Vince Zampella, a co-creator of the Call of Duty video game franchise and founder of Respawn Entertainment, died Sunday at the age of 55 in a car crash in Los Angeles, California. His death was confirmed by Electronic Arts, the parent company of Respawn Entertainment.
Incident Details
The incident involved a Ferrari with two occupants that crashed and subsequently caught fire on a highway. According to the California Highway Patrol, the vehicle veered off the roadway, struck a concrete barrier, and became fully engulfed. Both individuals inside the vehicle died. Authorities reported that one person was ejected from the passenger seat, while the driver remained trapped. Law enforcement has not officially released the identities of both occupants, nor has it been confirmed whether Zampella was driving. Electronic Arts did not disclose the cause of death in its initial announcement.
Career and Contributions
Vince 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. Subsequent versions of the first-person shooter explored modern warfare themes. The franchise is currently owned by Microsoft's Activision and is associated with a forthcoming live-action film adaptation by Paramount Pictures.
In 2010, Zampella founded Respawn Entertainment, which later became a subsidiary of Electronic Arts. He also held the position of former chief executive at Infinity Ward, the studio recognized for its work on the Call of Duty series. Beyond Call of Duty, Zampella's involvement in video game development included titles such as Medal of Honor, Titanfall, Apex Legends, and Battlefield 6. In recent years, he oversaw the creation of the action-adventure video games Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
Professional History and Industry Acknowledgment
In 2010, Zampella and West were dismissed from Activision, leading to a legal dispute that was settled out of court in 2012. Following this, Zampella worked at Electronic Arts.
Electronic Arts issued a statement acknowledging Zampella's contributions to the video game industry, noting his work's role in shaping modern interactive entertainment and influencing numerous players and developers internationally. Infinity Ward also released a statement recognizing Zampella's contributions to the company's history and the entertainment industry.