The career ladder
The launch guide describes climbing from Private I at level 1 to Commander at level 55, earning XP across Multiplayer, DMZ and Season 1 content, and states you can expect one or more unlocks every time you level up. The Prestige decision comes at the end of that ladder, not before it. Each Prestige Level also carries content inspired by a different Infinity Ward title, and the Loading Screen reward for that level is where you can see which one it is.
Classic Prestige
Classic is the traditional route. It resets your level unlocks and your Create-a-Class progress. In exchange it gives a 20% XP boost, one Permanent Unlock Token, and bonus cosmetic rewards. If you want the climb itself to be part of every cycle, this is the path.
Regular Prestige
Regular lets you restart progression from level 1 while keeping all your level unlocks and your Create-a-Class content intact. You are not re-grinding the arsenal; you are re-grinding the ranking, with a more flexible path.
A majority of the rewards are shared
Activision states that most Prestige rewards are shared between the two paths, and that the Classic track adds bonus rewards on top. So the practical question is narrow: do you want the Create-a-Class reset, because it is the price of the XP boost and the token, or do you want to keep your arsenal and take the shorter road?
Weapon Prestige is separate
Levelling a weapon to its maximum is what unlocks its Apex Attachment, and it is also what opens Weapon Prestige. The number of levels a weapon needs is published, and they range from 37 to 75, so which weapon you take to maximum first decides which Apex arrives first. That is a decision you can make now.
What the career screen gives you
The launch guide describes a player profile you can customise for other players to see: one unlocked Operator, up to three Calling Cards, and a Wallpaper. It also lists Prestige Icon and Prestige Color, which are earned through the Prestige track rather than the level ladder.
PLAN YOUR WEAPON LEVELS ↗ SEE WHAT YOUR LEVEL HAS UNLOCKED ↗ ALL 18 PERKS ↗
Where this comes from
Reviewed October 22, 2026. Quoted text is from Activision’s own published material. Advice that is this site’s own judgement is labelled as such.