Vince Zampella, who co-created the Call of Duty series and lead some of the most influential game development studios of the modern console era, has died in a car crash in California, according to a report by NBC Los Angeles.
The executive, 55, was in a 2026 Ferrari 296 GTS which crashed on a mountain road north of Los Angeles and subsequently caught fire. Both driver and passenger died, according to the NBC report, which cited the California Highway Patrol.
Zampella was Executive Vice President at EA overseeing the Battlefield franchise along with Respawn Entertainment, the studio he founded with long-term business partner Jason West in 2010, and which had produced Titanfall, Apex Legends, Jedi Fallen Order and Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond.
An EA statement was provided to Kotaku: “This is an unimaginable loss, and our hearts are with Vince’s family, his loved ones, and all those touched by his work, Vince’s influence on the video game industry was profound and far-reaching. 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.
Zampelle and West founded Infinity Ward along with Grant Collier in 2002, and went on to create the phenomenally successful Call of Duty franchise for Activision. Developed by the core team behind the then market-leading Medal of Honor franchise, 2003’s Call of Duty was initially a hit on PC and went on to spawn multiple sequels across all platforms. The franchise sold over 500 million copies and defined the modern first-person shooter market.
After an acrimonious split with the publisher in 2010 West and Zampella formed Respawn, which was acquired by EA in 2017. West departed in 2013.
Zampella subsequently rose to a senior role at EA, and was placed in charge of Battlefield in 2021 while retaining his oversight of Respawn. At the time, now-president of EA Laura Miele described him as a creator of “culture-defining entertainment that resonates beyond games” and “one of the most influential and talented individuals in entertainment.”
