The video game industry is in mourning as it has lost one of its most innovative and creative minds in Vince Zampella. Vince was one of the brains behind the Call of Duty series and the founder of the video game developer, Respawn Entertainment. Vince was killed in a car accident on Sunday afternoon. He was aged 55.
Details of the Accident
As per the report by California Highway Patrol(CHP) and NBC Los Angeles, the incident happened at about 12:45 p.m.local time on December 21, 2025. Zampella was driving his Ferrari southbound when the vehicle suddenly swerved off the road for some inexplicable reason. The vehicle made contact with the concrete barrier. The Ferrari was rapidly engulfed in flames afterwards.
The emergency services reached milepost 62.70 of the scenic route, but Zampella was found dead. Another person, who was a passenger in the car, was taken to a hospital but died later. The reason for this accident has yet to be determined by the authorities, but there are no indications of alcohol or drug use at this stage.
A Lasting Impact within Gaming
Electronic Arts (EA) has released an official statement after the loss was confirmed. “This is an unimaginable loss, and our thoughts go out to Vince’s family and loved ones. A friend, colleague, leader, and visionary creator, he has had an immeasurable impact on the shaping of modern interactive entertainment, inspiring millions of players and developers around the globe through his work,” said the spokesperson for Electronic Arts.
Zampella’s career has been shaped by the fact that he has been able to reinvent the first-person shooter market. His first job was at Atari, and he joined 2015, Inc. before co-founding Infinity Ward in 2002. At Infinity Ward, he helped create the Call of Duty series, which has seen more than 500 million copies sold. However, he left Activision in 2010 in a dramatic fashion before co-founding Respawn Entertainment.
We are heartbroken by the loss of Vince Zampella, a creative leader whose work shaped generations of players and helped define what modern shooters and action games could be.
Across a remarkable career, Vince played a foundational role in franchises including Call of Duty,… pic.twitter.com/M2NgyJRWu2
— Battlefield (@Battlefield) December 22, 2025
Under his guidance, Respawn has developed several highly acclaimed games, such as:
- Titanfall & Titanfall 2: Known for their work in revolutionising movement mechanics and “mech
- Apex Legends: A battle royale hit that totally transformed the EA lineup.
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order & Survivor: Revitalised single-player Star Wars adventures.
In 2021, Zampella was assigned the Battlefield franchise and brought it back into relevance through the launch of Battlefield 6 in October 2025.
Tributes from the Community
“Industry colleagues and fellow gamers just can’t seem to get enough of posting tributes online,” and the creator of “The Game Awards” hasn’t been immune, according to a tweet from Geoff Keighley, “Vince was an extraordinary individual: a gamer at heart, but also a visionary leader who possessed a rare skill for talent recognition. I will miss our conversations, and it’s a tragedy that we’ll never experience his next best game.”
He is survived by his three children: Quentin, 26; Kyle, 22; and Courtney, 19 years old.His family has asked that they be allowed privacy during this trying period.
