked at Rank 100
  • Prestige 3: Unlocked at Rank 150
  • Prestige 4: Unlocked at Rank 200
  • Prestige 5: Unlocked at Rank 250, which is the level cap until the end of Season One.

At the end of Season One, you'll be able to continue ranking up from wherever you ended up on the Prestige Ranks. In Vanguard, for example, this would reset entirely between seasons, which made it impossible to carry over whatever progress you made. The Modern Warfare 2 Prestige system is changing that. Infinity Ward says: 

"At the end of Season 01, players can continue ranking up from wherever they ended up on the Prestige Ranks. This allows players who may not have enough time to level up to catch up in later seasons, while also not resetting the progress of anyone who reached the Max Rank during that season."

Modern Warfare 2 Military Ranks explained

Modern Warfare 2 screenshot

(Image credit: Activision)

Modern Warfare 2 Military Ranks can be earned from 1 to 55, earned by playing the game and completing challenges. Earning Military Ranks is key to the core progression cycle in MW2, as it'll help you unlock new weapon platforms, loadout items (like Killstreaks and Perks), and more. 

Here's how you can earn more XP fast in Modern Warfare 2 and increase your Military Rank:

  • You can gain XP from participating in multiplayer matches, and it can be earned by doing everything from getting kills, to calling in Killstreaks, and playing the objective.
  • You can earn XP by completing Daily Challenges in multiplayer and spec ops. Should you complete all three of the daily challenges you are assigned by the game, you'll unlock a bonus challenge which will offer 3x XP.
  • XP can also be earned in Modern Warfare 2 by completing career milestone challenges. These are typically completed gradually over-time, as you master different weapons and modes. 

The Modern Warfare 2 Hardcore playlist is also coming online on November 16, so you've still got some time to pull together the best M4 loadout in Modern Warfare 2.

Josh West
Josh West
Editor-in-Chief, GamesRadar+

Josh is Editor-in-Chief of GamesRadar+. He has over 18 years experience in both online and print journalism, and was awarded a BA (Hons) in Journalism and Feature Writing. Josh has contributed to world-leading gaming, entertainment, tech, music, and comics brands, including games™, Edge, Retro Gamer, SFX, 3D Artist, Metal Hammer, and Newsarama. In addition, Josh has edited and written books for Hachette and Scholastic, and worked across the Future Games Show as an Assistant Producer. He specializes in video games and entertainment coverage, and has provided expert comment for outlets like the BBC and ITV. In his spare time, Josh likes to play FPS games and RPGs, practice the bass guitar, and reminisce about the film and TV sets he worked on as a child actor.