Vince Zampella, Call of Duty Co-Creator and Gaming Icon, Dies at 55
Vince Zampella, the visionary co-creator of Call of Duty and founder of Respawn Entertainment (Apex Legends, Titanfall), has died at 55. We look back at the career and legacy of a true gaming icon.
Vince Zampella, the legendary video game designer who co-created the blockbuster Call of Duty franchise and founded Respawn Entertainment, was killed Sunday in a single-vehicle car crash in Southern California. He was 55.
The crash occurred Sunday afternoon on the Angeles Crest Highway, a winding road north of Los Angeles. Zampella and another person in the vehicle died in the incident. Most recently, Zampella was leading the Battlefield shooter series at EA Games.
A Legacy That Defined a Genre
Zampella’s impact on the first-person shooter genre is immeasurable. In 2002, he co-founded Infinity Ward studio with Grant Collier and Jason West, creating the first Call of Duty in 2003. According to the Guardian, he was integral to some of the series' most acclaimed entries, including 2007’s Modern Warfare and 2009’s Modern Warfare 2. The franchise now spans nearly two dozen games and has sold over half a billion units worldwide.
The Rebel Founder of Respawn
After a contentious split with Activision, which saw Zampella dismissed and later successfully suing the company for tens of millions of dollars in unpaid royalties, he didn't slow down. He co-founded Respawn Entertainment with Jason West in 2010. Under his leadership, Respawn launched the critically acclaimed *Titanfall series, the global phenomenon Apex Legends, and the beloved Star Wars Jedi* games. EA acquired Respawn in 2017.
In a statement provided to TMZ, EA called his death an "unimaginable loss." The company added, "Vince’s influence on the video game industry was profound and far-reaching... His legacy will continue to shape how games are made and how players connect for generations to come."
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