Video game industry veteran Vince Zampella, the creator of Call of Duty, has died following a crash on Southern California’s Angeles Crest Highway. He was 55.
Zampella died on Sunday, December 21, in a single-vehicle crash on the scenic mountain road north of Los Angeles, according to information obtained by NBC4 Investigates. Authorities said the incident occurred around 12:45 p.m. in the San Gabriel Mountains.
The California Highway Patrol said a southbound car veered off the roadway and struck a concrete barrier. A passenger was ejected from the vehicle and later died at a hospital. The driver was trapped in the vehicle after a fire and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officials said details surrounding the cause of the crash were not immediately available.
The developer created Infinity Ward, Respawn, more
Zampella was an influential figure in the video game industry and served as the head of Respawn Entertainment, which he co-founded in 2010. The studio was acquired by Electronic Arts in 2017.
Respawn is best known for titles including Titanfall, Titanfall 2, Apex Legends, and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.
Before founding Respawn, Zampella was the CEO of Infinity Ward, the studio behind the Call of Duty franchise. He is widely credited as a creator of the series, which became one of the best-selling video game franchises in history.
Zampella also led an EA studio team based in Playa Vista that worked on the Battlefield franchise.
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