Vince Zampella, the influential video game developer who co-created the Call of Duty franchise, has been killed in a high-speed car crash. The 55-year-old died on Sunday when his Ferrari veered off a scenic mountain road north of Los Angeles and burst into flames.
A Tragic Accident on a Scenic Route
According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the accident occurred for unknown reasons. The cherry-red sports car left the roadway, struck a concrete barrier, and became fully engulfed in fire. Both Zampella, who was driving, and a passenger who was ejected from the vehicle succumbed to their injuries at the scene. The CHP has not formally identified the victims, but local broadcaster NBC4 confirmed Zampella's death.
Disturbing footage shared by witnesses shows the mangled Ferrari burning fiercely on the mountain road. Other video captured the moment the car was seen speeding out of a tunnel just before the fatal collision. The cause of the crash remains under investigation by authorities.
A Legacy of Gaming Innovation
Zampella's death represents an enormous loss to the global gaming community. He was best known for co-founding Infinity Ward and helping launch the original Call of Duty in 2003, a franchise that now boasts over 100 million monthly active players. After a contentious departure from Activision, he founded Respawn Entertainment in 2010, the studio behind hits like Titanfall, Apex Legends, and the Star Wars Jedi series.
Electronic Arts, which acquired Respawn in 2017, released a statement calling the loss "unimaginable." The company said, "Vince's influence on the video game industry was profound and far-reaching... his work helped shape modern interactive entertainment." At EA, Zampella had recently taken charge of revitalising the Battlefield franchise after its latest instalment, Battlefield 6, set a new sales record for the series earlier this year.
Personal Tributes and Industry Mourning
Zampella leaves behind three adult children from his previous marriage: Quentin, 26, Kyle, 22, and Courtney, 19. His daughter Courtney paid a heartfelt tribute on social media, posting a childhood photo with her father and writing, "My best friend. Forever and always."
Respawn Entertainment also posted a tribute on the official Battlefield X account, praising Zampella for his leadership style. The statement highlighted how he showed up daily, "trusting his teams, encouraging bold ideas, and believing in Battlefield and the people building it." Gene Park, a video game reporter for The Washington Post, told NBC4 that Zampella had a unique talent for creating experiences that captured the full spectrum of human emotion, from terror and dread to heroism.
The gaming world is now reflecting on the legacy of a man whose creative vision defined a genre and entertained hundreds of millions of players worldwide.
