Black Ops 6 Prestige explained

What is the Black Ops 6 Prestige system? Getting the psychological edge over your opponents in Call of Duty can go a long way in winning a multiplayer match. Sure, your aim, loadouts, and general skill are huge factors in securing victory, but if you can put your enemies on the back foot before a single shot has been fired, you’re in a great spot to dominate. Your Black Ops 6 Prestige level shows the world that you’re experienced and bloodthirsty.

The Black Ops 6 release date isn’t until later this year, but we know plenty about the upcoming FPS game thanks to the Call of Duty Direct presentation and the recent beta. One big piece of news, especially for long-time fans, is that the Black Ops 6 Prestige system will revert to a classic state, no longer tied to live service seasons.

Prestige in Call of Duty is essentially your player level – it shows how experienced you are and, in a way, how much time you have in the game. You begin at the bottom: no Prestige, level one. Once you hit level 55 you have the option to “Prestige,” resetting all your equipment – and your level – back to the beginning, albeit with the fancy new Prestige icon next to your name. Prestige progression is global, spanning Black Ops 6 multiplayer, Warzone, and Zombies.

You can Prestige ten times in total, where you’ll then have the option to graduate to ‘Prestige Master’, unlocking an additional 1,000 levels to grind through. There are plenty of spicy cosmetic unlockables to be had, both in the Prestige system and throughout the 1,000 levels, including operator skins, blueprints, and more. Each Prestige has themed rewards based on iconic CoD games or their zombies content – Prestige One is inspired by CoD World at War, for example.

It should be noted that, while you can receive rewards as a Warzone-only player seeing as it’s a free PC game you don’t need Black Ops 6 to play, you will receive fewer rewards than those who own BO6. However, if you pick up the game later, any reward tiers you have missed while grinding Warzone will automatically be unlocked – phew.

With each level, you’ll also unlock new weapons, perks, and other equipment necessary to build out the best Black Ops 6 loadouts the game has to offer. While you may lose access to this gear when you Prestige, don’t worry, because your weapon levels, operators, challenge progress, loadouts, and customizations are kept ready for you when you unlock them again. What’s more, you earn a ‘permanent unlock’ token each time you prestige, allowing you to circumvent the process for whichever item you choose – we’re eyeing the Jackal PDW for our first one.

When you Prestige, your combat stats – including your elimination/death record – will also be reset. Considering how different Black Ops 6 feels thanks to Omnimovement, it’s probably a blessing that your KDA from the first few weeks of play won’t be a permanent fixture. That being said, you can keep tabs on your record over time in the Combat Record menu.

For quick reference, here’s a handy table breaking down what you will and won’t lose when Prestiging:

Black Ops 6 Prestige rewards

As previously noted, you’ll be treated to various themed rewards as you progress through each Prestige. If you’re a Warzone player who doesn’t have BO6, though, remember you won’t be entitled to all of the rewards. The devs have already revealed the full list of Prestige One rewards (as shown in the image above):

• Instant reward: Prestige One Icon.
• Instant reward: ‘Nacht Raider’ Weaver Operator Skin.
• Level 10: ‘Der Riese’ Loading Screen & Social Wallpaper.
• Level 20: ‘Perk-A-Cola’ GobbleGum Pack (Requires BO6).
  • This includes the following GobbleGums:
    • Perkaholic: Gives the player all available Perks.
    • On the House: Spawns a Random Perk Power-Up.
    • Soda Fountain: The next Perk purchased gives an additional random Perk.
    • Who’s Keeping Score: Spawns a Double Points Power-Up.
    • Stock Option: Ammo is taken from the player’s stockpile instead of their weapon’s magazine.
• Level 30: ‘Zombie Breach’ Animated Emblem.
• Level 40: ‘Insta-kill Power-Up’ Charm.
• Level 50: ‘Teddy is a Liar’ C9 SMG Blueprint (Requires BO6).

We’ve also been treated to a sneak peek at future rewards that can be unlocked during later Prestiges (again, pictured above):

• Prestige 3, Level 50: ‘My Name is…’ Payne Operator skin.
• Prestige 4, Level 50: ‘Atomic Commando’ XM4 Assault Rifle blueprint.
• Prestige 5, Level 50: ‘Absolute Loss’ Toro Operator skin.
• Prestige 6, Level 50: ‘Robot Abomination’ SWAT 556 Marksman Rifle blueprint.
• Prestige 7, Level 50: ‘Specialist Fan’ Maya Operator skin.

Once you’ve cleared the ten standard Prestige tiers you’ll enter Prestige Master. Though there are 1,000 levels of goodness to soak up there, we’ve only had a couple of reward teasers:

• Prestige Master instant reward: ‘Sitting Bull Reborn’ Marshall Operator skin.
• Prestige Master Level 90: ‘Classified Arsenal’ AMES 85 Animated blueprint.

That being said, we do know that you’ll gain access to some pretty sweet legacy Prestige icons every 100 levels. At level 100 you’ll get a Prestige One icon set, at level 200 you’ll get the Prestige Two set, and so on and so forth.

Once you’ve reached level 1,000 and ascended to ‘Prestige Legend’ (max level), “classified rewards” will become available.

If you see someone with a high Prestige level, take care, as they are battle-hardened and have seen it all before. We’ll add more information once we know more, but for now, all you can do is prepare mentally for the long journey ahead. Check out the Black Ops 6 system requirements guide to make sure your rig is up to the task.