Vince Zampella, best known as co-creator of the Call of Duty franchise and co-founder of Infinity Ward, who later co-founded Respawn Entertainment, the Titanfall, Apex Legends and Star Wars Jedi studios, died on Sunday in a car accident in Los Angeles, NBC Los Angeles reports. He was 55 years venerable.
According to an NBC report, “a single-car crash was reported around 12:45 a.m. on a scenic road north of Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Mountains. A southbound car ran off the road, struck a concrete barrier, and the passenger was ejected,” the California Highway Patrol said. A driver was trapped following a car fire, the CHP said. The driver died at the scene and the passenger died at the hospital, authorities told NBC4 Investigates.
NBC updated its story to state that the driver was Zampella and the vehicle was a 2026 Ferrari 296 GTS, and an eyewitness provided video of the crash to authorities. The passenger has not yet been publicly identified.
Zampella was an incredibly talented game developer who changed the industry with Call of Duty, the series he co-created with Jason West in 2003 at Infinity Ward, the studio he founded with West after previously serving as lead designer on EA’s Medal of Honor: Allied Assault. Zampella was at the center of a high-profile lawsuit against Activision, which alleged that the publisher owed Zampella and the Infinity Ward team millions of dollars in unpaid Call of Duty royalties. A bitter professional divorce led to Zampella and West taking much of the Infinity Ward team with them to EA, where they co-founded Respawn Entertainment, a studio that produced exclusively critically acclaimed hits: Titanfall (IGN Review), Titanfall 2 (IGN Review), Apex Legends (IGN Review), Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (IGN Review) and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (IGN Review).
Respawn’s success under Zampella led to him being promoted twice and eventually overseeing the Battlefield franchise in his role as group CEO at EA.
EA released the following statement to IGN:
This is an unimaginable loss and our hearts go out to Vince’s family, his loved ones and everyone touched by his work. Vince’s impact on the video game industry was profound and far-reaching. A friend, colleague, leader and visionary creator, his work helped shape up-to-date interactive entertainment and inspired millions of gamers and developers around the world. His legacy will continue to shape the way games are made and the way gamers connect with each other for generations to come.
Infinity Ward, the studio Zampella left to found Respawn, released its own statement. IN Twitter entry / XActivision’s Call of Duty creator said: “Rest in peace, Vince. As one of the founders of Infinity Ward and Call of Duty, you will always have a special place in our history. Your legacy in creating iconic, enduring entertainment is immeasurable. We offer our deepest condolences to Vince’s family and loved ones in the wake of this terrible tragedy.”
Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s executive previews editor and host of IGN’s weekly shows on Xbox, Podcast unlockedas well as our monthly interview program, IGN without filter. It’s from North Jersey, so it’s a “Taylor ham,” not a “pork roll.” Chat with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.
