Vince Zampella, Creator Behind 'Call of Duty,' Dies in Crash First Reported by Apple's Emergency SOS

Vince Zampella, a key developer who shaped blockbuster gaming franchises including 'Medal of Honor,' 'Call of Duty,' and 'Battlefield,' has died in a car crash. He was 55. According to NBC Los Angeles, the fatal incident occurred on Sunday, and authorities were first alerted by an Emergency SOS request sent via satellite from an Apple device.

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) responded to a single-car crash at approximately 12:45 PM local time on Angeles Crest Highway in Altadena, reports from both NBC and CBS Los Angeles confirmed. The CHP’s incident log notes that the initial alert was an automated Emergency SOS request received via satellite, a feature designed to contact emergency services when a severe crash is detected and the user is unresponsive.

While the Highway Patrol did not immediately identify the victim, NBC Los Angeles reported that Zampella was the driver. Zampella's career was foundational to the modern first-person shooter genre, leaving an indelible mark on some of the most successful and influential game series in history.