Call of Duty Co-Creator Vince Zampella, Respawn Founder, Dies at 55 in Southern California Car Crash
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA — Vince Zampella, the visionary video game developer best known as a co-creator of the Call of Duty franchise and head of Respawn Entertainment, has died at the age of 55 after a single-vehicle car accident on Southern California’s Angeles Crest Highway, authorities and industry officials confirmed Monday.
Zampella’s passing is being mourned across the global gaming community, where his work helped shape some of the most successful and influential video game franchises of the past two decades.
Fatal Ferrari Crash on Angeles Crest Highway
The California Highway Patrol responded Dec. 21 to reports of a single-car crash involving a Ferrari on the scenic, winding Angeles Crest Highway north of Los Angeles. Investigators said the vehicle veered off the road after exiting a tunnel, struck a concrete barrier and caught fire. Zampella, who was driving, died at the scene, and a passenger was later pronounced dead at a hospital; their identity has not been released.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and authorities have not yet determined whether factors such as speed, weather, or mechanical issues played a role.
Industry Legend Behind Call of Duty and Respawn Entertainment
Born Vincent Walter Zampella II in 1970, Zampella began his career in gaming in the early 2000s when he co-founded Infinity Ward with colleagues Jason West and Grant Collier. At Infinity Ward, he helped launch the Call of Duty series, which grew into one of the most successful and culturally significant video game franchises ever, with more than 500 million copies sold worldwide.
After a highly publicized departure from Activision in 2010, Zampella and West established Respawn Entertainment, which was later acquired by Electronic Arts (EA). Under his leadership, Respawn developed critically praised and commercially successful titles such as Titanfall, Titanfall 2, Apex Legends and the Star Wars Jedi series.
In recent years, Zampella also served as Head of the Battlefield series at EA, overseeing major developments in that long-running military shooter franchise.
Gaming World Reacts to Zampella’s Death
Electronic Arts and Respawn Entertainment issued statements mourning Zampella’s death, calling him a visionary creator whose influence on the video game industry was “profound and far-reaching.” EA added that his legacy will continue to inspire future generations of developers and players.
Industry peers, fans, and critics alike have expressed deep sadness at the loss of one of gaming’s most influential figures — someone whose career helped elevate video games as a medium of storytelling and interactive entertainment.
Legacy of a Game Design Pioneer
Zampella’s impact extended beyond individual titles. He was known for fostering collaborative studio cultures and for championing online multiplayer innovations that helped define modern gaming. As a co-creator of Call of Duty, Respawn founder, and later leader in the Battlefield universe, Zampella leaves behind a legacy that will be permanently intertwined with the evolution of interactive entertainment.
He is survived by family members and countless players whose lives were touched by the worlds and experiences he helped create.
