Skip to main content

How to level up weapons fast in Warzone 2.0

In Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0, you’re only as good as the weapon you’re carrying. Much like its predecessor, how well you perform is tied to the attachments on your weapon, which are earned by gaining XP. In this installment, leveling up weapons can feel like a grind, meaning you’ll need to find an effective method to farm XP. Thankfully, there are several useful methods for earning weapon XP, allowing you to earn all attachments quickly.

Here’s how to level up your weapons fast in Warzone 2.0.

Related Videos

Recommended reading:

Complete Safecracker contracts

Map of Safecracker contract on map in Modern Warfare II.

Safecracker contracts are similar to Scavengers from the original Warzone, wherein you must visit three locations to collect loot. In this entry, instead of opening chests, you must blow up safes using C4, but the premise remains the same. The nice thing about this method is that it’s usually a safe (pun very much intended) way of gathering XP. The thing is — the contracts seem to offer a stacking multiplier, meaning you get more XP for each additional contract you complete. It’s unclear if this is working as intended, so we should be under the assumption that it’s a bug that will get patched. Complete as many of these Safecracker contracts as possible to rack up a ton of XP and cash.

Purchase items from the Buy Station

Speaking of cash, another nifty Warzone 2.0 feature is that you gain weapon XP for purchasing items in the store. So, if you combine that with the previous method of completing Safecracker contracts to gain cash (and XP, of course), you’ll have enough money to buy plenty of items from the store. The most effective way to spend your cash is to buy Armor Plates, as they’re an unlimited resource and only cost $400. So if you’ve completed multiple Safecracker contracts while also picking up cash along the way, you should have enough funds to buy lots of Armor Plates. The more you buy, the more Weapon XP you’ll earn, so keep that in mind.

Play Shoothouse in Modern Warfare II

The Shoothouse map in Modern Warfare II.

Both of the aforementioned methods require you to be familiar with Warzone 2.0, which can be offputting, especially to newcomers. If you’d like to get a sense of how movement and gunplay work, it’s best to play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, as it shares an engine with Warzone 2.0 — specifically, the new Shoothouse playlist, which is a smaller map. This makes it easier to get into a lot of engagements, with the potential to rack up a lot of kills each match. Of course, the more eliminations you earn, the more XP you’ll get. The caveat is that Modern Warfare II isn’t free, so if you don’t want to spend money, you’ll want to skip this method.

Play DMZ

DMZ art with characters walking.

Finally, you can jump into DMZ to earn weapon XP in an efficient way by taking out AI and completing mission objectives. This isn’t the fastest way to earn XP, but it can be more consistent than playing battle royale, especially if you’re a new player. Dipping your toes in DMZ is an effective way to learn the ropes, and the XP you earn is enough to warrant giving this mode a try. Just be sure you don’t lose the weapon you’re attempting to level up.

Editors' Recommendations

Counter-Strike 2 will drop as a free CS:GO update this summer
A promotional image featuring two Counter-Strike 2 soldiers.

Valve has officially announced Counter-Strike 2 and detailed many of the new systems that will be a part of this free Source 2 upgrade to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Those eager to play will either have to get a Limited Test invite from Valve or wait until it launches this summer. 

Following several leaks throughout March, Valve announced Counter-Strike 2 today and released three videos highlighting some of the new features that build upon the gameplay that still looks very much like Counter-Strike should. First, smoke grenades have been overhauled to be more dynamic. Smoke will interact and change shape depending on the environment around it, and all players see the smoke in the same position. Valve has also adjusted the tick rate of the game, so Counter-Strike 2 will more accurately respond to how players move and shoot. Players will also be able to bring over their entire Global Offensive inventory into Counter-Strike 2.
This next evolution of the Counter-Strike formula is built on Valve's newer Source 2 game engine, and it looks great. This is best seen in Counter-Strike 2's maps, which fall into three different tiers. Touchstone maps are classic ones that have only seen updates to lighting, Upgraded maps are ones that game a significant visual touch-up to benefit from Source 2's physically-based rendering system, and Overhaul maps have been thoroughly redesigned by Valve. Valve also promises to give the tools that let them build these maps to mod-makers so they can create beautiful-looking mods for Counter-Strike 2. 
Counter-Strike 2: Leveling Up The World
We first caught wind of Counter-Strike 2's existence earlier this month when a Game Profile for it showed up in the code of an Nvidia Driver update. This was followed up by a report from Richard Lewis, who teased an impending announcement and the confirmed tick rate changes. Now, we know this massive Global Offensive upgrade is real and are waiting to play it. Limited Tests will be held before the game's release, but Valve will choose who gets to try the game early and will send an invite to those players in-game in Global Offensive. 
Counter-Strike 2 will be released for PC this summer. 

Read more
The best weapons in Fortnite during Chapter 3, Season 4
New characters from Fortnite Chapter 4, Season 2.

Surviving in Fortnite and securing a Victory Royale takes skill and luck. Getting better at Fortnite requires a knowledge of the playing field and a drive to outlast your opponents, but none of that matters if you aren't picking up the right weapons. Building a loadout that suits your playstyle and managing your inventory as the match progresses is key to snagging a win. You don't want to be caught in a long-range battle against someone on a mountaintop without a solid rifle on hand, and you certainly don't want to find yourself inside a close-quarters building without an SMG or shotgun.

Our guide to the best weapons in Fortnite breaks down rarity types and what they mean, the most effective arms in each weapon category, and tips for how to use them. Chapter 4, Season 2 brought a lengthy list of changes to the Fortnite arsenal -- including new weapons and the return of some fan favorites.

Read more
How to find the Giant Squid in Hogwarts Legacy
A giant squid in a lake.

Open-world games are notorious for hiding little Easter eggs around the map for adventurous players to discover. Hogwarts Legacy hides plenty of these, but one of them is by no means small. Of all the magical creatures you can find and interact with in the game, there's one that you'd be lucky to even catch a glimpse of if you don't know where to look. The Giant Squid is nearly as elusive in the game as it is in real life, but it's quite a sight to behold. While there's no real requirement or benefit to spotting the legendary creature, it is still a fun secret to experience for yourself. If you fancy yourself a monster hunter, here's how to find the Giant Squid in Hogwarts Legacy.
How to find the Giant Squid

There are three ways you can spot the Giant Squid in Hogwarts Legacy. The first is almost impossible to miss, and takes place during the main quest called "Flying Class" as you learn to fly the broomstick. As you're soaring over the Black Lake, keep your eye on the water's surface to see the tentacles rising up for a few moments.

Read more