Vince Zampella, Call of Duty Co-Creator, Dies in California Car Crash
Vince Zampella, co-creator of the Call of Duty video game series, died at the age of 55 in a car crash in Los Angeles, California, on Sunday. His death was confirmed by Electronic Arts, the parent company of Respawn Entertainment, a studio Zampella co-founded.
Incident Details
The incident involved a Ferrari with two occupants that crashed and subsequently caught fire on a highway. The California Highway Patrol reported that the vehicle veered off the roadway, struck a concrete barrier, and became fully engulfed. Both individuals inside the vehicle died. Authorities stated that one person was ejected from the passenger seat, while the driver remained trapped. The identities of both occupants and whether Zampella was driving have not been officially released by law enforcement.
Career and Contributions
Zampella co-created the Call of Duty franchise in 2003 alongside Jason West and Grant Collier. The series, which draws partial inspiration from World War II events, has sold over 500 million copies globally. The franchise is currently owned by Microsoft's Activision and is associated with a forthcoming live-action film adaptation.
Beyond Call of Duty, Zampella was also involved in the development of other titles, including Medal of Honor, Titanfall, and Apex Legends.
In 2010, Zampella and West were dismissed from Activision, leading to a legal dispute that was settled out of court in 2012. Subsequently, Zampella worked at Electronic Arts, contributing to titles such as Battlefield 6.
Infinity Ward, the studio that developed Call of Duty, released a statement acknowledging Zampella's contributions to the company's history and the entertainment industry.