Race to Prestige Returns as Black Ops 7’s Esports Opener

California-based video game publisher, Activision Publishing, Inc., has launched the “Race to Prestige” event to celebrate the latest installment of their first-person shooter franchise, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. On Nov. 12, before the game’s launch, Activision announced the return of the “Race to Prestige” journey through ten Prestige and hundreds of Prestige Masters levels. 

Starting on Nov. 14, the journey features 25 global teams competing to reach Level 1,000 and secure Prestige Master status. Players can choose to participate in the event, starting with Prestige 1, after reaching the Max level (55).

Race to Prestige signifies a change in Activision's approach to coordinating its high-end games with esports infrastructure. The event, which was first introduced in previous Call of Duty (COD) eras, has traditionally acted as an early-cycle engagement driver, increasing streams, speed-running culture, and competitive fandom around the franchise.

Race to Prestige and Black Ops 7 Esports Plans

The Race to Prestige challenge requires all participating teams to progress from Level 1 through 10 Prestige tiers, culminating in the max-rank Prestige Master title at Level 1,000. Activision confirmed that official tracking, standings, and leaderboard updates will be published daily through Call of Duty’s social channels and esports partners.

The franchise is positioning the event as “the most connected Prestige ever.” Unlike previous editions, Prestige will progress while playing Co-Op Campaign, as well as in Multiplayer, Zombies, and Call of Duty: Warzone modes. Another new change within the Race to Prestige format is the addition of new prestige themes based on real-life military roles. 

Each Prestige stage comes with exciting bonuses and rewards, such as “Psyop Soldier” in Prestige 1, “Combat Medic” in Prestige 3, and the like. Another important feature of the event is that once a player chooses to participate in “Prestige,” their level is automatically dropped to ‘level 1’ and all their previous in-game advancement will be re-locked. 

For Black Ops 7, the stakes extend beyond launch-week spectacle.  Activision has already confirmed that the title will anchor the 2026 Call of Duty League (CDL) season, and Race to Prestige serves as an early funnel for competitive visibility and talent scouting. Apart from the CDL 2026 season, Black Ops 7 is also one of the opening 20 titles in the Esports World Cup 2026, cementing the title's footprint in the COD esports ecosystem.