Call of Duty co-creator, Infinity Ward and Respawn Entertainment co-founder, and Battlefield head Vince Zampella dies aged 55

The developer was killed successful a single-car collision

Vince Zampella, the co-creator of Call of Duty, laminitis of Respawn Entertainment, and caput of EA's Battlefield franchise died successful a car clang connected December 22nd. He was 55 years old.

"We're heartbroken by the passing of our laminitis and beloved person Vince Zampella," Respawn Entertainment said successful a connection connected Twitter. "Our hearts are with his family, friends, and each who emotion him."

Zampella's earliest credited enactment was arsenic a shaper astatine GameTek, but helium roseate to prominence erstwhile helium joined 2015, Inc., moving arsenic improvement manager connected Medal of Honor: Allied Assault. The Second World War-set shooter made successful collaboration with Stephen Spielberg was a immense occurrence and EA attempted to bring the improvement squad in-house. Instead of being absorbed by EA and moving connected the publisher's series, Zampella, and chap developers Jason West and Grant Collier near 2015, Inc. and formed Infinity Ward.

Backed by Activision, the workplace began enactment connected a task with a little than subtle codename: 'Medal Of Honor Killer'.

Released successful 2003, conscionable a twelvemonth aft Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, Call of Duty was an contiguous hit. Under Zampella, who worked arsenic some a caput of the workplace and producer, the bid continued to turn and the workplace became a invaluable cornerstone of Activision.

Following the merchandise of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 successful 2009, Activision fired Zampella and chap Infinity Ward laminitis Jason West, citing breaches of contract. Zampella and West sued Activision for unpaid royalties and pursuing years of suit and countersuit, the steadfast settled with the founders successful 2012.

In that time, Zampella and West co-founded Respawn Entertainment with their aged frenemy EA. Zampella remained with the workplace until 2020, overseeing the merchandise of Titanfall, Titanfall 2, Apex Legends, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and a instrumentality to Medal of Honor, with the VR rubric Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond.

In 2020, Zampella moved up wrong EA, taking implicit the LA subdivision of DICE. Then successful 2021, helium took implicit the Battlefield series. Under his leadership, the bid has seen its largest motorboat to day and looks to beryllium going toe-to-toe with Call of Duty successful presumption of subordinate numbers.

To lone look astatine a person's vocation is to inevitably seizure lone a tiny portion of the interaction they had connected the world, it says thing of their household and friends, but determination are fewer parts of modern gaming that haven't been touched successful immoderate mode by the games Zampella created – either successful effect to them oregon absorption to them. His nonaccomplishment volition beryllium felt by many.

"This is an unimaginable loss, and our hearts are with Vince’s family, his loved ones, and each those touched by his work," EA wrote successful a statement. "Vince’s power connected the video crippled manufacture was profound and far-reaching. A friend, colleague, person and visionary creator, his enactment helped signifier modern interactive amusement and inspired millions of players and developers astir the world. His bequest volition proceed to signifier however games are made and however players link for generations to come."