Vince Zampella, the co-creator of “Call of Duty” who is pictured here on July 31 at the Sunset Room in Los Angeles, died Sunday after a single-car Ferrari crash on the Angeles Crest Highway.
Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty ImagesVince Zampella, a defining force behind some of the world’s most successful video games, was killed in a fiery crash on Angeles Crest Highway north of Los Angeles over the weekend, authorities said. He was 55.
Zampella, the head of Respawn Entertainment and a former chief executive of Infinity Ward, was driving a Ferrari when the single-car crash occurred around 12:45 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, on the winding mountain road in the San Gabriel Mountains, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Video of the crash shared online shows the southbound 2026 Ferrari 296 GTS veering off the roadway and slamming into a concrete barrier.
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Zampella was trapped in the ensuing fire and died at the scene, the CHP said.
A passenger was ejected from the vehicle and later died at a hospital. The passenger’s identity has not been released.
Investigators said the cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Electronic Arts, the Bay Area-based video game publisher that owns Respawn Entertainment, confirmed Zampella’s death in a statement Monday, Dec. 22.
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“Vince’s influence on the video game industry was profound and far-reaching,” the company said. “A friend, colleague, leader and visionary creator, his work helped shape modern interactive entertainment and inspired millions of players and developers around the world.”
Over a career spanning more than two decades, Zampella helped define the modern blockbuster shooter. He was a lead developer on “Medal of Honor: Allied Assault” before co-founding Infinity Ward in 2002 with Jason West and Grant Collier. The studio’s debut title, “Call of Duty,” quickly became a cultural phenomenon and laid the foundation for one of the most lucrative entertainment franchises in history.
After a highly publicized split with Activision in 2010, Zampella and West founded Respawn Entertainment, taking much of their former team with them. The studio earned critical and commercial success with “Titanfall,” “Titanfall 2,” “Apex Legends” and “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.”
Electronic Arts acquired Respawn in 2017, later expanding Zampella’s role to oversee the “Battlefield” franchise.
As “Call of Duty” grew into a global juggernaut, he expressed a mixture of pride and disbelief at its reach.
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“You have that dream of the game being popular, but I don’t think you’re ever ready for that level of success,” he told the New York Times in 2016.
Electronic Arts and Respawn Entertainment said they were in contact with Zampella’s family.
“This is an unimaginable loss, and our hearts are with Vince’s family, his loved ones, and all those touched by his work,” the statement added. “His legacy will continue to shape how games are made and how players connect for generations to come.”
Information on survivors was not immediately available.
