Vince Zampella, Creator of Call of Duty, Dead at 55

Vince Zampella, creator of the best-selling Call of Duty franchise, died at the age of 55, NBC Los Angeles reports. He died in a car crash on Sunday, December 21. Zampella was driving his 2026 Ferrari 296 GTS on the Angeles Crest Highway, and while exiting a tunnel, the car veered off the road and crashed into a concrete barrier. He was trapped in the car as it was engulfed in flames and died at the scene. The unidentified passenger in the vehicle was ejected from the car on impact and later died in the hospital from their injuries. Zampella was one of the founding members of Infinity Ward, a subdivision of Activision that developed the Call of Duty franchise beginning in 2003. Following the success of Modern Warfare 2, Zampella and Jason West, one of the co-founders of Infinity Ward, were fired by Activision, and the duo eventually sued them for wrongful termination. They founded Respawn Entertainment in 2010 and helped develop games such as Apex Legends and Titanfall; Respawn was acquired by Electronic Arts in 2017. Eventually, Zampella was promoted to overseeing the Battlefield franchise for EA.

“ This is an unimaginable loss, and our hearts are with Vince’s family, his loved ones, and all those touched by his work,” EA shared to NBC LA. “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.” Infinity Ward also released a statement on the death of one of their founders, adding, “Your legacy of creating iconic, lasting entertainment is immeasurable.”