- This article is for the mode, for the playlist see Prestige (playlist).
Prestige Mode is an option available to players after reaching the highest rank in multiplayer. Entering Prestige Mode, players can trade in their rank, unlocks and challenges for a new rank logo and possibly an additional Create-a-Class slot, and in later games in the series, other bonuses such as permanently unlocking a weapon. After doing this, players are set back to rank one, and can progress through multiplayer again.
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Prestige Mode is an option that players can choose after they progress to Level 55 (Commander) and max out the experience on that level. It can then be accessed in the Barracks menu. Prestige Mode restarts a player at Level 1, with all weapons and challenges reset. The player must progress through the ranks to unlock challenges and weapons again. To compensate for these losses, the player gains a special symbol next to their name indicating they are in Prestige Mode. The player can enter Prestige Mode a total of ten times, each time being indicated with a different symbol.
Prestige Mode is not available in the PC and Mac versions of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.
Pros
Upon entering Prestige Mode, the player unlocks new icons next to their name to show off their experience with the game. It can also be used to allow more content to the game, as many players find more enjoyment in progressing through ranks and unlocking items.
Cons
Prestige Mode causes a player to lose all unlocked weapons and perks, and camouflages. There are no achievements or trophies associated with reaching prestige.
Call of Duty: World at War
A different set of unused symbols found on the Call of Duty site
In Call of Duty: World at War, Prestige Mode is unlocked after Level 65, the highest rank, unlike in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, where the highest rank is 55. Prestige Mode is also available for all systems, including the PC, which did not have it available in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.
Prestige Mode for Call of Duty: World at War is nearly identical to Prestige Mode in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, except that the player needs to reach Level 65, not 55.
Pros
Once the player enters Prestige Mode for the first time, they earn a new Custom Class slot. This also applies to the second, fourth, seventh and tenth Prestiges. The player also unlocks a Sergeant Roebuck gamer picture at first Prestige and a Sergeant Reznov gamer picture at 10th Prestige, there are also two secret achievements on Xbox 360 associated with Prestige, although they are not worth any Gamerscore. There is one for entering first Prestige (It's All About Prestige) and another for entering tenth Prestige (Go Get Some Sun).
Cons
All of the player's challenges will be reset. Also, the player will lose all Perks, weapons, grenades, and attachments which they have unlocked and it has been said by many players that it is harder to Prestige in Call of Duty: World at War because most of the better weapons are locked until the higher levels. In Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, the weapons are more evenly spaced out. If the player pre-ordered the game from Gamestop and Prestiges, they will lose the ability to use the M1A1 Carbine at Level 1. In the Xbox and Wii versions of the game there is a glitch that allows players to transport Perks to different profiles, which some players use to unlock Perks early.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Prestige Mode is unlocked after both reaching and completing Level 70, the highest rank, unlike in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and Call of Duty: World at War, where the highest ranks are 55 and 65, respectively. Prestige Mode is also available for all systems. The experience required from 1-70 (and to the point of being able to go into the Prestige mode) is 2,516,000.
Pros
Once the player enters Prestige Mode for the first time in Modern Warfare 2, they will be rewarded with a sixth custom class slot. The same occurs at every odd prestige level, so a total of five additional custom class slots can be unlocked by Prestige Level 9. In addition, any earned titles and emblems obtained before entering Prestige Mode are not lost.
Players also unlock some Prestige Challenges to level up faster and get some new Callsigns. There are also certain Titles and Emblems that can only be unlocked through Prestige Mode. The challenges unlocked through Prestige for each gun persist to the next Prestige level (the kills and headshots for each gun's Mastery and Veteran challenges do not reset). This exception also applies to the challenges in the Prestige category that deal with killstreaks (getting a certain number of kills with a specific Killstreak reward).
Each time the player gains level 2 on each Prestige, they will gain an exclusive title and emblem.
Cons
If a player enters Prestige Mode in Modern Warfare 2, every unlocked weapon, Killstreak, Perk and Challenge will be reset. (Prestige challenges, which are unlocked at 1st prestige, are not reset and will be collective across all prestiges except "Heads up!", "Knife Veteran" and ones below "Knife Veteran")
Call of Duty: Black Ops
In Call of Duty: Black Ops, players are able to enter Prestige Mode at the highest rank of 50. The maximum number of Prestige levels is 15. One needs 1,262,500 XP to be able to Prestige.
Pros
The player gets to keep their emblems, backgrounds, and game modes. The player gains new custom classes, new playercard images, and more challenges. The player used to gain access to certain lobbies in the Prestige playlist, but this has been deleted as very few players used it. Note that the player will have all custom classes by Prestige 5 on the Wii version.
Cons
The player's COD Points balance prior to prestiging will be reset to
0. If the player has any COD Points left over, it is advised to spend these on Emblems and Backgrounds, as the player will keep these through Prestige. Again, all challenges completed, weapons unlocked, and Pro perks earned will be reset. Similar to the Veteran challenges from Modern Warfare 2, however, Lifetime Challenges are not reset upon prestiging.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
A list of all MW3 prestiges, including 11th through 20th.
The Prestige Mode appears again in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. The player can enter Prestige Mode when they reach the maximum rank of 80. They also purchase unique things in the Prestige Shop. The Prestige Shop requires use of Prestige Tokens which are gained one-by-one after every prestige.
Additional prestige challenges are unlocked for all primary and secondary weapons upon prestiging, as well as a whole new prestige challenge section. These are basically the same as in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
Do note however, that some prestige challenges - like the XM25's - are bugged and reset when prestiging.
One needs 1,746,200 XP to be able to Prestige.
Version 1.5 added 5 more prestiges, and update 1.5.1 gave another 5 more on Xbox 360 and PS3.
Call of Duty: Black Ops II
Prestige Mode is once again a feature in Black Ops II. Much like Call of Duty 4, it is unlocked when the player reaches the maximum rank of 55, with 10 levels in total. However, significant changes have been made to Prestige Mode. It is now meant to be another step in progression, and rewards players who enter it more so than any other Call of Duty. For example, the player gets more available Calling Cards by entering Prestige Mode, the achievement/trophy Welcome to the Penthouse requires the player to enter Prestige once, and the player must enter Prestige at least once in order to use every weapon and gear due to the lesser amount of Unlock Tokens than there are available gear.
One will need 1,249,100 XP to get from level 1 to Prestige Mode.
As always, entering Prestige Mode resets the player to level 1, and they must re-unlock all of their weapons and equipment. However, weapon and challenge progress remain untouched.
In addition, weapons can also be put to Prestige Mode up to two times, resetting their levels to 1 in exchange for the ability to place the player's Clan Tag and Emblem on the weapon at first and second Prestiges, respectively, as well as progressing towards the Weapon Marksman Calling Card (reached at the maximum Weapon Level on second Prestige) and therefore Weapon Mastery. Camouflages are not lost if a weapon is Prestiged.
When a player Prestiges, they earn a Prestige Unlock Token that permanently unlocks any one item, similar to using a Prestige Token for unlocking Gear in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. In addition, the player is given a choice to redeem one of the following Prestige Awards.
- Unlock an extra Custom Class (can only be redeemed 5 times, for 10 custom classes max)
- Receive a refund of all regular Unlock Tokens used during the current Prestige (is not available on tenth Prestige)
- Reset ALL stats (wipes away all progress, and resets the player to non-Prestige Level 1)
There is one last significant change: if the player manages to reach the maximum level during the 10th and final Prestige, they will reach a special Prestige level called Prestige Master. Once the player becomes a Prestige Master, all weapons, equipment, perks, scorestreaks and wildcards are automatically and permanently unlocked, as the ultimate reward for those who have persevered through all 10 levels of Prestige Mode. However, all camouflages, attachments and calling cards/emblems still need to be unlocked as normal.
Call of Duty: Ghosts
In Call of Duty: Ghosts, Prestiging is slightly different from previous titles. When a "Soldier" reaches level 60, players have to fill an additional 60,000 XP before reaching the end. Once that bar of XP is completely filled, the soldier the player is currently using will automatically Prestige. That soldier does not lose any unlocks and squad point purchases, and they unlock a new background for their Playercard. Icons and Prestige details are also available for the soldier once it is done (the first 5 are star symbols, and 6-10 are skull symbols) Players have 10 Soldiers, thus Call of Duty: Ghosts has a maximum of 10 Prestiges. Although technically, the game has 9 prestiges and the 10th is simply an icon you obtain once you reach level 60 Prestige 9.
Extinction
- Main article: Extinction#Ranks
A list of the first 20 prestige emblems for Call of Duty Ghosts: Extinction.
Similar to the normal multiplayer, Extinction features leveling up as well, with 25 levels of Prestige the player may use after reaching level 30. After reaching the max prestige level, the player can rank up to level 31. Indicating that they have reached the highest rank.
On release there were only 5 prestige's, but a patch update on January 29, 2014 added 5 prestige's to coincide with the release of Nightfall, an update on April 3, 2014 added another 5 prestige's to coincide with the release of Mayday, an update on June 3, 2014 added another 5 prestige's to coincide with the release of Awakening, and an update on August 5, 2014 added a final 5 additional prestiges to coincide with the release of Exodus .
Entering Prestige Mode
When the "Prestige Mode" button is clicked, a message appears, with the words:
- "Trade all your accomplishments for a bit of prestige. Other players will see your new prestige rank in the lobby, leaderboards and game."
or (Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 only)
- "Trade all your accomplishments for a bit of prestige. In addition to your new prestige rank icon, you'll gain access to some new titles, emblems and challenges. Other players will see your new prestige rank in the lobby, leader boards and game."
After this message the player can select "More Info" or cancel and return to the menus. After clicking "More Info", a second warning appears:
- "Prestige has a price: Everything you've unlocked including weapons, experience and challenges will be reset; you'll have to rank up again to reacquire them. Only your leader board rankings, clan tag, and play lists will be unaffected."
or (Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 only)
- "Prestige has a price: Everything you've unlocked including weapons, experience and challenges will be reset; you'll have to rank up again to reacquire them. Only your Leaderboard rankings, titles, emblems, clan tag, and playlists will be unaffected."
Should the player still be determined to go to Prestige Mode, one final warning is shown:
- "There's no going back..."
Should the player then hit "Enter Prestige", the decision is final and Prestige Mode is activated. In Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, a Desert Eagle shot is heard to confirm it. In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, when the player enters this message, a Claymore will tick. If the player decides to press Cancel, they will hear a Chicken clucking, most probably to mock the player for chickening out of Prestiging at the last moment. If they continue, the Claymore will blow up.
Trivia
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
- Each Prestige icon is a representation of a medal in the United States Armed Forces:
- 1st Prestige: Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
- 2nd Prestige: Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
- 3rd Prestige: Republic of Vietnam Staff Service Medal
- 4th Prestige: Legion of Merit Medal
- 5th Prestige: Saudi Arabian Medal for the Liberation of Kuwait
- 6th Prestige: Republic of Vietnam Special Service Medal
- 7th Prestige: Distinguished Flying Cross Medal
- 8th Prestige: Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Medal
- 9th Prestige: Republic of Vietnam Wound Medal
- 10th Prestige: Navy Cross Medal
- The Prestige icons are also featured in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 as Emblems for player's Callsign.
- It is the only game in the Call of Duty series in which Prestige gives no extra classes.
Call of Duty: World at War
- The Prestige icon of the player's Nemesis in the After Action Report in the multiplayer is not shown. Instead, their standard rank symbol is shown.
- On the official Call of Duty website, the Prestige icons are shown differently.
- On the Wii version, the fifth Prestige icon is different from the other consoles.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
- The Ninth Prestige emblem slightly resembles the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award given in the United States.
- The title the player gets for the fourth prestige is a reference to the name of the campaign titled "For the Record".
Call of Duty: Black Ops
- One of the counters is titled "THE GRIND:" which tells the current number of times everyone has prestiged. Note, this is the total number of times a level of prestige has been entered, not how many people have prestiged.
- The skull on the 15th Prestige emblem is similar to the skull seen on the icon for Veteran mode when selecting the difficulty for a campaign mission.
- The 14th prestige emblem is similar to the Call of Duty: World at War Marine Raiders team or the Carlson Raiders Marine Force.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
- In Theater Mode, if the player has prestiged at least once, a level-up will show the standard rank icon instead of the Prestige one.
- Prestiges 11 to 20 increase in size in order of the numbers.
- Modern Warfare 3 is the first Call of Duty to add more prestiges via update.
- On Elite when a player reaches Prestige 20 Level 80 a special icon represents their level.
Call of Duty: Black Ops II
- This is the first game to feature a new picture at the maximum level.
- The 14th and 15th Prestige emblems from Call of Duty: Black Ops are reused as the images for Prestige 8 and 9. The emblems have been upgraded visually.
- In the game files and Call of Duty ELITE, the Prestige 8 emblem for Call of Duty: Black Ops represents Prestige 12 (Prestige Master being the 11th). However, it is not legitimately reachable.
Call of Duty: Ghosts - Extinction
- The 5th prestige icon features the Hunter .
- The 10th prestige icon features the Breeder.
- The 15th prestige icon features the Kraken.
- The 16th prestige icon features the Cortex.
- The 18th prestige icon features an Obelisk.
- The 19th prestige icon features the Mammoth.
- The 20th prestige icon features the Gargoyle.