Here’s the fastest way to level up in Overwatch

Desperate for loot boxes? Strapped for time? Look no further.

Here’s how to level as fast as humanly possible in Overwatch.

Play with friends

If you have the option, you should always play with your friends. You get a 20-percent group bonus at the end of each game, no matter how many friends you play with. That’s a great deal of XP, so find a group and start grinding.

Queue up for ranked

You’re welcome to queue up for quickplay, arcade, or ranked, but the latter will almost certainly grant you the most XP. If competitive isn’t your style, and the stresses and anxieties of laddering don’t sit comfortably with you, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with quickplay. But the longer the match, the more XP you’ll get, meaning ranked games will benefit you the most.

Get good

Being good (or at least half-decent) at Overwatch makes a difference. If you’re consistently racking up medals and winning game after game, you’ll be drowning in XP. You’re awarded 150 XP for a gold medal, 100 XP for silver, and 50 XP for a bronze. But you’ll only be awarded for your best medal, so make sure to aim for at least one gold medal per game. Even if you’re new to the game, or you’re just plain bad, it shouldn’t stop you from going for gold. You can always play support or tank if damage isn’t your forte. There are plenty of medals to go around.

Just keep playing

You might be tempted to leave the match as soon as it finishes and find a new lobby. But this is counterproductive to the leveling process. You earn a guaranteed 250 XP for losing and 500 XP for winning (if you finish it), and you’ll get an extra 200 XP for playing consecutive matches. That’s bonus XP for practically nothing.

Remember to play at least one game a day

Try to play and win at least one game a day for a bonus 1,500 XP. The juicy XP is well worth the time investment.

Summary

• You’’re awarded an extra 20 percent XP when playing in a group.
• You can pick and choose between quickplay, ranked, or arcade, but ranked is your best bet.
• The longer the game, the more XP you get.
• Aim to get at least one gold medal per game for a bonus 150 XP.
• Winning a game will award you 500 XP. Losing grants 250 XP.
• Play consecutive games for a bonus 200 XP.
• Win your first game of the day for a bonus 1,500 XP.