Prestige Mode

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Prestige mode is an option that a player can choose after they progress to Level 55 (Commander), and it can be accessed in the Barracks menu. Prestige mode effectively restarts a player at level 1. All weapon and other challenges will be reset. The player must progress through the ranks to unlock challenges and weapons again. Despite being reverted back to level 1, the player gains a special symbol next to their name indicating they are in Prestige mode. A player can progress through the ranks a total of ten times and enter a new level of prestige mode with a new symbol placed by the player's name. The last prestige medal, the "Gold Cross" lets players know that they have played through to the last prestige rank.

Note: Prestige mode is not available on PC version.

Process
Prestige mode is unlocked after level 55. gold prestige

Pros
The Prestige mode allows players to show skill level beyond level 55. Those players progress through numerous Prestige Modes, which will have unique symbols by their name. These symbols are usually an indicator of the player's skill since much more play time has been contributed by the player to achieve the prestige rank. Your skills with weapons increase.

Cons
Prestige mode causes a player to lose all unlocked weapons, perks and completed challenges. If a player's goal is to gain more prestige ranks, The only real incentive to completing numerous weapons' and other challenges is to get more experience to level up faster, since they will be reset upon getting through that mode's level 55. There are no Xbox Live achievements connected to online play or specifically getting into prestige mode.

Military Medals
Every Prestige symbol corresponds with a real U.S. Military medal.
 * 1st Prestige: Army Commendation Medal
 * 2nd Prestige: Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
 * 3rd Prestige: Republic of Vietnam Staff Service Medal
 * 4th Prestige: Legion of Merit Medal
 * 5th Prestige: Saudi Arabian Medal for the Liberation of Kuwait
 * 6th Prestige: Republic of Vietnam Special Service Medal (?)
 * 7th Prestige: Distinguished Flying Cross Medal
 * 8th Prestige: Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Medal
 * 9th Prestige: Republic of Vietnam Wound Medal
 * 10th Prestige: Navy Cross Medal

Call of Duty: World at War


In Call of Duty: World at War, Prestige mode is unlocked at Level 65, the highest rank, unlike in Call of Duty 4, where the highest rank is 55. Prestige Mode is also available for all systems, including the PC, which did not have it available in Call of Duty 4.

Process
Prestige mode for Call of Duty: World at War is nearly the same as that in Call of Duty 4, except that you need to reach level 65, not 55. It is, however, like Call of Duty 4 in the sense that the prestige option is grayed out until you reach the required level.

Pros
Once you enter Prestige Mode for the first time, you earn a new permanent Custom Class slot. The same effect goes on for the first, second, fourth, seventh and tenth. This allows you to make more classes for a larger variety and to tackle down every worst case scenario. It also helps you to show how much time you used in order to get the icon since it takes longer to get to Prestige (as listed above, the level cap is 65, not 55). There are also two achievements/trophies associated with getting Prestige.

Cons
All your challenges will be reset. This will be tedious if your only intent is to gain Prestige icons. Also, you will lose all perks and weapons unlocked.

It has been said by many players that it is harder to Prestige in World at War because most of the better weapons are locked until the higher levels. In Call of Duty 4, the weapons are more evenly spaced out. Although the weapons are spaced out you can still get good uses out of your weapons by getting kills with that weapon.

Prestige mode
When the "Prestige Mode" button is clicked, a message comes up saying

"Trade all your accomplishments for a bit of prestige. Other players will see your new prestige rank in the lobby, leader boards and game".

After this message the player can select "Learn More" or cancel and return to the menus. After clicking "Learn More", a second warning pops up saying,

"Prestige has a price: Everything you've unlocked including weapons, experience and challenges will be reset; you'll have to rank up again to reacquire them. Only your leader board rankings, clan tag, and play lists will be unaffected."

Should the player still be determined to go to prestige, one final warning pops up saying,

"There's no going back..."

Should the player then hit "Enter Prestige" the decision is final, Prestige mode is activated, and in Call of Duty 4, a Desert Eagle shot is heard to affirm it.

Trivia

 * The Prestige symbol of your Nemesis will not be present in the After Battle Report. Instead, their standard rank symbol is shown in its place.
 * The Collectors Edition of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is entitled the "Prestige Edition"
 * On the Call of Duty website, World at Wars prestige symbols show up differently in some places. (An image of these newer symbols can be found above.)
 * Call of Duty World at War's 5th Prestige has a resemblance to 10th Prestige. Below the eagle of 5th Prestige is a silver star that resembles 10th Prestige.
 * In Call of Duty World at War, the 1st, 4th, and 10th Prestige symbols are all stars.
 * In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 prestige mode will be unlocked at level 70.