Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is Infinity Ward’s latest addition to the triple-A FPS series, bringing the return of some classic characters and nostalgic game-play mechanics. As the developer’s eighth major title in the series, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare comes with a 15-year legacy, and a solid group of diehard fans eager to dive back into the globe-trotting campaign and fast-paced, killstreak-driven multiplayer action.
Ranking up and unlocking new weapons has been a core element of the Call of Duty series’ multiplayer since the early titles, giving players a sense of progression and accomplishment to complement the often fast-paced individual matches. Getting to the top rank can take a long time for a player who doesn’t understand the system, so here’s our guide to rising as quickly as possible.
Which Game Modes?
In a slight departure from Modern Warfare’s morals-driven campaign, the primary sources of XP in multiplayer are kills, objectives, and wins. This doesn’t mean however that simply jumping into a quick match is the fastest way to level. Of the eight multiplayer game modes that players can take part in, some are better suited to earning XP than others.
The longer-form Objective-based modes are the best for getting XP quickly, with Domination and Headquarters providing ample opportunities for both high kill counts and impressive objective scores, which can earn bonus XP. Another great earner is the new Ground War mode, which provides excellent opportunities for getting kills and completing objectives.
Challenges and Missions
Getting a good amount of kills and completing objectives is a good start for leveling in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, but to really climb the ranks quickly a player needs to understand the Challenge and Mission system. Daily Challenges are small objectives that can usually be completed in a few hours of gameplay, and give a modest amount of XP on completion. Missions, distinct from the 14 that make up Modern Warfare’s main campaign, are more difficult and time-consuming to complete but have subsequently larger rewards for doing so.
The best Challenges for a player wanting to level up to Officer Rank are the ones that reward 6000 XP, which are usually the most challenging but still easily completed with a couple hours of normal play. Missions, on the other hand, are less cut-and-dried, and when choosing one to focus on players should try and aim for what fits their abilities and play-style. A player who struggles to get large kill-streaks should avoid the kill-streak reward Missions, just as a player who rarely uses their grenades should steer clear of “Get 25 Frag grenade kills.”
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
