Who was Vince Zampella? 'Call of Duty' co-creator dies at 55 after highway crash near L.A.
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HOLLYWOOD, CA - MAY 31: CEO, Respawn Entertainment Vince Zampella speaks at the 7th Annual Produced By Conference at Paramount Studios on May 31, 2015 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)Vince Zampella, who oversaw the major franchise Call of Duty, has died aged 55. The high-profile developer died after he was ejected from his vehicle in a single-person car accident on Southern California’s Angeles Crest Highway on December 21, 2025.
Zampella co-founded Infinity Ward in 2002, which gave birth to Call of Duty, which has sold more than 500 million copies. He went from being fired by Activision to co-founding Respawn Entertainment in 2010, best known for video games Titanfall, Apex Legends and STAR WARS Jedi: Fallen Order.
Video game company EA described Zampella’s death as an unimaginable loss in a statement:
“This is an unimaginable loss, and our hearts are with Vince’s family, his loved ones, and all those touched by his work.”
They added:
“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.”
More details about Vince Zampella
The prolific developer started out working in the graphic design and digital video section at GameTek before moving to Atari to work in its PC division.
He met Call of Duty co-founder Jason West while working at SegaSoft. They created the Medal of Honour set during WWII.
They founded Infinity Ward alongside Grant Collier in 2002 and went into business with Activision to create the mega successful Call of Duty franchise—the third best-selling in the world after Mario and Tetris. It boasts more than 100 million monthly players and has earned more than $30 billion.
Battlefield posted an emotional tribute to Zampella on Instagram:
“While his impact reached far beyond any one game or studio, we will remember Vince for how he showed up every day, trusting his teams, encouraging bold ideas, and believing in Battlefield and the people building it.”
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