Everything you need to know about gaining XP and leveling up in Overwatch

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Winning Overwatch games may be difficult but understanding how experience is gained isn’t. You can earn experience points to level up your account and collect loot boxes by playing in Play and Practice vs. the AI, Quick Play, Arcade, and Competitive.

Here’s the breakdown of base experience rewards you can earn by playing a game of Overwatch:

• Time spent playing the game: ~210 XP per minute (~3.5 XP per second)
• Win: 500 XP
• Match Finish: 150 XP
• Consecutive Match: 300 XP
• Backfill: 400 XP
• First win of the day: 1,500 XP
• Medal award for the highest medal earned that game: Bronze (50 XP), Silver (100 XP), Gold (150 XP)

Each game mode applies its own multiplier to the base XP rewards you qualify for.

• Play and Practice vs. AI: 90 percent of the base XP
• Arcade: 40 to 125 percent of the base XP (depending on the game mode)
• Quick Play: 100 percent of the base XP
• Competitive: 115 percent of the base XP

No matter the game mode, you can always endorse your teammates. You can endorse up to three of your teammates (or enemies) for 50 XP each.

Related: Here’s the fastest way to level up in Overwatch

Overwatch is also better with friends. While you can’t endorse players on your friends list, playing with them nets you an additional 20-percent XP on top of what you earned from playing any game mode. But don’t leave early. Leaving early too often means you may take a heavy 75-percent penalty on XP.

Any combination of Competitive ranked play, Quick Play, Practice and Play vs. the AI, and Arcade will net you a certain amount of base XP. You need 20,000 XP per level beyond level 22 and it’s most efficient to level up by playing ranked Competitive with your friends.