Vince Zampella, co-founder of Respawn and key figure behind Call of Duty and Battlefield, passes away at 55.

Vince Zampella, co-founder of Respawn and a key figure behind the Battlefield series, has tragically passed away.

According to reports, Zampella was involved in a single-car accident north of Los Angeles on the afternoon of December 21. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, while a passenger later succumbed to injuries in the hospital; however, it remains unclear which individual was Zampella. Further details regarding the circumstances of the crash are still pending. He was 55 years old.

Zampella’s influence on the gaming industry is monumental, particularly in the first-person shooter genre. His journey in gaming began in the ’90s at Atari, where he played a role in establishing the company in the PC market. He later joined 2015, Inc. from 1999 to 2002, serving as lead designer on Medal of Honor: Allied Assault.

In 2003, Zampella and Jason West launched the Call of Duty franchise at Infinity Ward, positioning it as a rival to Medal of Honor. After their departure from Infinity Ward in 2010, they founded Respawn Entertainment, which produced acclaimed titles such as Titanfall, Titanfall 2, Apex Legends, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. Respawn was acquired by EA in 2017, and in 2021, Zampella took on the role of Head of Battlefield while continuing as CEO of Respawn until his untimely passing.