Vince Zampella, the studio head notable for his work on Call of Duty and Titanfall, has died in a car crash

According to a report by NBC Los Angeles, Vince Zampella, the visionary behind the Call of Duty franchise and a leader in video game studio development, tragically passed away in a vehicle accident in California. He was 55 years old.

The incident occurred when the Ferrari 296 GTS he was traveling in crashed and caught fire on a mountain road north of Los Angeles. Both occupants of the car were confirmed deceased by the California Highway Patrol, as detailed in the NBC report.

Zampella was a prominent Executive Vice President at EA, managing both the Battlefield series and Respawn Entertainment, the company he established with his long-time partner Jason West in 2010. Respawn was responsible for hits such as Titanfall, Apex Legends, Jedi Fallen Order, and Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond.

EA expressed deep sorrow in a statement to Kotaku, noting Zampella's extensive impact on the gaming industry. They lauded his visionary work, highlighting how it "helped shape modern interactive entertainment and inspired millions of players and developers around the world." His legacy, they noted, will have an enduring influence on game development and gaming experiences.

In 2002, Zampella, West, and Grant Collier founded Infinity Ward, launching the highly successful Call of Duty series for Activision. The game, brought to life by the same team that created Medal of Honor, became a sensation on PC in 2003 and evolved into a franchise with sales exceeding 500 million copies, fundamentally transforming the first-person shooter genre.

Conflict with Activision led to Zampella and West's departure from Infinity Ward in 2010. After leaving, they founded Respawn with a portion of the original team and resumed collaboration with EA, resulting in the creation of Titanfall for Xbox One. West exited the venture in 2013, and Respawn was later acquired by EA in 2017.

In 2021, Zampella advanced to a high-ranking position at EA, orchestrating the direction of the Battlefield series while continuing his leadership at Respawn. EA's then-president, Laura Miele, labeled him as a creator of entertainment that not only defined the culture but also resonated far beyond traditional gaming boundaries, commending his influential role and exceptional talent.