There are eight different Skill Divisions that players can progress through in MW2 Ranked Play. To progress through each Skill Division, players need to earn SR (Skill Rating).

Ranks work a bit differently since these will showcase just how much wins you’ve gathered throughout your MW2 Ranked Play career.

To progress through each Rank, players need to earn stars by winning competitive matches.

Ranked Play is a lot to take in. Thankfully, below we explain everything you need to know about Skill Divisions, Ranks, and the different rewards you can earn.

All MW2 Skill Divisions & Rewards

The eight different Skill Divisions in MW2 Ranked Play include:

  1. Bronze – 0-899 SR
  2. Silver – 900-2,099 SR
  3. Gold – 2,100-3,599 SR
  4. Platinum – 3,600-5,399 SR
  5. Diamond – 5,400-7,499 SR
  6. Crimson – 7,500-9,999 SR
  7. Iridescent – 10,000 SR minimum
  8. Top 250 – 10,000+ SR
MW2 Skill Divisions

All Skill Divisions below Iridescent have three tiers players need to climb through. Treyarch implemented these tiers to allow players to feel more of a sense of progress in each Skill Division.

Skill Rating is earned by playing matches and winning. When players win a match, they’ll earn SR based on their performance and team performance.

But when players lose a match, they’ll lose SR based on their performance and team performance.

Skill Divisions will reset at the end of each Season. Players in the Bronze-Crimson divisions will begin each Season one division back. Bronze Ranked players will be reset to Tier III Bronze Rank at the beginning of each Season. They will have Demotion Protection enabled for three matches.

Iridescent and Top 250 players will start at Diamond Tier 1 Rank. They will have Demotion Protection enabled for several matches.

All MW2 Ranked Play Skill Divison Rewards

Skill Division rewards are awarded at the end of the Season and are tied to the highest Skill Division players reached during that season.

These rewards include:

  • Bronze & Silver Rank – New Emblem
  • Gold to Top 250 – Two special Operator Skins, Animated Emblem, and Weapon Charm
  • Iridescent & Top 250 – Animated Calling Card
  • #1 Player – One-of-a-kind Animated Calling Card & Emblem

All MW2 Ranked Play Ranks & Rewards

MW2 Ranked Play will also have different Ranks that players can progress through. This Rank will remain consistent between seasons and will never reset.

To progress through the different Ranks, players need to win ranked matches. Each win will grant players a star. As players win more and earn more stars, they’ll progress through the 50 Ranks.

Every five Ranks will reward players with a new emblem displayed on their Ranked Play Profile. All of these emblems are pictured below.

Ranks MW2

Players will also have a few extra rewards they can earn, including:

  • Rank 5: Ranked Competitor Operator Skin Pack
  • Rank 15: Pro Issue Sidearm Blueprint
  • Rank 30: New Gun Screen that tracks Ranked Play wins.
  • Rank 40: Pro Issue Combat Knife Blueprint
  • Rank 50: “Ranked Veteran” Operator Skins (Home and Away) awarded to Male and Female CDL Operators

What is Ranked Play MW2?

Ranked Play is a 4 v 4 mode with the authentic Call of Duty League Ruleset in Modern Warfare 2. Players can play competitive modes that separate them into different Ranked Skill Divisions.

Here are some of the most important things to note about how Ranked Play works in MW2.

  • Only players that have reached Level 16 have access to MW2 Ranked Play. Once players unlock access, they’ll also gain access to all unrestricted weapons and attachments.
    • This ensures that all players are on a level playing field to keep the competition as fair as possible.
  • Players play matches to receive a Skill Rating and determine what Skill Division they are placed into.
    • There are eight different Skill Divisions that players can be placed into.
  • Your Skill Rating is affected by every match you play. If you win the match, you’ll gain SR, and if you lose the match, you’ll lose SR.
    • The amount of SR you gain or lose will fluctuate depending on your individual performance and your team’s performance.
  • Players can progress through eight Skill Divisions, and returning from Vanguard is the Top 250 Skill Division.
    • The Top 250 Skill Division is reserved for the best 250 players in MW2 and is only reachable by those earning 10,000+ SR.
  • All players start in the Bronze Rank. This means there are no placement matches that players need to progress through.
  • Every win that players earn in Ranked Play will earn them stars to improve their overall Rank. There are over 50 Ranks that players can progress through.
    • Ranks do not reset at the start of the season and are meant to show a player’s progress throughout their entire Ranked Play career.
  • If teams are uneven, then matches will not start. If one player leaves or disconnects before the match begins, all players are returned to the lobby.
  • MW2 will have SR Forgiveness. If a player disconnects in the middle of the match, all team members outside that player’s part will not lose any SR.
  • Treyarch is implementing Demotion Protection to Ranked Play in MW2. Players who advance to a new Skill Division will not lose SR within their first three matches in the new division.

How Is Ranked Play Different From Multiplayer?

MW2 Ranked Play uses the official CDL Competitive ruleset. This brings down the player count to 4v4 and restricts the type of maps and modes players can play.

Ranked Play also bans certain weapons and items to keep play as grounded as possible. This usually removes any items the pro community has found unfair or “cheap.”

This list includes various attachments & Tactical Grenades:

  • Silencers (ALL)
  • Lasers (ALL)
  • Optic
    • Thermal
    • Night Vision
  • Ammunition
    • Armor Piercing
    • Frangible
    • Hollowpoint
    • Overpressured
    • Explosive
    • Incendiary
    • Snakeshot
  • Underbarrels
    • SPW 40MM
    • Corvus Masterkey
  • Shock Stick
  • Decoy Grenade
  • Spotter Scope
  • Stim
  • Heartbeat Sensor
  • Snapshot Grenade
  • Tear Gas

So players looking for a more bare-bones Call of Duty experience that strongly emphasizes skill will feel at home with MW2 Ranked Play.

How to Play Ranked Play with Friends in MW2

MW2 players can bring up to three teammates into Ranked Play if they fall within a certain set of criteria that Treyarch has implemented.

  • Bronze – Platinum players can party up with each other without restrictions.
  • Players in the Diamond and Crimson Skill Divisions can only party up with others players within two Skill Divisions of their own.
  • Players in the Iridiscent and Top 250 Skill Divisions can only party up with other players within one Skill Division.

Will The Ladder System Return in MW2?

No, Ladder Events will not make a return to Modern Warfare 2. Treyarch chose to remove it because they were aiming for a simpler overall experience that allows players to focus on winning and improving their SR.

The Ladder system was an in-game Ranked Play event where players could earn stars by participating in Ladder Events.

The higher your placement in these events, the more stars you earn. More stars meant a higher Player Rank in the Ladder System.

It was separate from the Skill Rating and did not affect your Skill Division.

What is the CDL Ruleset?

The CDL Ruleset comprises the official settings, maps, game modes, and weapons currently used by professional players in the Call of Duty League.

Players can now see this ruleset in action by participating in the Modern Warfare 2 CDL Moshpit Playlist.

It’s the closest players have to Ranked Play until Treyarch officially releases it. But due to the restrictions, the CDL Moshpit has an entirely different set of meta loadouts.

Ranked Play Modes & Maps

The maps and modes in the MW2 Ranked Play CDL Ruleset include the following:

  • Search & Destroy
    • Al Bagra Fortress
    • Breenbergh Hotel
    • El Asilo
    • Embassy
    • Mercado Las Almas
  • Hardpoint
    • Al Bagra Fortress
    • Breenbergh Hotel
    • Embassy
    • Mercado Las Almas
    • Zarqwa Hydroelectric
  • Control
    • Al Bagra Fortress
    • Breenbergh Hotel
    • El Asilo

You can see a breakdown of each map in Modern Warfare 2 here!

Best Team Setup for MW2 Ranked Play

The best way to set up your team in MW2 ranked is to have one Entry Sub, Main AR, Main Slayer, and Flex player on your team.

  • Entry Sub
    • The Entry Sub is responsible for leading the charge toward the objective. They’re the first into the hill to try and disrupt the enemy team to capture the point.
  • Main AR
    • The Main AR needs to find power locations to cut off different paths for their enemies and support their teammates. It is best to learn spawns to gain control of the map truly.
  • Main Slayer
    • The Main Slayer is meant to focus on eliminations and disrupting the opponent’s flow. A Main Slayer spends time flanking and hitting longer routes to catch their enemy by surprise.
  • Flex
    • Flex adapts to what the team needs. Usually, they run a second AR, but the meta could be 3 SMG players depending on the game.

Who is Developing Ranked Play in Modern Warfare 2?

Treyarch is the developer in charge of Ranked Play for Modern Warfare 2 and is the only developer curating this mode. Treyarch has previously developed Ranked Play in Call of Duty Vanguard and League Play in Black Ops Cold War, so they already have experience with this mode.

Infinity Ward is in charge of the base multiplayer and Warzone 2.0, so it makes sense that they’d have their hands full with that for the time being.

Treyarch Retires Ranked Play in Vanguard & Cold War

In other news, Treyarch has also announced that Black Ops Cold War League Play and Vanguard Ranked Play will be disabled in November as they work on Ranked Play for Modern Warfare 2. Players had until November 22, 2022, to collect their remaining rewards for both titles.