Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Play Kicks Off February 15: Full Details

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 ranked play kicks off on February 15, and before that Activision dropped key details about the system. The new mode comes with the Season 2 update, which brings the 1v1 Gulag and a new map back to its Warzone 2.0 battle royale half. Building on the foundations established in Call of Duty: Vanguard, developer Treyarch is teaming up with Infinity Ward to create a ranked play system that adheres to the rules established by Call of Duty League (CDL). For the uninitiated, that means competitive 4v4 multiplayer matches that are limited to specific game modes.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Play: Game Modes and Maps

Although a minimum level of 16 is required to access ranked play in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, all weapons and attachments will be automatically unlocked, to ensure that every player is on the same competitive footing. Mirroring the CDL ruleset, matches are divided into three game modes – Hardpoint, Search & Destroy, and Control, which are subdivided into the following maps:

Hard point

• Al Bagra Fortress
• Hotel Breenbergh
• Embassy
• Mercado Las Almas
• Zarqwa Hydroelectric

seek and destroy

• Al Bagra Fortress
• Hotel Breenbergh
• El Asilo
• Embassy
• Mercado Las Almas

Control

• Al Bagra Fortress
• Hotel Breenbergh
• El Asilo

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Play: Skill Divisions and Ranks

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will feature eight new skill splits – Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Crimson, Iridescent, and Top 250. Your placement will be calculated based on Skill Ratings (SRs), with everyone obligated to start with the lowest level. No matter how well you perform in Call of Duty: Vanguard, you’ll be bound to prove yourself once again, rising through the ranks and climbing in whatever division you belong to. Each division is subdivided into three levels. Starting with Bronze I, players will need to climb to Bronze II, Bronze III, then move up to the Silver division and repeat the process. While winning or losing certainly affects the amount of SR you earn, Activision says it will count your contribution throughout matches to deliver a fair outcome. The only point where this format changes is in the Top 250 tier.

Similar to Overwatch, the Top 250 division is home to the highest ranked mode players from across Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. At this time, Activision has not confirmed if the rankings will be split based on region. If you are a CDL Pro, your name will be displayed next to a player profile that mentions your team affiliation and manager, making it easily recognizable.

Of course, you can also team up with your friends for unhindered ranked play, provided you follow certain rules. Bronze to Platinum level players can party with each other without limits. Meanwhile, “Diamond and Crimson players can only form parties and play against other players in two skill divisions,” the blog notes. Iridescent and Top 250 players can only queue in/against a skill split.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Games: Leaderboards

Ranks are an additional form of leveling system, which serve as bragging rights in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. They range from Rank 1 to Rank 50, indicated by different emblems – starting with a snake and ending with a Dragon icon. Progressing through the ranks is as easy as winning a competitive match, which grants everyone a star, which allows for leveling up. Since these are purely based on wins, anyone with a decent amount of play time can max out level 50, no matter where your skill split is. Every time you exceed five ranks, the game will grant you a new set of rewards, ranging from skins, weapon blueprints, calling cards, and other cosmetics.

Additionally, as an end-of-season reward, Call of Duty will hand out custom skins based on the top players in the Skill Division. These are only available to players who have reached Gold Tier and above, while Bronze and Silver ranks receive a new emblem.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 ranked play begins February 15 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X.