Overwatch: How to Level Up Fast & Earn Loot Boxes

Those beautiful loot boxes in Overwatch are just asking to get opened, and if you don’t feel like spending real-world cash to earn more, there’s only one method available to you — earning XP and gaining levels. After every level-up, you’ll unlock a free loot crate. The leveling system is endless, so you will always have more opportunities to earn free loot boxes. Learn all the details on XP, leveling up, and loot box requirements right here. Just scroll down.

There is no true progression system in Overwatch. The only benefit to leveling up is earning loot boxes, which is a pretty good benefit, but there’s nothing to unlock that isn’t completely cosmetic. Loot boxes contain new skins, emotes, tags, and tons of other fun stuff to customize your player profile, but nothing that alters the balance of the game. You won’t find new guns, heroes, or abilities locked behind a loot box pay-wall, and Blizzard has already announced that all future heroes will be totally free.

How to Level Up Fast & Earn Loot Boxes

Earning XP is simple — you get it for playing online in matches. Whether you win or lose, you’ll earn XP — but you always earn more for winning, for playing on a team, and for staying active. AFKers don’t get XP.

After earning a certain amount of XP (each level’s XP requirement is listed below) you’ll earn a free Loot Box. Opening a Loot Box earns you four cosmetic items with four tiers of rarity; common, rare, epic and legendary. Every loot box features at least one rare, and duplicate items net you gold coins that you can spend to unlock cosmetic items of your choosing.

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All XP (and cosmetic unlocks) are tracked by your account rather than through individual heroes. Anything unlocked should remain on your account forever, and which hero you play does not change how much XP you earn or what you’ll unlock when opening loot boxes.

How XP is Earned:

3-4 XP is earned per second you are active in a match.
20% More XP is earned when playing with a group.
More XP is earned when playing online vs. against A.I. bots.
250 XP is rewarded at the end of a match whether you win or lose.
500 XP is rewarded for winning a match.
XP is rewarded for your highest ranking medal. Gold = 150 XP, Silver = 100 XP, Bronze = 50 XP
200 Bonus XP for each consecutive match played.
400 Bonus XP for joining a match still-in-progress.
1500 Bonus XP for your first win of the day. This is a daily reward and renews every 24 hours.

Fulfilling most (or some!) of these XP challenges will earn you 2000 XP or more per round. Already players have broken through the Level 100 mark, and that means it’s very possible to grab 100 free loot boxes.

XP is not rewarded based on solo merit. The Gold Medal 150 XP reward is the only additional XP you’ll earn for being better than anyone else, so that isn’t even required.

Fastest Way to Earn XP:

Currently, the fastest way to earn XP is as follows:

Play in a group. (20% XP Gain Bonus)
Win one game per day. (1500 XP Bonus)
Stay in the queue. (200 XP Bonus per game.)
Earn one Gold Medal per match. (150 XP Bonus)

Those bonuses, on top of the XP earned for being active per second and the 250 / 500 XP bonus at the end of the match, can stack up fast and lead to quick level-ups for you and your friends.

When trying to earn XP, here are some things you’ll want to avoid.

What to Avoid: