After a horrific accident, Call of Duty Co-Creator Vince Zampella has passed away
Vince Zampella, the video game developer who helped shape modern first-person shooters and co-created the Call of Duty franchise, has died in a car crash in California at the age of 55.
Zampella was traveling in a Ferrari that crashed on Angeles Crest Highway in Southern California. The California Highway Patrol said the vehicle left the roadway, struck a concrete barrier, and caught fire; authorities did not immediately identify the victims publicly.
Zampella was best known for co-founding Infinity Ward in 2002 and helping launch Call of Duty in 2003, a series that grew into one of gaming’s biggest franchises. Call of Duty has sold more than 500 million copies over its lifetime.
After leaving Activision, he went on to co-found Respawn Entertainment in 2010, the studio behind Titanfall, Apex Legends, and the Star Wars Jedi games, before Respawn was acquired by EA.
EA described Zampella’s death as a major loss for the industry, highlighting his role in building teams and creating games that influenced millions of players worldwide.
His death comes as the Gulf continues to scale investments in gaming and esports, including Saudi Arabia’s push to grow the sector through Public Investment Fund-backed Savvy Games Group.
