Prestiging in Black Ops 7 has once again become a defining part of the Call of Duty experience, and as I explored everything the system offers, I couldn’t help but compare my journey to how matchmaking feels when using a bo7 bot lobby service. The progression loop in this year’s title closely mirrors what players experienced in previous entries, but with a few quirks and notable adjustments. The moment you hit level 55, the game grants you the option to enter Prestige 1, presenting a nostalgic yet modernized take on long-term grinding.

One of the first elements worth noting is the confirmation that weapon levels do not reset, despite a misleading message in the menu claiming otherwise. This is important because weapon progression represents a major investment, especially for players working toward camo challenges. You retain all your weapon progress, camo progression, and challenge tracking—but you do lose access to certain unlocks tied to your base player level. This creates a natural sense of reset while allowing core weapon builds to remain intact.

Upon prestiging, players instantly receive the Echo Veil skin for Mason along with a permanent unlock token. The token system is where strategy becomes critical. Many players may be tempted to unlock weaponry or a favorite scorestreak, but experienced players recommend choosing perks such as Ninja, which normally unlocks near level 53. Ninja is widely considered one of the strongest perks in the game, especially in sweaty lobbies where sound cues can determine the outcome of engagements.

Prestiging also introduces a new set of challenges. These challenges provide both XP and cosmetic rewards, and their design encourages natural gameplay as well as intentional grinding. If you’re a completionist, Prestige Mode becomes an endless checklist of objectives that make the leveling process rewarding, even when matchmaking inconsistencies or packet burst issues make lobbies unpredictable. Packet burst—one of the year’s biggest technical complaints—remains a constant distraction and can affect performance regardless of restarts or connection resets.

Matchmaking conversations have been central to the community experience. Developers have stated that playlists use open matchmaking, though many players remain skeptical. Some matches feel relaxed, while others are packed with Prestige players, creating a roller-coaster of lobby difficulty that sometimes resembles skill-based matchmaking despite claims to the contrary.

Leveling efficiently requires a smart combination of objective-based modes, supportive killstreaks such as UAV and Counter-UAV, and consistent challenge completion. Domination and other respawn modes remain the most reliable for XP farming. Double XP tokens from previous titles also carry over, providing a significant advantage early in the grind.

Ultimately, Prestige Mode in Black Ops 7 succeeds at offering a familiar yet satisfying progression loop. While rewards may not be as impressive as some previous entries, the system provides players with long-term goals that enrich the overall multiplayer experience. Whether you prestige to showcase skill, grind cosmetics, or simply enjoy a sense of progression, the mode remains a core pillar of the Black Ops identity.

Read more: How to Prestige Your Weapon in Black Ops 7 (Full Guide + Rewards Explained)