Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Progression and Prestige Systems Detailed

A new Call of Duty blog post has detailed how progression works in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, including the return of two Prestige paths and a separate levelling track for DMZ, according to Screen Rant.

Players begin at level 1 and earn XP across multiplayer, DMZ and Call of Duty: Warzone, with Warzone XP counting once Season 1 begins. Levelling from 1 to 55 unlocks weapons, equipment, field upgrades, perks and killstreaks.

Prestige comes in two forms: Classic, which resets level unlocks, and Regular, which restarts at level 1 while keeping unlocks. Classic Prestige grants a 20% XP boost, one permanent unlock token and bonus cosmetic rewards. Players can choose between the two each time they reach rank 55 after prestiging.

Rewards extend to Prestige Master Level 90 at launch, and after reaching Prestige Master level 56, players unlock a Level Color Customization mode. Weapon Prestige also returns in Modern Warfare 4.

DMZ has its own 70-level progression track with separate unlocks, including Stations, Station Upgrades, 3D Printer Recipes, Operator Skins, Consumables and Fire Support. DMZ XP contributes to overall player progression from 1 to 55, but multiplayer or Warzone XP does not contribute to DMZ level. The game uses a linked progression system across modes.

Release context

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is set to release on October 23, 2026, developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision.