'Call of Duty' co-creator Vince Zampella dies in car crash
Notable video game developer passes on at 55
By Poch Eulalia
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Vince Zampella, known to the gaming community as the co-creator of the "Call of Duty" franchise, has passed on at the age of 55 after dying in a single-car accident. Based on reports, he was driving his Ferrari along Southern California’s Angeles Crest Highway when the car hit a concrete barrier north of Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Mountains. According to NBC Los Angeles, the car caught on fire, and the driver was pronounced dead on the scene.
It was in the '90s when Vince first dabbled in video games. From early interviews, Vince shared how he helped Atari enter the PC gaming market through the launch of its PC division. By 1999, he moved to 2015 Inc. and helped develop "Medal of Honor: Allied Assault." In 2002, he founded Infinity Ward alongside Grant Collier and Jason West. The indie company worked under Activision. Together, the team churned out a powerhouse that changed the first-person-shooter gaming experience, the "Call of Duty" franchise. With the trio in charge, the company was able to churn out the first "Call of Duty" game, "Call of Duty 2," "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare," and "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2."
After the rampant success of "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2," Vince and Jason were laid off by Activision, denying them a bonus payout for the success of their game. A settlement was later agreed upon after they filed a lawsuit. To bounce back, the duo formed Respawn in 2010 and signed a deal with Electronic Arts (EA). Though Jason left Respawn in 2013, the company put out two "Titanfall" games, "Apex Legends," and released the iconic "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order" and "Star Wars Jedi: Survivor" games. In 2021, Vince was put in charge of the Los Angeles branch of DICE. During his tenure, the company worked on the "Battlefield" franchise.