A Legendary Game Maker Gone Too Soon
The gaming world is mourning the loss of Vince Zampella, one of the most influential creators in modern video games. Zampella, best known as a co creator of Call of Duty and the head of studios like Respawn Entertainment and Ripple Effect at Electronic Arts, has died at the age of 55 following a car crash in the San Gabriel Mountains near Los Angeles. Another occupant in the car was also killed. The exact cause of the crash is still under investigation.
For PC gamers and console players alike, Zampella’s work helped define what shooters feel like today. From the original Call of Duty to Titanfall, Apex Legends, the Star Wars Jedi series and his leadership on Battlefield, his fingerprints are all over some of the biggest franchises in gaming history.
Major studios, colleagues, and players around the world have been sharing tributes, highlighting just how deeply his games and leadership shaped the industry.
From Medal of Honor to Call of Duty
Zampella’s career in games started long before the battle royale era. He first made a name for himself at 2015 Inc, where he served as lead designer on Medal of Honor Allied Assault. That game became a landmark World War 2 shooter and set the stage for what came next.
In 2002, Zampella co founded Infinity Ward with Grant Collier and Jason West. This new studio quickly delivered a project that would change the FPS genre forever: Call of Duty. At a time when military shooters were still finding their identity, Call of Duty introduced cinematic campaigns, tight gunplay, and intense scripted moments that pulled players into the chaos of war.
Over the years, Infinity Ward pushed the series further, culminating in Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, a game that exploded in popularity and helped solidify Call of Duty as a global entertainment phenomenon. For PC players, these games became a standard benchmark for shooter mechanics and online play, influencing countless other titles.
Behind the scenes, however, tensions grew between Infinity Ward leadership and Activision. A contract dispute led to a very public and acrimonious split. Zampella and fellow co founder Jason West ultimately left Infinity Ward and Activision, a move that would reshape the shooter landscape yet again.
Respawn, Apex, and Reinventing the Shooter
After leaving Activision, Zampella and West founded Respawn Entertainment in 2010, partnering with Electronic Arts. Zampella later explained that their Activision experience made ownership and creative control a top priority. He believed that when developers pour their hearts and souls into a game, they need to feel their work is protected and meaningful. That philosophy would become a core part of Respawn’s culture.
Respawn’s first major release was Titanfall, a fast paced multiplayer shooter that blended parkour style movement with massive mech combat. Titanfall and its sequel Titanfall 2 became cult favorites among PC and console players for their fluid movement, creative level design, and smart weapon balance. While they never reached Call of Duty’s sales numbers, Titanfall games set a new standard for how movement and verticality could work in a shooter.
Respawn then surprised the industry again with Apex Legends, a free to play battle royale set in the Titanfall universe. Launched with almost no advance marketing, Apex Legends exploded in popularity at release. Its hero based gameplay, ping system for communication, slick gunplay, and polished performance turned it into one of the most respected competitive shooters on PC and consoles.
Under Zampella’s leadership, Respawn also branched out beyond competitive shooters. The studio developed the Star Wars Jedi series, starting with Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order and continuing with Star Wars Jedi Survivor. These single player action adventures showed that Respawn could deliver strong storytelling, memorable characters, and satisfying lightsaber combat while still maintaining technical polish that PC players greatly appreciate.
Throughout these projects, Zampella became known not just as a designer, but as a leader who trusted his teams and pushed for high quality experiences. His studios built a reputation for tight controls, responsive performance, and games that respected players’ time.
Leading Battlefield and Shaping Modern Gaming
In 2020, Electronic Arts tapped Zampella to help steer DICE LA, which was later renamed Ripple Effect. By 2021, he had taken on an even larger role as the overall head of the Battlefield franchise. It was a sign of how much faith EA had in his vision and leadership.
While Battlefield had always been a separate identity from Call of Duty, putting Zampella in charge was an acknowledgment that his understanding of large scale FPS design and live service games was invaluable. When the launch of Battlefield 6 struggled on the EA App platform, Zampella did something unusual for a major publisher executive. He openly told players who were locked out to refund the game there and just buy it on Steam instead. That move resonated strongly with PC gamers, showing he cared more about players actually being able to enjoy the game than about sticking to a specific storefront.
Battlefield 6 would go on to earn widespread acclaim and reportedly became the best selling game in the franchise according to industry tracker Circana. It was another example of Zampella helping guide a major shooter brand back into the spotlight.
Following news of his death, Electronic Arts released a statement calling Zampella a friend, colleague, leader, and visionary creator whose influence on video games was profound and far reaching. Respawn described him as a titan and legend of the industry. Infinity Ward honored him as a foundational part of its history and Call of Duty’s success. Lucasfilm Games praised his creativity, leadership, and passion, noting that his legacy will live on through the worlds he helped build and the people he inspired.
For players, that legacy is easy to see. From clutch moments in Call of Duty multiplayer, to wall running in Titanfall, to last circle chaos in Apex Legends, to exploring galaxies as Cal Kestis, Vince Zampella’s work has shaped how we play and experience games on PC and beyond.
His passing is an enormous loss for the gaming community, but the franchises and innovations he helped create will continue to influence developers and entertain players for many years to come.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/vince-zampella-the-co-founder-of-infinity-ward-and-head-of-battlefield-dies-in-car-crash/
