Known for his co-creation of the hugely successful video game franchise, the prolific creator was killed in a fiery single car crash on the Angeles Crest Highway near Los Angeles on December 23.
Video game designer Vince Zampella, known for his work on the hugely successful Call of Duty video game franchise, passed away on December 23 following a fiery single car crash on the Angeles Crest Highway near Los Angeles. He was 55.
Zampella cut his teeth in the video game industry during his time at GameTek, where he became lead designer of Medal of Honor: Allied Assault. He officially arrived on the gaming scene in 2002 when he co-founded Infinity Ward, which would later develop Call of Duty, the rival and “killer” of Medal of Honor. After exiting the studio, the creative co-founded Respawn Entertainment in 2010, which would go on to create the Titanfall franchise, Apex Legends, and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Respawn was acquired by Electronic Arts (EA) in 2017.
“This is an unimaginable loss, and our hearts are with Vince’s family, his loved ones, and all those touched by his work,” EA said in a statement. “Vince’s influence on the video game industry was profound and far-reaching. A friend, colleague, leader and visionary creator, his work helped shape modern interactive entertainment and inspired millions of players and developers around the world. His legacy will continue to shape how games are made and how players connect for generations to come.”
As of October 2023, Call of Duty reportedly has sold over 500 million copies, with 100 million monthly active players across all platforms. It is the best selling video game franchise of all time.
Zampella was put in charge of EA’s Battlefield video game franchise in 2021.
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