Vince Zampella, the acclaimed co-creator of the blockbuster video game franchise Call of Duty, has died following a car accident, gaming giant Electronic Arts confirmed on Monday. He was 55.
According to local broadcaster NBC4, Zampella was driving his Ferrari on a scenic road north of Los Angeles on Sunday when the vehicle veered off the roadway for reasons yet unknown, struck a concrete barrier and burst into flames.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) said Zampella and a passenger were both ejected from the vehicle and later died from injuries sustained in the crash. Videos shared online by witnesses showed the mangled cherry-red Ferrari engulfed in flames along the mountain road.
Authorities say the cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Zampella was widely regarded as a pioneering figure in the gaming industry and a key force in shaping the modern first-person military shooter genre. He co-created the Call of Duty franchise and later founded Respawn Entertainment, the studio behind popular titles such as Titanfall, Apex Legends, and the Star Wars Jedi series.
He began his career in the 1990s as a game designer and went on to co-found Infinity Ward in 2002. The studio released the first Call of Duty game in 2003, a franchise that has since grown into one of the most successful in gaming history, attracting over 100 million active players monthly.
Infinity Ward was later acquired by Activision, further cementing Zampella’s legacy as one of the most influential figures in modern video game development.