Vince Zampella, the head of Respawn Entertainment and creator of Call of Duty, has died in a car crash.
A legendary figure in the video game industry, Vince Zampella has sadly passed away at 55 years of age, following a single-car crash in Los Angeles on Sunday, 21 December.
The American game designer lost his life in the crash along with an unidentified passenger. According to NBC Los Angeles, Zampella had veered off the road in his Ferrari after exiting a tunnel on the Angeles Crest Highway northern of Los Angeles. The vehicle struck a concrete barrier, triggering a fire that claimed his life. The passenger, whose identity has not been released, was ejected from the vehicle and later died at the hospital. The cause of the crash has not yet been determined.
Respawn Entertainment founder Vince Zampella dies in a car crash
Zampella was the head of Respawn Entertainment, one of the biggest subsidiaries of gaming giant Electronic Arts (EA). Respawn has developed several hit franchises, including Titanfall and Apex Legends. He also worked on some of the best Star Wars video game titles in recent years, namely Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. He later moved to Electronic Arts' Battlefield Studios to assist with development on Battlefield 6.
The prolific gaming figure was best known as one of the three co-founders of Call of Duty, dubbed the most successful video game franchise of all time. He helped develop the series under his own studio, Infinity Ward, in the early 2000s. The franchise has sold more than 500 million copies worldwide and now includes 22 different editions, with the latest–Call of Duty: Black Ops 7–released just last month.
The heartbreaking news has left much of the gaming industry in mourning.
Electronic Arts released a statement shortly after Zampella’s death, saying, “This is an unimaginable loss, and our hearts are with Vince’s family, his loved ones, and all those touched by his work.”
Infinity Ward also expressed its grief, calling his “legacy of creating iconic, lasting entertainment immeasurable,” while sharing their condolences to his family and loved ones.
“We're heartbroken by the passing of our founder and dear friend Vince Zampella,” Respawn posted. The studio called him a legend of this industry and a visionary leader that had shaped teams and games. “We will miss him greatly.”
