At the DICE Summit, industry leaders paid tribute to Vince Zampella
During the recent DICE Summit held in Las Vegas, industry leaders and game developers commemorated Vince Zampella.
An article by Game File detailed the event, highlighting a keynote session that celebrated the life and contributions of Zampella, co-founder of Respawn Entertainment and co-creator of the Call of Duty series. He tragically passed away in a car accident last December.
Todd Howard, a director at Bethesda Game Studios, reminisced about his friendship with Zampella spanning 20 years, noting, "He was genuinely authentic."
Howard mentioned consulting Zampella for guidance with game development and industry insights. Both served on the board of directors for the DICE Annual Awards. Howard revealed he had recently recommended Zampella for a Lifetime Achievement Award, to which Zampella declined, stating it was "never about him. It was always, always about the team," Howard remembered.
Howard emphasized that Zampella deserved recognition not only for his games but also for his leadership and impact on shaping today's and tomorrow's gaming industry.
Tributes also came from Geoff Keighley and Laura Miele, president of EA Entertainment. Miele credited Zampella's influence in studios that "value trust over fear, craft over shortcuts, and prioritize people over ego."
Keighley remarked on Zampella's straightforward nature and loyalty to his team: "He was always direct and didn't tolerate nonsense. He was about to leave every job every few days, yet that's what made him indispensable. He could navigate the system without assimilating into it, always prioritizing players and encouraging big companies to take risks."
The summit featured video messages from Randy Pitchford of Gearbox, Insomniac Games' Ted Price, Hideo Kojima, and Respawn's general manager Daniel Suarez.
Suarez commented on Zampella's commitment to excellence in game development, while Kojima expressed gratitude for Zampella's support and advice during the founding of Kojima Productions. Kojima incorporated ideas from Zampella's studio into his own, stating, "The gaming industry wouldn’t be where it is today without him," according to statements reported by VGC.
