Vince Zampella has died following a car crash

Vince Zampella has died in a car crash, as has been confirmed by EA after initial reporting by NBC Los Angeles.

According to the reports, Vince Zampella and a passenger were travelling along the Southern California’s Angeles Crest Highway in a Ferrari when the car came off the road and hit a concrete barrier, ejecting one of the passengers from the car while the other was trapped in the vehicle which caught fire, dying at the scene. The ejected passenger died of their injuries at the hospital.

Vince Zampella has been a hugely influential figure in the games industry and is credited as one of the major creators behind Call of Duty, having founded Infinity Ward, releasing Call of Duty 2, and the breakout hit of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare which catapulted the series to being a household name.

This was followed by Modern Warfare 2. Vince was fired from Infinity Ward by Activision along with Jason West, going on to form Respawn Entertainment, releasing Titanfall, Titanfall 2, Apex Legends, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. In 2020, Vince was put in charge of DICE Los Angeles and then in 2021 the entire Battlefield series.

Leading tributes from studios, companies and people he worked for and alongside, EA issued the following statement to IGN:

This is an unimaginable loss, and our hearts are with Vince’s family, his loved ones, and all those touched by his work. 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.

Our thoughts are with Vince’s loved ones.

Source: NBC Los Angeles, IGN