Vince Zampella, Call Of Duty creator, dies after his Ferrari crashes, catches fire in California
Zampella was best known for co-creating the Call of Duty franchise and for founding Respawn Entertainment, the studio behind Titanfall, Apex Legends and the Star Wars Jedi series.
Vince Zampella, the renowned co creator of the hugely popular video game franchise Call of Duty, has died in a car crash, Electronic Arts confirmed on Monday. He was 55.
According to local broadcaster NBC4, the game developer and executive was driving his Ferrari on a scenic road north of Los Angeles on Sunday when the accident occurred. The California Highway Patrol said the vehicle left the roadway for reasons that are still unclear, hit a concrete barrier and caught fire.
In a statement, the CHP said the driver and a passenger who was ejected from the car both died from their injuries. The authorities did not officially identify the victims. Videos shared by witnesses on social media showed the badly damaged cherry red Ferrari engulfed in flames on the mountain road. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation.
Zampella was widely regarded as a pioneer of modern first person military shooter games. His studios were responsible for some of the world’s best selling video game titles, and his work helped shape the genre over the past two decades.
"We are heartbroken by the loss of Vince Zampella, a creative leader whose work shaped generations of players and helped define what modern shooters and action games could be," Battlefield said in a condolence post on X.
"Across a remarkable career, Vince played a foundational role in franchises including Call of Duty, Titanfall, Apex Legends, and the Star Wars Jedi series. During his time guiding Battlefield, he led with care and purpose, always grounding decisions in what mattered most to the community and the long-term future of the franchise," the post read.
Earlier this year, when Battlefield 6 set a new sales record for the franchise, Zampella reflected on the achievement, saying, “we never take moments like this for granted,” despite his long and successful career in the gaming industry. The Battlefield series has attracted more than 100 million players across its various versions over the past 20 years. However, even that milestone is matched by Call of Duty, which continues to record more than 100 million active players every month.
“You have that dream of the game being popular, but I don't think you're ever ready for that level of success,” Zampella told gaming website IGN in a 2016 interview.
Who was Vince Zampella?
Zampella was best known for co creating the Call of Duty franchise and for founding Respawn Entertainment, the studio behind Titanfall, Apex Legends and the Star Wars Jedi series. He began his career in the 1990s as a designer on shooter games, before co founding Infinity Ward in 2002 and launching Call of Duty the following year. Activision later acquired the studio.
After leaving Activision following a dispute, Zampella founded Respawn in 2010. The studio was acquired by Electronic Arts in 2017, where he later led efforts to revive the Battlefield franchise, further cementing his status as one of the most influential figures in the genre.
“This is an unimaginable loss, and our hearts are with Vince's family, his loved ones, and all those touched by his work,” Electronic Arts said in a statement.