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How to level up fast in Modern Warfare 2

How to unlock everything as fast as possible in Modern Warfare 2

Three soldiers in Modern Warfare 2 carrying rifles wait by a wall outside.

Want to know how to level up as quickly as possible in Modern Warfare 2? Infinity Ward is soon to release the latest Call Of Duty game onto the world, and players of the Modern Warfare 2 beta will no doubt want to make the most of their limited time with the game.

Progression works a little differently than you might be used to in Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, which has introduced Weapon Platforms, Receivers, and other changes along with their revamped Gunsmith system. Below we'll walk you through what these changes actually mean for you, along with a list of all rank progression rewards and some handy tips for increasing your rank fast.

So whether you're looking to upgrade your favourite weapon as quickly as possible or you just want to unlock everything Modern Warfare 2 has to offer, read on below for the answers you seek!


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Unsure what gun to choose in Modern Warfare 2? Confused which weapons pair best with one another? Look no further. The answers to your questions (and more) lie within the video above.Watch on YouTube

How to level up fast in Modern Warfare 2

If you want to level up both your guns and your overall rank as quickly as possible, then there are a few things you can do to increase how efficiently you progress. Here are our tips on how to level up fast in Modern Warfare 2:

  1. Complete Daily Challenges: Each day you'll gain a new set of 4 daily challenges. Some focus on using specific weapons and equipment, while others are more straightforward challenges such as winning a matches or getting a certain number of kills without dying. Each challenge earns you 4,500 XP upon completion, which really adds up over time and helps you to level up very quickly.
  2. Focus on objectives: When playing objective-based modes, focus on the objective itself. If playing Prisoner Rescue, then focus on extracting prisoners or killing carriers. If playing Domination, then focus on capturing zones. It's fairly straightforward and obvious, but this is one of the best ways to level up fast in Modern Warfare 2.
  3. Revive downed teammates: In a similar vein to the above, reviving downed teammates (in game modes where you can do so) is a great source of extra experience. So help out your team when you see the opportunity.
  4. Maximise your kills: To quickly earn gun XP, enter a TDM, FFA or other fast-paced kill-based game mode, and just focus on killing as quickly as possible. It doesn't matter how often you die (although if you can stay alive, then Killstreaks are a fantastic way to earn even more kills). Just get as many kills as you can before time runs out, and you'll be amazed how quickly you start unlocking new attachments and receivers.

Modern Warfare 2 Gunsmith: What are Receivers?

A close-up of a player in Modern Warfare 2 aiming and shooting off-screen with their rifle.

Modern Warfare 2 brings back the beloved Gunsmith system from the recent Call Of Duty games, but with some crucial differences. The biggest difference is that in Modern Warfare 2, weapons are divided into families known as Weapon Platforms.

Each Weapon Platform is made up of a few different weapons. You begin with just the first gun unlocked in a Platform, but by earning experience with that gun, you can unlock later guns in that Weapon Platform. Then you can earn experience with those guns to earn even later guns in that family of weapons.

Attachments are shared across different weapons within a Platform, and using the Gunsmith you can add up to 5 attachments across 8 different attachment slots, similarly to previous Gunsmiths in older Call Of Duty games. But once you've unlocked more than one gun within the same Weapon Platform, you can also switch out the gun's Receiver - essentially the base gun frame - to one of the other guns within the Platform.

This allows you to more easily customise weapons on the fly in Modern Warfare 2. For instance, you could kit out a Lachmann-556 Assault Rifle with your attachments of choice, then decide you'd rather it be a close-range weapon and switch the Receiver to the Lachmann Sub instead.


All Modern Warfare 2 rank progression rewards

Below is the full list of all rank progression rewards available in Modern Warfare 2, all the way up to Level 30:

RankRank progression reward
1"Assault" loadout
Care Package (Killstreak)
2"Smashed It" Emblem
3"First Blood" Sticker
4Perks unlocked
Custom loadouts unlocked
5Mortar Strike (Killstreak)
6Counter UAV (Killstreak)
"First Taste" Calling Card
7Stealth Bomber (Killstreak)
Kastov-74U (Assault Rifle)
8Loadout Drop (Field Upgrade)
Stun Grenade (Tactical Equipment)
9Bomb Drone (Killstreak)
Smoke Grenade (Tactical Equipment)
10Portable Radar (Field Upgrade)
Drill Charge (Lethal Equipment)
11Sentry Gun (Killstreak)
SAKIN MG38 (LMG)
12Tactical Insertion (Field Upgrade)
X13 Auto (Handgun)
13Chopper Gunner (Killstreak)
Battle Rage (Field Upgrade)
14Juggernaut (Killstreak)
15Tear Gas (Lethal Equipment)
Side Impact (Handgun)
16Wheelson-HS (Killstreak)
Lachmann-762 (Battle Rifle)
17Recon Drone (Field Upgrade)
Medical Syringe (Tactical Equipment)
18Cluster Mine (Killstreak)
19C4 (Lethal Equipment)
"Vinyl_001" Sticker
20Throwing Knife (Lethal Equipment)
Signal 50 (Sniper Rifle)
21VTOL Jet (Killstreak)
"Safety First" Sticker
22Smoke Airdrop (Field Upgrade)
PILA (Launcher)
23Emergency Airdrop (Killstreak)
Lockwood Mk2 (Marksman Rifle)
24Suppression Mine (Field Upgrade)
Snapshot Grenade (Tactical Equipment)
25Precision Airstrike (Killstreak)
Fennec 45 (SMG)
26Molotov Cocktail (Lethal Equipment)
27Advanced UAV (Killstreak)
Claymore (Lethal Equipment)
28Heartbeat Sensor (Tactical Equipment)
JOKR (Launcher)
29Overwatch Helo (Killstreak)
Anti-Armor Rounds (Field Upgrade)
30Gunship (Killstreak)
Dead Silence (Field Upgrade)

That wraps up this guide on rank and gun progression in Modern Warfare 2, and how to level up as quickly as possible. If you're looking for a firmer idea of which guns are most worth ranking up early on, then check out our list of the best guns in Modern Warfare 2. Hone in on specific gun classes with our guides on the best SMG and best Assault Rifle in Modern Warfare 2.

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Ollie Toms avatar
Ollie Toms: Ollie is sheriff of Guidestown at RPS, and since joining the team in 2018, he's written over 1,000 guides for the site. He loves playing dangerously competitive games and factory sims, injuring himself playing badminton, and burying his face in the warm fur of his two cats.
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