John Price

From a Lieutenant under Captain MacMillan to the leader of Task Force 141, Price defines modern warfare.

Captain John Price is widely considered the most iconic character in the Call of Duty series and ranks among the most famous video game figures of all time. First appearing as a Captain in the 22nd SAS Regiment, he later co-founded Task Force 141. His design was heavily overhauled for Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007) from his original World War II counterpart, featuring a weathered boonie hat, a receding hairline with a bald spot, and a thousand-yard stare. Voiced by Billy Murray in the original trilogy and Barry Sloane in the reboot series beginning in 2019, Price is celebrated for his selfless nature and unique personality.

Quick Facts

Series: Call of Duty
First game: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007)
Voice: Billy Murray (2007–2011); Barry Sloane (2019–present)
Nationality: English
Affiliation: British Army (22nd SAS Regiment); Task Force 141

Lore & Background

In the original timeline, Price serves as commanding officer of the 22nd SAS Regiment alongside Sergeant John "Soap" MacTavish. Flashbacks reveal his past as a Lieutenant in 1996 under Captain MacMillan during missions like "All Ghillied Up" and "One Shot, One Kill" to assassinate Imran Zakhaev. After the Russian Civil War ends with Zakhaev's death and Price's imprisonment as "Prisoner #627," he escapes a gulag in Kamchatka Krai five years later during Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009).

Joining Task Force 141 under General Shepherd, Price launches an ICBM over the US East Coast to aid retaking Washington D.C. When Shepherd betrays and kills Ghost and Roach, Price and Soap kill him in Afghanistan after a brutal fight leaves Soap impaled. In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011), as a fugitive with Nikolai and Yuri, Price tracks Makarov to an Arabian Peninsula hotel. After Yuri is fatally shot while distracting Makarov, Price hangs the terrorist from a broken ceiling, avenging his friends before lighting a cigar.

Reader's Guide

Captain Price appears in every game of both the original Modern Warfare trilogy and the reboot series starting with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019). In the reboot, he is called by Kate Laswell to handle chemical weapons seized by insurgents in Urzikstan. A flashback mission depicts him freeing resistance leader Farah Karim from Russian General Roman Barkov ten years prior. The present-day story culminates in Price, Gaz, Nikolai, and Alex killing Barkov. A post-credits scene shows Price proposing Task Force 141 to Laswell with Ghost, Soap, and Gaz as members. Beyond the main campaigns, Price appears as a playable character in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (2020), featuring a design reminiscent of the "Crew Expendable" mission where he wears all-black gear and a gas mask instead of his signature hat. He also features in Call of Duty: Mobile and Call of Duty: Online.

Did You Know?

A 2021 study by Top10Casinos ranked Captain Price as the most attractive male video game character with a Golden Ratio score of 88.90%.
While designer Sami Onur stated Price is the grandson of the WWII Captain Price, this lineage has never been officially confirmed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is John Price?

He is a British Special Air Service captain who later became the commander of Task Force 141. He serves as a mentor figure to younger operatives like Soap MacTavish.