Call of Duty legend ACHES transitions from champion to XDefiant game designer with esports focus
ACHES’ Competitive Legacy and Career Transition
The celebrated two-time Call of Duty world champion has officially transitioned into game development, taking on a pivotal role with Ubisoft’s upcoming competitive FPS title XDefiant while maintaining strong esports sensibilities.
Professional gaming icon Patrick ‘ACHES’ Price, renowned for securing two world championship titles in Call of Duty, has formally accepted a position with leading game publisher Ubisoft to contribute to their developing first-person shooter project.
Following his official retirement announcement from competitive Call of Duty in January 2022, ACHES concluded an impressive professional gaming career spanning more than ten years. His competitive resume includes numerous championship victories, highlighted by world championship wins in both 2013 and 2018. Post-retirement, he established himself as co-host of The Flank alongside former professional player Thomas ‘ZooMaa’ Paparatto and contributed as talent for Dexerto’s Reverse Sweep Call of Duty League broadcast. Beyond content creation, ACHES dedicated recent months to development work on Tom Clancy’s XDefiant at Ubisoft, serving as Game Designer with specialized focus on competitive gaming elements. By March, this position evolved into a full-time commitment. https://twitter.com/ACHES/status/1499114990598504451 His official statement from Wednesday, March 2 declared: “I’m excited to announce my integration into the Ubisoft San Francisco development team. My focus will center on XDefiant, guided by industry expert Mark Rubin, whose creative influence shaped several of my most cherished shooter experiences.” Rubin previously held the executive producer role at Infinity Ward for a decade, contributing to legendary Call of Duty titles such as CoD 4, Modern Warfare 2 and 3, plus Ghosts.
XDefiant Development Role and Responsibilities
ACHES disclosed his involvement across multiple development domains including camera systems and control schemes, gameplay modes, weapon balancing, faction mechanics, and additional core components within the forthcoming title. His competitive background provides unique perspective for creating balanced yet engaging gameplay systems that appeal to both casual and professional players. The transition from elite competitor to developer represents a strategic move for Ubisoft, leveraging ACHES’ deep understanding of competitive gameplay mechanics and community expectations. This expertise proves particularly valuable for designing features that support competitive integrity while maintaining accessibility for broader audiences.
Ubisoft’s Esports Strategy and Future Outlook
Interested participants can currently register for closed beta access to XDefiant across PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5 platforms, though the development team has not yet confirmed an official launch timeline. Ubisoft revealed on January 31 their strategic consolidation of worldwide esports initiatives into a unified competitive gaming division, signaling expanded commitment to professional gaming ecosystems. This organizational shift suggests that ACHES’ appointment represents a calculated step toward strengthening Ubisoft’s competitive gaming presence, potentially positioning him as a key figure in their esports expansion strategy. The combination of his competitive pedigree and development role creates unique potential for bridging community feedback with professional game design principles.
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