Vince Zampella, the video game industry titan credited for co-creating "Call of Duty," died in a car crash.
Zampella is one of the two passengers of a Ferrari that hit a concrete barrier the San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles. Zampella was the driver of the vehicle and became trapped in the resulting car fire, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Vince Zampella Dies in Fiery Car Crash
According to a report by NBC Los Angeles, Zampella was driving a 2026 Ferrari 296 GTS, which veered off the road after exiting a tunnel. It was not immediately clear why the car veered off the road.
The passenger, who was ejected from the vehicle when it happened, later died in the hospital.
As of writing, investigation is ongoing to determine more details about the crash that claimed two lives.
Who Is Vince Zampella?
As previously mentioned, Zampella is best known for co-creating "Call of Duty" in the early 2000s. He is also known as the co-founder of Infinity Ward.
Prior to his death, he was the head of Respawn Entertainment, which has developed games such as "Titanfall," "Apex Legends," "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order," and "Star Wars Jedi: Survivor."
In a statement shared on X, Respawn Entertainment celebrated the life of Zampella, calling him "a titan and legend of this industry." The full statement can be read below.
We're heartbroken by the passing of our founder and dear friend Vince Zampella.
— Respawn (@Respawn) December 22, 2025
Vince was a titan and legend of this industry, a visionary leader and a force who shaped teams and games like Call of Duty, Titanfall, Apex Legends, the Star Wars Jedi series and Battlefield for our… pic.twitter.com/L51gG9tbRo
Electronic Arts (EA) has also paid tribute to Zampella in a statement sent to Kotaku.
"Vince's influence on the video game industry was profound and far-reaching," EA said. "A friend, colleague, leader and visionary creator, his work helped shape modern interactive entertainment and inspired millions of players and developers around the world."
