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Achievement Hunter

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Achievement Hunter
Company typeDivision
IndustryVideo gaming
FoundedJuly 6, 2008; 18 years ago (2008-07-06)
FounderGeoff Ramsey, Jack Pattillo
DefunctOctober 1, 2023 (2023-10-01)
FateDissolved; team members moved to other Rooster Teeth positions
Headquarters
Austin
,
United States
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Geoff Ramsey, Jack Pattillo, Michael Jones, Lindsay Jones, Trevor Collins, Jeremy Dooley
ProductsGaming-related video content, live events (Let's Play Live!)
OwnerRooster Teeth Productions
ParentRooster Teeth Productions

Achievement Hunter functioned as a video gaming division within Rooster Teeth Productions in the United States. Established on July 6, 2008, by founders Geoff Ramsey and Jack Pattillo, the platform originally concentrated on video game achievements before evolving into a central component of Rooster Teeth’s portfolio, delivering a wide array of gaming-related content.

The group concluded its activities following the release of its final video on October 1, 2023. Subsequently, its team members shifted to different positions within Rooster Teeth, which ultimately ceased operations in May 2024.

2008–2010: Origins

In 2008, Geoff Ramsey recognized a niche for a community-driven website focused on gaming achievements. As passionate gamers competing with then Rooster Teeth CEO Burnie Burns, Ramsey proposed launching a platform dedicated to achievement walkthroughs. With Burns’ approval, Achievement Hunter debuted featuring a layout reminiscent of Rooster Teeth’s main site. Shortly after, Jack Pattillo joined Ramsey in regularly creating achievement tutorials and Easter egg videos, supported by a handful of community volunteers. David Dreger also played a role in establishing the site.

2011–2012: Team expansion

By 2011, Achievement Hunter grew its staff by bringing on Ryan Haywood as editor and manager; he became a prominent on-camera host by March 2012. That year saw the debut of four new series, including Rage Quit, which prompted Michael Jones to join full-time in August 2011.

December 2011 marked the launch of Let's Play videos, which gained sufficient popularity to lead to weekly spin-offs in 2012 centered around Minecraft and Grand Theft Auto. These series became regular features, with Let's Play Grand Theft Auto typically airing Mondays and Let's Play Minecraft on Fridays.

After years of collaboration, Gavin Free officially joined the team in 2012. In March, Game Night premiered with Ramsey and Caleb Denecour playing games alongside community participants; it shifted to live streaming by 2014. Community member Ray Narvaez Jr., initially a contract host, was hired full-time in April. Editor Franco Scarcello launched the Five Facts series in September, which continued until May 2016.

2013–2015: Growth and Let's Play Network formation

In early 2013, the competitive series VS was introduced, pitting staff members against one another in various games. Achievement Hunter created its dedicated YouTube channel in April 2013 to centralize its content. Later that year, Achievement HORSE was replaced by the staff competition series Achievement HUNT.

In October 2013, Pattillo hosted a 24-hour charity livestream for Extra Life that raised $340,000; this event expanded annually to over $442,000 by 2014. At RTX 2014, editors and secondary hosts Matt Bragg and Jeremy Dooley officially joined Achievement Hunter.

On February 5, 2015, Achievement Hunter launched the Let's Play Network YouTube channel to serve as a hub for Rooster Teeth-affiliated gaming groups such as Funhaus and ScrewAttack, although most content remained produced by Achievement Hunter.

The inaugural Let's Play Live event took place in early 2015 at Austin’s Moody Theater. In April of that year, Ray Narvaez left his full-time position to concentrate on Twitch streaming but continued voicing his character on Rooster Teeth’s animated series until its cancellation. Mid-2015 saw the introduction of a new Achievement Hunter YouTube channel and relocation to their own office near Austin Studios.

Jeremy Dooley became a primary host in October 2015 during Let's Play Minecraft. That same month marked the launch of the weekly podcast Off Topic, hosted by Michael Jones with regular contributions from Achievement Hunter members and guest appearances. Jones also hosts the exclusive after-show Last Call available for First Members.

From 2015 onward, Achievement Hunter featured numerous celebrity guest collaborators in their Let's Play videos, including Watsky, Rahul Kohli (known for iZombie), Dan Campbell (of The Wonder Years), Laura Bailey and Travis Willingham, Dante Basco, James Buckley, LazarBeam, Kumail Nanjiani, and pop punk band Neck Deep.

2016–2019: Expanding Beyond Video Games

In January 2016, Lindsay Jones took over as the leader of Achievement Hunter, following Ramsey's departure. By April, Achievement Hunter had introduced two fresh series: VR the Champions, showcasing team members trying out virtual reality games, and the First Member-exclusive Theater Mode, where hosts such as Jones, Ramsey, and Pattillo provided commentary on poorly made films. Later that year, they launched RouLet's Play, featuring games selected at random; Heroes and Halfwits, a Dungeons & Dragons-inspired show starring Haywood, Jones, Ramsey, Griffon Ramsey, and Gus Sorola; and Schooled, where Ramsey and his daughter Millie coached children in video games to compete against Achievement Hunter players.

In February 2017, Ramsey announced he would be taking a sabbatical, leading to Trevor Collins succeeding Jones as head of Achievement Hunter. Two months afterward, season two of Schooled premiered with Ramsey and Millie shifting the format to focus on children training under main cast members for competition. In April, Achievement Hunter embarked on an East Coast tour for Let's Play Live!, performing alongside Funhaus in New Jersey, Maryland, and Florida.

During Rooster Teeth's Pilot Month in May 2018, a pilot episode of the paranormal investigation series Achievement Haunter was released. Its positive reception resulted in an eight-episode inaugural season debuting on October 31.

Hardcore Tabletop premiered on August 21, 2018, featuring Achievement Hunter personalities competing in board games with tangible stakes; the first season revolved around Monopoly with prizes totaling up to $20,580. The second season, titled Hardcore Tabletop: World Series, aired on April 10, 2019, revisiting Monopoly with previous champion Diaz competing alongside Let's Play family members including actor Dante Basco.

2020–2023: The Final Chapter

On June 10, 2020, Achievement Hunter introduced Hardcore Minigolf, a competitive mini-golf tournament involving employees and associates of the company.

On October 6, 2020, Ryan Haywood exited the group following allegations involving grooming fans and violations of company policies. Rooster Teeth confirmed his departure and removed all videos featuring him. In a livestream addressing the situation, Pattillo and Michael Jones publicly condemned Haywood’s actions.

In May 2021, members of Achievement Hunter contributed three contract missions to Hitman 3, broadening their involvement in gaming content.

Dooley moved into a recurring role during 2021 while Bragg transitioned to part-time contract status in 2022. Throughout this timeframe, several team members pursued alternative projects: Ramsey and Free launched the podcast F**kFace; Pattillo and BlackKrystel joined Inside Gaming; Lindsay Jones continued voice acting for RWBY VTubing; and Cooke produced multiple projects within Rooster Teeth.

On September 18, 2023, Rooster Teeth announced the dissolution of Achievement Hunter. Remaining members Michael Jones, Collins, Diaz, and Lee transitioned to a new channel named Dogbark. The group's final video—a Let's Play session of Burnout Paradise featuring Ramsey, Pattillo, Michael Jones, and Collins—was published on October 1. Following this, the Let's Play YouTube channel was rebranded under the name F**kFace, which released its first video on October 6, 2023.

2024: Rooster Teeth Shutdown

In March 2024, Warner Bros. Discovery declared the closure of Rooster Teeth. Dogbark uploaded its concluding video on April 21, subsequently rebranding as Mikey & Fredo, with Michael Jones and Alfredo Diaz assuming control of the channel and its social media platforms. The final video from the Let's Play channel appeared on May 1. By July 2024, a small group managed the migration of nearly 4,600 archived Achievement Hunter videos from Rooster Teeth's YouTube channel to the dedicated Achievement Hunter channel.

Let's Play Live

Let's Play Live! was a series of live performances produced by Rooster Teeth, showcasing Achievement Hunter members engaging in video game playthroughs and comedy sketches before live audiences. The first show occurred on February 20, 2015, at Austin's Moody Theater.

In 2016, three additional performances were staged at prominent venues including the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Chicago Theatre, and Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. These events featured appearances from other affiliates within the Let's Play network such as Funhaus, ScrewAttack, Kinda Funny, Cow Chop, and The Creatures.

The 2017 East Coast Tour consisted of four shows held between April 24 and April 30 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre, Orlando’s Hard Rock Live, and Tampa’s Straz Center.

Charity

Outside of Achievement Hunter, various Rooster Teeth members collaborate on philanthropic efforts primarily through livestream fundraisers. Jack Pattillo serves as Charity Director for both Achievement Hunter and Rooster Teeth, playing a pivotal role in organizing and promoting these initiatives by mobilizing the community to maximize charitable contributions. He emphasized, "When Rooster Teeth calls on its fans to support a cause, we can count on them to help us make a huge impact."

In collaboration with the Make-A-Wish organization, Rooster Teeth arranged special interactions between Achievement Hunter personalities and fans such as Erik Battany and Jacob, offering VIP experiences at RTX events along with personalized gaming sessions.

List of Shows

Hardcore Mini Golf
Series Main Contributors Premiere Date Final Episode
Forced Enjoyment Geoff Ramsey, Jack Pattillo March 25, 2008 July 28, 2010
Achievement Guides / Achievement Unlocked Various contributors July 29, 2008 February 2, 2019
Pajamachievements Griffon Ramsey December 20, 2008 September 25, 2009
Easter Eggs Various contributors July 14, 2009 February 21, 2019
Achievement Hunter Weekly Update (AHWU) Various contributors March 4, 2010 May 17, 2021
Behind the Scenes Various contributors May 5, 2010 May 9, 2017
Fails of the Weak Geoff Ramsey, Jack Pattillo September 22, 2010 May 13, 2016
Achievement HORSE/PIG Geoff Ramsey, Jack Pattillo December 6, 2010 January 2, 2016
Rage Quit Michael Jones January 20, 2011 July 12, 2019
This Is ... Various contributors March 29, 2011 August 14, 2015
Things to Do In: Various contributors November 30, 2011 October 11, 2016
Let's Play Various contributors December 7, 2011 October 1, 2023
A Look Back At Brandon "Fragger" Light, Ray Narvaez Jr. December 16, 2011 August 15, 2012
Game Night Geoff Ramsey, Caleb Denecour March 23, 2012 February 14, 2014
Trials Files Geoff Ramsey, Jack Pattillo April 24, 2012 November 4, 2014
Retro Active Brandon "Fragger" Light May 30, 2012 October 31, 2012
'Quick Bits' 'Various contributors' 'August 20, 2012' 'December 17, 2012'
'Five Facts' 'Geoff Ramsey', 'Jack Pattillo', 'Franco Scarcello' 'September 11, 2012' 'May 17, 2016'
'Coming Soon' 'Kdin Jenzen' 'March 5, 2013' 'May 1, 2015'
'Versus (VS)' 'Various contributors' 'March 8, 2013' 'January 19, 2017'
'GO!' 'Various contributors' 'October 29, 2013' 'August 28, 2016'
'Achievement HUNT' 'Various contributors' 'October 30, 2013' 'May 10, 2016'
'How To:' 'Joel Heyman', 'Adam Ellis', 'Jeremy Dooley', 'Matt Bragg' 'February 6, 2014' 'May 15, 2016'
'Play Pals' 'Michael Jones', 'Gavin Free' 'May 8, 2014' 'September 19, 2023'
'Countdown / Top Five' 'Various contributors' 'May 12, 2014' 'January 5, 2016'
'Imaginary Achievements' 'Jeremy Dooley' 'August 13, 2014' 'April 8, 2015'
'MegaCraft' 'Matt Bragg' 'August 18, 2014' 'August 12, 2015'
"Let's Watch" "Various contributors" "September 18, 2014" "November 12,"2021"
"Grab Bag" "Various contributors" "September 25,""2014" "April 21,""2016"
"Achievement Hunter vs. The World" "Various contributors" "October 16,""2014" "May 8,""2016"
"Sunday Driving" "Various contributors" "November 6,""2014" "March 2,""2020"
"Shenanigans" "Various contributors" "December 19,""2014" "August 16,""2019"
"Presented With Comment" "Jeremy Dooley (host)" "August 1,""2015" "January 7,""2016"
"Off Topic" "Michael Jones (host)" "October 30                                  2023"
Max Bernard December 29, May 30,
Various contributors April 12, March 28,
Various contributors April 29, June 28,
Frank J. Kim et al. June 9, August 15,
Various contributors September 29, June 25,
Geoff Ramsey & Millie Ramsey October 3, May 17,
Various contributors October 11, September 29,
Ryan Haywood & Jeremy Dooley May 9, March 3,
Lindsay Jones December 28, February 5,
Various contributors January 25, July 13,
Various contributors July 20, September 28,
Various contributors August 21, October 2,
Various contributors April 17, May 22,
Geoff Ramsey et al. October 31, March 26,
Jeremy Dooley & Trevor Collins February 25, August 3,
Fiona Nova & Lindsay Jones September 4, April 8,
Ryan Haywood April 28, September 29,

Various

'June 12,

'July 30,


Cast

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External links

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