Vince Zampella, Creator of the ‘Call of Duty’ Franchise, Tragically Dies in Accident

Vince Zampella, Acclaimed Game Developer, Dies in Car Crash

Vince Zampella, a prominent figure in the video game industry, was killed in a car accident on Sunday afternoon along Southern California’s Angeles Crest Highway. Zampella, 55, is best known as the co-founder of Respawn Entertainment and the former CEO of Infinity Ward, the studio renowned for its hit franchise "Call of Duty."

The California Highway Patrol reported that the single-car accident occurred around 12:45 p.m. The vehicle veered off the road, striking a concrete barrier, which resulted in the ejection of one passenger. The driver became trapped in the car during a subsequent fire. Both the driver and passenger were pronounced dead at the scene and at a hospital, respectively. Details surrounding the cause of the crash remain unclear.

Zampella co-founded Respawn Entertainment in 2010, a developer recognized for creating best-selling games such as "Titanfall," "Titanfall 2," "Apex Legends," and "STAR WARS Jedi: Fallen Order." The studio was acquired by Electronic Arts (EA) in 2017. In addition to his work at Respawn, Zampella led a team behind the "Battlefield" series at EA’s Playa Vista studio.

Efforts to reach Zampella’s family for comment are ongoing, as are inquiries to Respawn Entertainment and EA.