Vince Zampella, Call of Duty Co-creator, Dies At 55 In A Fatal Car Crash

Vince Zampella, one of the creators behind such best-selling video games as “Call of Duty,” has died. He was 55. Video game company Electronic Arts said Zampella died Sunday afternoon after a single-vehicle crash on Angeles Crest Highway in Southern California at around 12:45 PM, NBC Los Angeles reported. He was riding a red Ferrari, and the moment he crossed the tunnel, the car hit a concrete barrier and threw the person sitting in the passenger seat from the vehicle. Moments later, the car caught fire. Zampella died at the scene, while the passenger died later in the hospital.

A spokesperson for Electronic Arts said in a statement on Monday that Zampella's influence on the video game industry was “profound and far-reaching."

“A friend, colleague, leader and visionary creator, his work helped shape modern interactive entertainment and inspired millions of players and developers around the world. His legacy will continue to shape how games are made and how players connect for generations to come,” a company spokesperson wrote.

The video of the fatal crash has gone viral on the internet, capturing the whole incident.

Vince Zampella was best known for co-creating the Call of Duty franchise and founding Respawn Entertainment, the studio behind Apex Legends, Titanfall and Star Wars.

Fans pay tribute to Vince Zampella

Soon after the news broke, his fans flooded the X, expressing shock and grief over the fatal car crash and remembering him as one of the "legend" in the gaming world. A user wrote, "This just hit me like a frag grenade... Vince Zampella, the absolute LEGEND who co-created Call of Duty and built empires with Titanfall and Apex, gone at 55 in a brutal Ferrari crash up on Angeles Crest hwy. Dude was living the dream in a 2026 296 GTS and it all ended in flames. Tragic as hell, prayers up for his family and the whole gaming crew. Modern Warfare changed everything back in the day, RIP to a real one who made billions of us gamers. 🇺🇸🎮😔 What a loss man."

Another wrote, "Vince Zampella, the lead behind some of the most beloved video games of all time, passed away in a car crash in LA county. I’m absolutely heartbroken. He was my inspiration for so many things in life." A third user wrote, "No way Vince Zampella died in a car crash??? MW2 is the game that got me back into gaming after 10 years...some of my favorite moments in gaming was in Apex and Titanfall with the boys. Man I probably wouldn't ever have become a Youtuber if it wasn't for him. RIP Vince. Sad day."

Zampella is survived by his three children.

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