'Call of Duty' co-creator killed in car crash: US media

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

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Call of Duty Mobile on App Store is seen in this illustration photo taken in Poland on August 8, 2024.
Caption:Call of Duty Mobile on App Store.Photo credit:Jakub Porzycki / NurPhoto via AFP

Vince Zampella, the acclaimed co-creator of the video gaming juggernaut Call of Duty, has died in a car crash, US media reported.

According to local broadcaster NBC4, the developer and executive died on Sunday (local time) while driving his Ferrari on a scenic road north of Los Angeles. His studios created some of the world's best-selling video games.

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

Vince Zampella at the BATTLEFIELD 6 reveal celebration hosted by Electronic Arts and Battlefield Studio at Sunset Room Hollywood on 31 July, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

Vince Zampella at the BATTLEFIELD 6 reveal celebration hosted by Electronic Arts and Battlefield Studio at Sunset Room Hollywood on 31 July, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images for EA Entertainment / AFP

After starting out in the 1990s as a designer on shooter games, he co-founded Infinity Ward in 2002 and helped launch Call of Duty in 2003. Activision later acquired his studio.

He left Activision under contentious circumstances and established Respawn in 2010, which Electronic Arts acquired in 2017.

At EA, he eventually took charge of revitalising the Battlefield franchise, cementing his reputation as one of the most influential figures in modern first-person shooter games.

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