Vince Zampella, the co-creator of the Call of Duty video game franchise and a leading figure in the first-person shooter genre, has died following a car crash in California.
Zampella’s death was confirmed by Electronic Arts, the publisher that owns Respawn Entertainment, the studio he co-founded. According to the California Highway Patrol and reports from NBC Los Angeles, the crash occurred on Sunday afternoon on the Angeles Crest Highway in Los Angeles County.
Authorities said a Ferrari carrying two occupants left the roadway, struck a concrete barrier, and caught fire.
The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, while a passenger who was ejected from the vehicle later died in hospital. He was 55.
Officials have not confirmed who was driving at the time of the crash. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.
In a statement, Electronic Arts described Zampella’s death as an “unimaginable loss” and said his work had a lasting impact on the video game industry. Infinity Ward, the studio that developed Call of Duty, also issued a tribute, calling his legacy immeasurable.
Background and Early Career
Vincent Walter Zampella II was born on October 1, 1970, he attended Broward College in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Zampella entered the video game industry in the mid-1990s.
He held early roles at companies including GameTek, Atari, and SegaSoft, gaining experience in development and production.
He later worked at 2015 Inc., where he was involved in the development of Medal of Honor Allied Assault, a title credited with shaping modern military shooter games.
Career and Major Works
In 2002, Zampella co-founded Infinity Ward with Jason West and Grant Collier. The studio released Call of Duty in 2003, launching a franchise that has sold more than 500 million copies worldwide.
Zampella played a key role in several of the series’ most successful titles, including Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and Modern Warfare 2.
In 2010, Zampella and West were dismissed from Activision and later reached an out-of-court settlement with the publisher following a legal dispute over royalties.
That same year, Zampella co-founded Respawn Entertainment under Electronic Arts. The studio developed Titanfall, Titanfall 2, Apex Legends, and the Star Wars Jedi series. Apex Legends became one of the most played multiplayer games globally.
Zampella was later promoted to oversee Electronic Arts’ Battlefield franchise. Battlefield 6 was released in October and received positive critical reception.
Personal Life
Zampella was known for maintaining a low public profile. He is survived by his children. Industry colleagues frequently described him as a developer focused on player experience and long-term creative quality.
Awards, Recognition and his legacy
Throughout his career, Zampella’s work received numerous industry honors. Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare won multiple Game of the Year awards in 2007.
Titanfall and Titanfall 2 earned awards for innovation in gameplay and design.
Apex Legends won Best Multiplayer Game and Best Ongoing Game at major industry award shows, including The Game Awards.
Zampella was widely recognized as a pioneer of the first-person shooter genre and credited with helping define modern multiplayer systems, progression mechanics, and live-service game models.
Across his career, Zampella helped create multiple billion-dollar franchises and was widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern video game development.
His work continues to shape the design of multiplayer and action games worldwide.
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