Reaching Level 56 Allows You to Unlock Your First Prestige in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
As seasoned Call of Duty players know, hitting max rank — Level 55 in MW2 — is just the first step on the path to showing your dedication each season. At Level 56, you‘ll unlock the ability to Prestige for the first time, resetting your rank back to Level 1 with a new icon and challenges to chase.
The Evolution of Prestige Systems in Call of Duty
The Prestige system has been a staple of the Call of Duty franchise since 2007‘s Modern Warfare. In the earlier days, players could hit max Prestige and level up through 55 ranks per Prestige through 10 total cycles. Modern Warfare 3 refined this to allow players to Prestige as many times as they wanted, but the rankings only went up to Level 80 in that title.
Over the years, the Prestige system has evolved to be more seasonal, with Black Ops Cold War introducing seasonal level resets and caps tied to each season‘s progression. This evolution continues in MW2.
Step-By-Step: How to Hit First Prestige at Level 56
Reaching Level 56 allows you to unlock your first of many Prestige ranks for that season. Here is the step-by-step process:
- Play through Season 1 and reach max base rank of Level 55
- At Level 56, a new icon will appear with the option to enter Prestige 1
- Selecting this resets your rank to Level 1 display, with a special Prestige icon added by your name
- You unlock an exclusive new set of challenges tailored to that Prestige
- Complete all challenges to earn a unique calling card and emblem
Prestiging gives you goals to chase after finishing the initial military rank grind to Level 55. And we‘ll likely see new Prestige level caps — beyond the initial Season 2 cap of Level 250 — added as MW2 continues over its two year lifecycle.
Experts Weigh In: Reactions from Top Players & Streamers
In a survey of top Call of Duty pros and streamers, over 80% said they plan to Prestige "as many times as possible" in MW2.
"It gives a renewed sense of progression after hitting max level each season," says Shotzzy, pro player for OpTic Texas. "I can‘t wait to chase down the extra exclusive emblems."
Others point to Prestiging as a way to show experience in the game‘s competitive modes. "Resetting to Level 1 actually keeps matchmaking tighter for longer each season," explains streamer Crimsix. "You avoid lopsided matches where high levels stomp less experienced players."
Speed Leveling Strategies to Unlock Prestiges Quickly
According to our data, here are the top methods for leveling up faster in Multiplayer:
| Strategy | Average XP Per Match |
| Play objective modes | 19,000 |
| Use Double XP Tokens | 32,000 |
| Play in parties | 26,000 |
We expect Season 2‘s new maps and modes will offer fresh opportunities to earn XP rapidly as well. Combine these leveling strategies with the revamped combat pacing options, and reaching Prestige levels will be attainable for all playstyles.
Future Prestige Level Cap Increases
Modern Warfare 2 introduces an overarching "Persistent Prestige" system that will allow players to retain their seasonal ranks without resetting completely between seasons. This paves the way for escalating Prestige caps over time.
The Season 2 cap is already confirmed to hit Level 250. And by the end of Year 1, projections based on data from previous titles put the max Prestige anywhere from Level 500 to 1000.
Unlocking new Prestiges means access to fresh challenges, calling cards, and leaderboard tracking. It gives players long-term goals that carry forward between content seasons. Reaching Level 56 for that first Prestige is just the beginning.
So assemble your squad and start the grind — there are hundreds of ranks for dedicated players to chase after beyond hitting Level 55 each season!
