- Industry veteran Vince Zampella has died at the age of 55
- He was involved in a car accident in Los Angeles on December 21
- Zampella was best known as the co-creator of Call of Duty series and co-founder of Respawn Entertainment
Vince Zampella, an industry legend best known as the co-creator of Call of Duty and co-founder of Respawn Entertainment, has died at the age of 55.
According to NBC Los Angeles, Zampella was killed in a single-car accident that occurred on December 21. It took place on a road north of Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Mountains.
“The southbound car went off the road, struck a concrete barrier and a passenger was ejected,” the California Highway Patrol said.
“The driver died at the scene and the passenger died at a hospital, authorities tell NBC4 Investigates,” the report reads.
It has now been confirmed that he was the driver of a 2026 Ferrari 296 GTS, but the passenger has not been identified at this time.
Zampella helped create the massively successful Call of Duty franchise with Jason West in 2003 at their studio Infinity Ward, a series that went on to shape the first-person shooter (FPS) genre in gaming.
Infinity Ward has shared its own statement about X / Twitter after Zampella’s passing and wrote: “rest in peace Vince. As one of the founders of Infinity Ward and Call of Dutyyou will always have a special place in our history.
“Your legacy of creating iconic, lasting entertainment is immeasurable. Our deepest condolences to Vince’s family and loved ones on this terrible tragedy.”
The industry veteran left Infinity Ward in 2010 after a legal dispute with Activision. That same year, he and West founded Respawn, a studio that evolved Titan fall and Titanfall 2, Apex Legends, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Orderand Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
We are devastated by the passing of our founder and dear friend Vince Zampella. Vince was a titan and legend in this industry, a visionary leader and a force that shaped teams and games like Call of Duty, Titanfall, Apex Legends, the Star Wars Jedi series and Battlefield into our… pic.twitter.com/L51gG9tbRo22 December 2025
“We are devastated by the passing of our founder and dear friend Vince Zampella,” Repawn said on X/Twitter. “Vince was a titan and legend in this industry, a visionary leader and a force that shaped teams and games like Call of Duty, Titan fall, Apex Legendsthe Star Wars Jedi series and Battlefield to our community in ways that will be felt for generations.
“His influence reached far beyond any game or studio. We will remember Vince for how he showed up every day, trusted his teams, encouraged bold ideas, and believed in Respawn and Battlefield. Most importantly, he fought for what he believed was right for the people behind these studios and our players, because it mattered. We will miss him very much. Our hearts go out to his family, friends and all who love him.”
Before his passing, Zampella served as executive vice president at EA and oversaw Battlefield series. EA also provided a statement to Kotaku.
“This is an unimaginable loss and our hearts go out to Vince’s family, his loved ones and all those touched by his work, Vince’s impact on the video game industry was deep and far-reaching,” the statement read.
“A friend, colleague, leader and visionary creator, his work helped shape modern interactive entertainment and inspired millions of players and developers around the world. His legacy will continue to shape how games are made and how players connect for generations to come.”
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