The co-founder of Infinity Ward and Respawn Entertainment, and lead on the Battlefield franchise, has been killed in a car accident in Los Angeles.
Vince Zampella, one of the most successful names in the first person shooter genre, has died in a car crash in Los Angeles, along with an unnamed passenger.
The 55-year-old veteran of Call Of Duty, Titanfall, Apex Legends, Star Wars: Fallen Order, and, most recently, Battlefield 6 died when he drove his Ferrari into a concrete barrier, while driving in the mountains north of Los Angeles.
According to the California Highway Patrol the Ferrari ‘veered off the road just after exiting a tunnel’. The passenger was ejected from the car and Zampella was trapped in the ensuing car fire.
Local television station NBC4 reports that Zampella died later in hospital, but there are no further details about the accident or the passenger.
‘This is an unimaginable loss, and our hearts are with Vince’s family, his loved ones, and all those touched by his work,’ said publisher EA, which owns Respawn Entertainment and the Battlefield brand.
‘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.’
Zampella started in the games industry in 1995 and in 2002 was development director, with frequent collaborator Jason West, on the seminal Medal Of Honor: Allied Assault. The pair intended to continue work on the series, but publisher EA wanted to make the next game in-house and so Activision snapped up Zampella and the other key developers to form Infinity Ward.
From there Zampella helped to create the original Call Of Duty in 2003 and was involved with the series, on at least an executive level, up until 2009’s Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 2.
After a legal dispute over bonuses and royalties, Zampella helped to found Respawn Entertainment, signing with EA to make Titanfall 1 and 2, the two Star Wars Jedi games, and the highly successful live service title Apex Legends.
In January 2020, Zampella was put in charge of the Battlefield franchise, at the Los Angeles branch of developer DICE – later renamed as Ripple Effect Studios. Despite Battlefield being the long-standing rival to Call Of Duty, EA wanted him to revamp the series after the disastrous Battlefield 2042 in 2021.
His work on Battlefield 6 exceeded EA’s expectations, with the game proving to be by far the most successful entry in the franchise and for once dethroning Call of Duty in terms of sales at launch.
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Zampella’s track record in the first person shooter genre is unmatched, as he helped to shape the entire genre, particularly on consoles, and through Call Of Duty became one of the most influential game developers of all time.
We met him on more than one occasion and found him to be an enthusiastic and passionate creator, whose presence in the industry will be sorely missed.
‘We will remember Vince for how he showed up every day, trusting his teams, encouraging bold ideas, and believing in Respawn and Battlefield. Most importantly, he championed what he believed was right for the people behind those studios and our players because it mattered,’ reads a tweet from Respawn Entertainment.
‘We will miss him greatly.’
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