Vince Zampella: Difference between revisions

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===Death===

On December 21, 2025, Zampella died when the 2026 [[Ferrari 296 ~~GTB~~]] he was driving veered off the road and struck a concrete barrier upon exiting a tunnel on the [[Angeles Crest Highway]] in the [[San Gabriel Mountains]], north of Los Angeles, with the vehicle then catching fire. A passenger in the vehicle was ejected in the process and died as well. Zampella was 55.<ref name=”NBCLA Death”>{{cite web|last1=Broad|first1=Dennis|last2=Lloyd|first2=Jonathan|title=Vince Zampella, video game developer behind ”Call of Duty” franchise, killed in crash|url=https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/video-game-developer-vince-zampella-crash-call-of-duty/3819576/|date=December 22, 2025|access-date=December 22, 2025|website=[[NBC Los Angeles]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=McCaffrey |first=Ryan |date=2025-12-22 |title=Call of Duty Co-Creator, Respawn Co-Founder, and EA Executive Vince Zampella Killed in Car Accident |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/call-of-duty-co-creator-respawn-co-founder-and-ea-executive-vince-zampella-killed-in-car-accident |access-date=2025-12-22 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref>

On December 21, 2025, Zampella died when the 2026 [[Ferrari 296 ]] he was driving veered off the road and struck a concrete barrier upon exiting a tunnel on the [[Angeles Crest Highway]] in the [[San Gabriel Mountains]], north of Los Angeles, with the vehicle then catching fire. A passenger in the vehicle was ejected in the process and died as well. Zampella was 55.<ref name=”NBCLA Death”>{{cite web|last1=Broad|first1=Dennis|last2=Lloyd|first2=Jonathan|title=Vince Zampella, video game developer behind ”Call of Duty” franchise, killed in crash|url=https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/video-game-developer-vince-zampella-crash-call-of-duty/3819576/|date=December 22, 2025|access-date=December 22, 2025|website=[[NBC Los Angeles]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=McCaffrey |first=Ryan |date=2025-12-22 |title=Call of Duty Co-Creator, Respawn Co-Founder, and EA Executive Vince Zampella Killed in Car Accident |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/call-of-duty-co-creator-respawn-co-founder-and-ea-executive-vince-zampella-killed-in-car-accident |access-date=2025-12-22 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref>

[[Electronic Arts]] released a statement calling Zampella “a friend, colleague, leader and visionary creator” whose influence on the video game industry “was profound and far-reaching.”<ref>{{Cite web |last=Moreau |first=Jordan |date=2025-12-22 |title=Vince Zampella, ‘Call of Duty’ Creator, Dies at 55 in Car Accident |url=https://variety.com/2025/digital/obituaries-people-news/vince-zampella-dead-call-of-duty-creator-car-accident-1236615214/ |access-date=2025-12-22 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> The [[Twitter]] accounts for ”[[Battlefield (video game series)|Battlefield]]”, [[Respawn Entertainment|Respawn]], and ”[[Apex Legends]]” also made statements honoring Zampella.<ref>{{Cite web |last=@PlayApex |first=Apex Legends |title=Rest easy, Vince. Thank you. |url=https://x.com/PlayApex/status/2003244977300844788#m |website=X (formerly Twitter)}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=@Respawn |first=Respawn Entertainment |title=We’re heartbroken by the passing of our founder and dear friend Vince Zampella. |url=https://x.com/Respawn/status/2003243956021195138#m |website=X (formerly Twitter)}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=@Battlefield |first=Battlefield |title=We are heartbroken by the loss of Vince Zampella |url=https://x.com/Battlefield/status/2003237892227789293#m |website=X (formerly Twitter)}}</ref>

American video game designer (1970–2025)

Vincent Walter Zampella II (October 1, 1970 – December 21, 2025) was an American video game designer best known for being a co-founder and studio head of Infinity Ward, and the head of Respawn Entertainment and Ripple Effect Studios.^[2]^[3]

Early life

Zampella was born on October 1, 1970.^[4]^[5]

Career

Early career

Following his “unsuccessful” enrollment at Broward College,^[5] Zampella worked as a handyman. A friend of his helped him get a job at a local game company, where he answered phones and tested new releases. In a 1997 interview with Gamezilla, Zampella said he “started out in graphic design and digital video at GameTek, then went to Atari to help launch its PC division” sometime prior to 1997.^[6] Zampella also worked at Panasonic Interactive Media/Ripcord Games and SegaSoft, where he met Jason West, whom he would later pair with to found Infinity Ward along with Grant Collier.^[5]^[7]

In September 1999, Zampella moved from Silicon Valley to work for 2015 Inc. in Tulsa, Oklahoma.^[8] By 2001, he was director of development of 2015 Inc.^[9] He worked there through 2002, during which he was credited as the lead designer for the critically acclaimed Medal of Honor: Allied Assault.^[10] After Allied Assault‘s success, Zampella continued on further Medal of Honor work.^[3]

Infinity Ward

Shortly after Infinity Ward’s creation, Electronic Arts decided to move Medal of Honor development in-house, and Infinity Ward took a deal with Activision to create a new game, codenamed “MOH Killer”.^[11] “MOH Killer” became Call of Duty, and Activision acquired Infinity Ward shortly after the game’s release. At the same time, Zampella and fellow IW employee Jason West signed long-term employment contracts with Activision.^[12] Under Zampella’s and West’s leadership, Infinity Ward released Call of Duty 2, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.^{[citation needed]}

Respawn Entertainment and EA

Months after the successful release of Modern Warfare 2, Zampella and Jason West were fired by Activision and denied the “$36 million in bonuses and royalties they’d been expecting”. The pair sued Activision for wrongful termination that week and founded Respawn Entertainment the next month. During the years-long Activision suit, Zampella and West went on to demand $1 billion in damages from Activision, up from an initial $36 million. Other former IW employees also joined the suit. Activision eventually paid the other ex-IW employees $42 million, and paid West and Zampella “a settlement thought to be in the tens of millions of dollars”.^{[citation needed]}

After founding Respawn in April 2010, West and Zampella signed with Electronic Arts for the release of their next game.^[13] West left Respawn in March 2013.^[14] The studio released two Titanfall games, then was acquired by EA in November 2017.^[15] Under EA, the studio has released Apex Legends, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.^{[citation needed]}

In January 2020, EA announced that Zampella would lead the Los Angeles branch of DICE.^[16] In 2021, EA put Zampella in charge of the Battlefield franchise following the “challenging” launch of Battlefield 2042 and the departure of Oskar Gabrielson, general manager of DICE.^[17] DICE LA was renamed as Ripple Effect Studios in July 2021.^[18]

Personal life

In a 2001 interview, Zampella described himself as having “always been an avid computer user and gamer”. He was a casual Counter-Strike player at the time.^[19]

According to TMZ, Zampella’s wife Brigitte filed for divorce in 2015. They are reported as having three children together at the time.^[20]

Death

On December 21, 2025, Zampella died when the 2026 Ferrari 296 GTS he was driving veered off the road and struck a concrete barrier upon exiting a tunnel on the Angeles Crest Highway in the San Gabriel Mountains, north of Los Angeles, with the vehicle then catching fire. A passenger in the vehicle was ejected in the process and died as well. Zampella was 55.^[21]^[22]

Electronic Arts released a statement calling Zampella “a friend, colleague, leader and visionary creator” whose influence on the video game industry “was profound and far-reaching.”^[23] The Twitter accounts for Battlefield, Respawn, and Apex Legends also made statements honoring Zampella.^[24]^[25]^[26]

Infinity Ward also released a statement honoring Zampella stating that his “legacy of creating iconic, lasting entertainment is immeasurable” and they also offered condolences to his family and loved ones.^[27] Treyarch also released a statement, stating “We’re deeply saddened by Vince Zampella’s tragic passing. His legacy as one of the founders of Call of Duty and a legend of our industry will never be forgotten.”^[28]

References

^ Takahashi, Dean (February 4, 2019). “Respawn’s Vince Zampella interview — Why you won’t see Titans in Apex Legends”. VentureBeat. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
^ Bailey, Kat (September 16, 2024). “Exclusive: Vince Zampella Confirms Next Battlefield Will Use Modern Setting, First Concept Art Revealed”. IGN. Archived from the original on September 19, 2024. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
^ ^a ^b McWhertor, Michael (December 22, 2010). “The Modern Warfare Fight: Your Guide to Activision Vs. Infinity Ward”. Kotaku. Archived from the original on December 18, 2018. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
^ Zampella, Vince [@VinceZampella] (October 1, 2022). “Today is my birthday” (Tweet). Archived from the original on December 22, 2025. Retrieved December 23, 2025 – via Twitter.
^ ^a ^b ^c Chafkin, Max (June 11, 2013). “Modern Warfare”. Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on August 22, 2024. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
^ Eatough, Mitch. “Interview with Vince Zampella, Baldies Producer”. Gamezilla. Archived from the original on February 2, 2002. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
^ “Bangai-O Spirits Elite Design Contest”. IGN. September 3, 2006. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
^ Colberg, Sonya (June 12, 2000). “Somebody’s Gotta Do It”. Tulsa World. p. 7. Retrieved December 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Nascenzi, Nicole (January 10, 2001). “Game of Honor”. Tulsa World. p. E1. Retrieved December 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Smith, Ed (June 10, 2016). “Why 2002 Was Possibly the Most Important Year in Video Gaming History”. Vice. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
^ “The Medal of Honor killer: A Call of Duty story”. MCV. May 15, 2019. Archived from the original on July 30, 2024. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
^ “Activision Acquires Infinity Ward Developer Of Critically Acclaimed PC Game Call Of Duty™”. investor.activision.com. Archived from the original on May 25, 2024. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
^ Pham, Alex; Ben Fritz (April 12, 2010). “Jason West and Vincent Zampella’s new call of duty”. Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 13, 2010. Retrieved May 21, 2010.
^ Crecente, Brian (March 3, 2013). “Respawn Entertainment co-founder Jason West retires”. Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on March 7, 2013. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
^ McWhertor, Michael (November 9, 2017). “EA to acquire Titanfall developer Respawn”. Polygon. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
^ Shanley, Patrick (January 2, 2020). “Respawn Entertainment Co-Founder Vince Zampella to Head DICE’s L.A.-Based Game Studio”. Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
^ Pereira, Chris; Makuch, Eddie (December 2, 2021). “Battlefield Franchise Undergoes Major Shake-Up”. GameSpot. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
^ Phillips, Tom (July 8, 2021). “Battlefield developer DICE LA renamed to Ripple Effect Studios”. Eurogamer. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
^ “Medal of Honor Interview”. Evil Avatar. Archived from the original on March 31, 2001. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
^ “Call of Duty Creator’s Wife Files for Mega-Divorce”. TMZ. December 23, 2015. Archived from the original on December 23, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
^ Broad, Dennis; Lloyd, Jonathan (December 22, 2025). “Vince Zampella, video game developer behind Call of Duty franchise, killed in crash”. NBC Los Angeles. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
^ McCaffrey, Ryan (December 22, 2025). “Call of Duty Co-Creator, Respawn Co-Founder, and EA Executive Vince Zampella Killed in Car Accident”. IGN. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
^ Moreau, Jordan (December 22, 2025). “Vince Zampella, ‘Call of Duty’ Creator, Dies at 55 in Car Accident”. Variety. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
^ @PlayApex, Apex Legends. “Rest easy, Vince. Thank you”. X (formerly Twitter).
^ @Respawn, Respawn Entertainment. “We’re heartbroken by the passing of our founder and dear friend Vince Zampella”. X (formerly Twitter).
^ @Battlefield, Battlefield. “We are heartbroken by the loss of Vince Zampella”. X (formerly Twitter).
^ Mccaffrey, Ryan (December 22, 2025). “Call of Duty Co-Creator, Respawn Co-Founder, and EA Executive Vince Zampella Killed in Car Accident”. IGN. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
^ @Treyarch, Treyarch. “We’re deeply saddened by Vince Zampella’s tragic passing. His legacy as one of the founders of Call of Duty and a legend of our industry will never be forgotten”. X (formerly Twitter).