Vince Zampella, the co-creator of the hit first-person shooter videogame series Call of Duty, has passed away aged 55 after being involved in a horrific car crash.
Zampella died on Sunday, December 21, with his death being confirmed by Electronic Arts, the company which owned the game studio, Respawn Entertainment, which Vince co-founded with Jason West in 2010.
Vince Zampella’s cause of death confirmed
According to an article from the BBC, the game developer had been in his Ferrari with another person on a highway in Los Angeles when his vehicle crashed and caught fire in a tunnel. His car veered off of the highway for unknown reasons and collided with a concrete barrier on the side of the road before becoming “fully engulfed” in flames according to the California Highway Patrol.
Speaking to the news outlet, a spokesperson for Electronic Arts called Zampella’s death “an unimaginable loss,” adding “our hearts are with Vince’s family, his loved ones, and all those touched by his work.”
According to officials, it is currently unclear whether Zampella was the one driving the Ferrari or if he was the one in the passenger seat. Both involved in the crash died, however, reports indicate that the passenger seat was ejected while the driver remained trapped inside.
The game industry mourns
Vince Zampella had long been a well-known figure in the gaming world. His influence helped shape the modern gaming experience and his absence will no doubt be felt throughout the industry.
He first moved to Silicon Valley in 1999 to work for video game developer 2015 Inc. Two years later he had risen the ranks to become the Director of Development for the company, working on notable titles such as Medal of Honor: Allied Assault.
Vince Zampella and Jason West would later sign a contract with Activision to begin work on a new Medal of Honor game which later went on to become the very first Call of Duty game. From there the rest is, as they say, history. Zampella and West would oversee development of a vast majority of the Call of Duty games from the first through to Modern Warfare 2.
After the release of the second Modern Warfare game, Zampella and West would be fired from Activision and they would later sue the company for wrongful termination. Many would argue the series took a tumble after the pairs departure. Afterwards they went on to create their own game development studio known as Respawn Entertainment which is behind hits like the Titanfall franchise, Apex Legends, and the Star Wars Jedi games.
Vince Zampella has been responsible for many gamers’ favorite titles and many will no doubt look back fondly on the memories he had a hand in creating. In a post to X, his old studio, Infinity Ward wrote, “Your legacy of creating iconic, lasting entertainment is immeasurable.”
Published: Dec 23, 2025 09:11 am