Vince Zampella, the creator of the Call of Duty franchise, has died as a result of a Ferrari car crash near Los Angeles, according to multiple reports. He was 55.
Zampella, who was the “head of Respawn Entertainment” and a passenger were reportedly left dead after the “southbound Ferrari veered off the road just after exiting a tunnel” and struck into a concrete barrier, the California Highway Patrol revealed, according to NBC4 Los Angeles.
According to the outlet, Zampella — who was driving, was “trapped in the ensuing car fire,” while the passenger was “ejected” from the vehicle:
The single-car crash was reported at about 12:45 p.m. on the scenic road north of Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Mountains. The southbound Ferrari veered off the road just after exiting a tunnel, hit a concrete barrier and a passenger was ejected, the California Highway Patrol said.
The driver, Zampella, was trapped in the ensuing car fire, the CHP said. He died at the scene and the passenger died at a hospital, authorities told NBC4 Investigates. Details about the passenger’s identity were not immediately available.
Zampella co-founded Respawn Entertainment in 2010, which was then taken over by Electronic Arts (EA) in 2017, according to the outlet.
Zampella’s Respawn Entertainment is known for creating video games such as Titanfall, Titanfall 2, and STAR WARS Jedi: Fallen Order, according to the outlet.
“This is an unimaginable loss, and our hearts are with Vince’s family, his loved ones, and all those touched by his work,” Electronic Arts said in a statement posted to X. “Vince’s influence on the video game industry was profound and far-reaching.”
Electronic Arts described Zampella as a friend, colleague, and visionary creator whose work had “helped shape modern interactive entertainment and inspired” players and developers.
“We’re heartbroken by the passing of our founder and dear friend Vince Zampella,” Respawn Entertainment said in a post on X.
“Vince was a titan and legend of this industry, a visionary leader and a force who shaped teams and games like Call of Duty, Titanfall, Apex Legends, the Star Wars Jedi series and Battlefield for our community in ways that will be felt for generations.”
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