Audio director and sound designer with extensive experience leading creative and technical audio across AAA console, PC, and VR/AR titles. Skilled at defining and executing audio vision, directing multidisciplinary teams, and delivering immersive, emotionally resonant player experiences through sound, music, and voice. Combines hands-on sound design and implementation expertise with strategic leadership—building cohesive teams, mentoring collaborators, and shaping high-quality, systemic, and adaptive game audio. Passionate about player-centered storytelling and fostering collaborative innovation across disciplines.

James Ackley

Audio director and sound designer with extensive experience leading creative and technical audio across AAA console, PC, and VR/AR titles. Skilled at defining and executing audio vision, directing multidisciplinary teams, and delivering immersive, emotionally resonant player experiences through sound, music, and voice. Combines hands-on sound design and implementation expertise with strategic leadership—building cohesive teams, mentoring collaborators, and shaping high-quality, systemic, and adaptive game audio. Passionate about player-centered storytelling and fostering collaborative innovation across disciplines.

Available to hire

Audio director and sound designer with extensive experience leading creative and technical audio across AAA console, PC, and VR/AR titles. Skilled at defining and executing audio vision, directing multidisciplinary teams, and delivering immersive, emotionally resonant player experiences through sound, music, and voice.

Combines hands-on sound design and implementation expertise with strategic leadership—building cohesive teams, mentoring collaborators, and shaping high-quality, systemic, and adaptive game audio. Passionate about player-centered storytelling and fostering collaborative innovation across disciplines.

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Work Experience

Audio Director at Fantastic Pixel Castle
January 1, 2025 - November 30, 2025
Defined and executed the audio vision for Ghost, a next-generation fantasy MMO. Served as the sole audio lead for hands-on sound design, implementation, production, and mixing in Unreal Engine 5.5 / MetaSounds. Created scalable, adaptive, systemic audio frameworks supporting world building, combat, and exploration. Partnered with design, art, production, and engineering leads to integrate audio deeply into gameplay and narrative. Built pipelines, documentation, and external collaboration processes to support team growth and consistent delivery.
Sound Design Manager at Meta (formerly Facebook)
January 1, 2021 - January 1, 2025
Led and mentored cross-functional teams designing immersive audio for VR/AR/MR experiences. Owned creative direction across production, sound, music, and voice for multiple Metaverse products. Collaborated with engineering teams on spatial and procedural audio technologies. Oversaw vendor and outsourcing partnerships to maintain consistent, high-quality content delivery. Supported hiring, mentoring, and career growth across an expanding organization.
Audio Director at Amazon Games
January 1, 2017 - January 1, 2021
Directed full-scope audio production for a new AAA IP from early concept through implementation. Managed internal and external teams across sound, music, and VO, including casting and recording. Developed audio systems in Wwise/Lumbreryard aligned to gameplay and storytelling goals. Collaborated with art and VFX to build cohesive audio-visual moments. Oversaw studio audio infrastructure, tool development, and cross-discipline collaboration.
Audio Director at ArenaNet
January 1, 2008 - January 1, 2017
Defined and maintained the audio vision for Guild Wars 2, ensuring quality across all audio domains. Managed sourced content, scheduling, and budgets for multiple live and development projects. Directed voice production and maintained consistency across large-scale narrative content. Partnered with engineers to improve tools and workflows, enhancing creative efficiency. Fostered a collaborative, inclusive team culture grounded in communication and creative excellence.
Audio Director / Sound Designer at Monolith / Warner Bros. Interactive
January 1, 1997 - January 1, 2008
Directed internal and external teams across sound, music, and VO for F.E.A.R., Condemned, and other franchises. Delivered hands-on sound design and implementation for gameplay, cinematics, and marketing. Shaped cohesive sonic identity and narrative tone for award-winning franchises.

Education

Coursework / training at LinkedIn Learning
January 11, 2030 - August 10, 2026
Coursework / training at Art Institute of Seattle
January 11, 2030 - August 10, 2026
Coursework / training at Moby Games
January 11, 2030 - August 10, 2026

Qualifications

Board of Advisors — DigiPen Audio member
January 1, 2013 - August 10, 2026
Speaker — EM P 2013
January 1, 2013 - August 10, 2026
Speaker — PAX Prime 2012
January 1, 2012 - August 10, 2026
Speaker — Casual Games Conference 2009
January 1, 2009 - August 10, 2026
Education / training: Unreal Engine Visual Development and Audio Design in Games
January 11, 2030 - August 10, 2026
Education / training: Unreal Engine Fundamentals Multimedia and Recording
January 11, 2030 - August 10, 2026
Project Management for Creative Projects (Coursera)
January 11, 2030 - August 10, 2026

Industry Experience

Gaming, Media & Entertainment
    Fantastic Pixel Castle - Video Game

    Fantastic Pixel Castle was a game development studio founded in 2023 by industry veteran Greg “Ghostcrawler” Street. The studio was developing a AAA fantasy MMORPG codenamed Ghost under NetEase Games, but shut down on November 17, 2025, after NetEase withdrew its funding and a new investor could not be found.

    I was the Audio Director on this project and the only person on the audio team. Creating the sounds, implementing and creating the direction for all the audio.

    Meta Horizon Worlds - VR/AR

    Meta Horizon Worlds is an online multiplayer game, as well as game platform and game creation system, developed and published by Meta Platforms. Horizon Worlds was released in December 2021. Initially designed for virtual reality headsets as part of the QuestVR platform, a mobile version was released in September 2023.

    I was the Sound Design Manager for this project, in charge of the audio team working on this huge project.

    Crucible - Video Game

    Crucible was a hero shooter game developed by Amazon Games. Different playable characters, referred to as “hunters”, impacted which abilities players had. Matches were team-based player versus player competitions, and the Alpha Hunters, Harvester Command, and Heart of Hives game modes all included player versus environment elements as well. Unlike other hero shooter games, there were no dedicated healer or tank characters, requiring all players to search for healing items during matches

    I was the Audio Director in charge of building the sound team, leading and managing that team and the creative direction for all the Audio, Music and voice in the game.

    Guild Wars 2 - Video Game

    Guild Wars 2 is a free-to-play, massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by ArenaNet and published by NCSoft. Set in the fantasy world of Tyria, the core game follows the re-emergence of Destiny’s Edge, a disbanded guild dedicated to fighting Elder Dragons, colossal Lovecraftian-esque entities that have seized control of Tyria in the time since the original Guild Wars (2005), a plot line that concludes in the third expansion End of Dragons (2023). The game takes place in a persistent world with a story that progresses in instanced environments

    I was the Audio Director in charge of building the sound team, leading and managing that team and the creative direction for all the Audio, Music and voice in the game.

    F.E.A.R. First Encounter Assault Recon - Video Game

    F.E.A.R. First Encounter Assault Recon is a 2005 first-person shooter psychological horror video game for Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. Developed by Monolith Productions and published by Vivendi Universal Games. The game’s story revolves around the fictional F.E.A.R. (First Encounter Assault Recon) unit, an elite group in the United States Army tasked with investigating supernatural phenomena.

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