Vince Zampella, Call of Duty co-creator and Respawn founder, has died

Vince Zampella, a key figure behind some of the most recognisable first-person shooters of the past two decades, has died following a car accident in the United States. He was 57.

US media reports say the accident took place on Sunday on a road north of Los Angeles. Further details have not been officially confirmed at the time of writing.

Vince’s name is closely tied to the rise of modern military shooters. As a co-founder of Infinity Ward, he played a central role in launching Call of Duty in 2003, a series that would go on to define console and PC shooters for an entire generation – and then some. Infinity Ward was later acquired by Activision and has since become a cornerstone of the publisher’s portfolio.

After a high-profile split from Activision, Zampella went on to co-found Respawn Entertainment in 2010. The studio quickly built a reputation for polished and well-designed games, such as Titanfall, Apex Legends, and the Star Wars Jedi games.

Respawn was then acquired by Electronic Arts in 2017, where Vince later took on a broader leadership role overseeing efforts to steady and refocus the Battlefield series.

It’s not a stretch to say that Vince was widely regarded in the gaming industry and his influence can still be felt across today’s multiplayer and single-player shooter design. Our condolences go out to his family and friends.

Source: Games Industry.biz