Call of Duty Creator Vince Zampella Dead After Fiery Car Crash

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A gaming titan has fallen.

Vince Zampella, a key creator of the popular Call of Duty franchise, passed away in a car accident in Southern California on December 21st. He was 55 years old. Zampella also played an important role in the development of acclaimed games like Titanfall and Apex Legends.

Electronic Arts expressed deep sorrow over the loss of Vince, stating in a December 22nd announcement to The Guardian that their hearts go out to his family, friends, and everyone who appreciated his work. They also highlighted Vince’s significant and widespread impact on the video game world.

The publisher shared that he was a friend, coworker, mentor, and incredibly creative force. His contributions were fundamental to the development of today’s video games and motivated countless players and developers globally. His impact will continue to influence game design and player experiences for many years to come.

According to the California Highway Patrol, Zampella was involved in a car accident around 12:45 p.m. in the San Gabriel Mountains near Los Angeles. The car went off the road and crashed into a concrete barrier, trapping and injuring Zampella, who was identified by NBC Los Angeles, as the vehicle caught fire.

Another passenger who hasn’t been identified was taken to a local hospital and died from their injuries, officials said.

The tragedy occurred ten days after Vince Zampella attended the 2025 Game Awards, where Battlefield 6 – a game developed under his direction – received the award for Best Audio Design.

Zampella started working in video games in the 1990s at GameTek, and later joined Atari to build their PC gaming department. In 2002, he co-founded Infinity Ward with Jason West and Grant Collier. This came after he worked on the popular game Medal of Honor: Allied Assault at the now-closed company 2015 Inc.

In 2003, shortly after the first Call of Duty game came out, Infinity Ward was bought by Activision. Jason West and Vince Zampella then led the development of several successful sequels – Call of Duty 2 (2005), Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007), and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009) – before leaving Activision.

In 2010, Jason Zampella and Vince Zampella joined forces once more to create Respawn Entertainment. The studio, which is now part of Electronic Arts, went on to develop popular, high-quality games like Titanfall and Apex Legends.

For Zampella, it was a surprisingly grounding experience to watch Call of Duty grow from a single game into a huge franchise with over 22 titles.

He explained in a 2019 GameSpot interview that the game has a rich history, and people are excited to see it continue to develop. He added that there’s a sense of awe surrounding its long-standing impact.

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2025-12-23 00:47