Vince Zampella

"Zampella" redirects here. For the American film and multimedia producer, see Richard Zampella.

Vince Zampella
Zampella in 2019[1]
Born
Vincent Walter Zampella II

(1970-10-01)October 1, 1970
DiedDecember 21, 2025(2025-12-21) (aged 55)
San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, California, U.S.
OccupationVideo game designer
Years active1997–2025
Notable work
TitleCo-founder of Infinity Ward and Respawn Entertainment
Children3

Vincent Walter Zampella II (October 1, 1970 – December 21, 2025) was an American video game designer. He was best known for being a co-founder and the former studio head of Infinity Ward, the head of Respawn Entertainment, and the former CEO of Ripple Effect Studios.[2][3]

Early life and career

Vincent Walter Zampella II was born on October 1, 1970.[4][5] As a child, he developed an early interest in video games, having Donkey Kong as his childhood favorite.[6] After dropping out of Broward College (then Broward Community College) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Zampella worked as a handyman.[4][7] A friend helped him get a job at game company GameTek, where he performed various roles such as customer service and game testing.[7][6] In an interview with Gamezilla, Zampella said he "started out in graphic design and digital video at GameTek, then went to Atari to help launch its PC division" sometime before 1997.[7][8] He also worked at Panasonic Interactive Media/Ripcord Games and SegaSoft, where he met Jason West, with whom he later founded Infinity Ward along with Grant Collier.[7][9]

In September 1999, Zampella moved from Silicon Valley to work for 2015 Inc. in Tulsa, Oklahoma.[10] By 2001, he was director of development of 2015 Inc.[11] He worked there through 2002; during that time he was credited as the lead designer for the critically acclaimed Medal of Honor: Allied Assault.[12][3]

Infinity Ward

Shortly after Infinity Ward's creation, Electronic Arts decided to move Medal of Honor development in-house, and Infinity Ward took a deal with Activision to create a new game, codenamed "MOH (Medal of Honor) Killer".[13] "MOH Killer" became Call of Duty, and Activision acquired Infinity Ward shortly after the game's release. At the same time, Zampella and fellow Infinity Ward employee Jason West signed long-term employment contracts with Activision.[14] Under Zampella's and West's leadership, Infinity Ward released Call of Duty 2 (2005), Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007), and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009).[15]

Respawn Entertainment and EA

Months after the successful release of Modern Warfare 2, Zampella and Jason West were fired by Activision and denied "$36 million in bonuses and royalties they'd been expecting". The pair sued Activision for wrongful termination that week and founded Respawn Entertainment a month later. During the years-long Activision suit, Zampella and West demanded $1 billion in damages from Activision, up from the initial $36 million.[16] Other former Infinity Ward employees joined the suit. In May 2012, Activision paid the other ex-employees $42 million in a non-settlement, mid-trial payment,[17] and later in June that year eventually settled with Zampella and West for an undisclosed amount.[16]

After founding Respawn in April 2010, West and Zampella signed with Electronic Arts for the release of their next game.[18] West left Respawn in March 2013.[19] The studio released two Titanfall games and then was acquired by EA in November 2017.[20] In January 2020, EA announced that Zampella would lead the Los Angeles branch of DICE.[21] In 2021, EA put Zampella in charge of the Battlefield franchise after the "challenging" launch of Battlefield 2042 and the departure of Oskar Gabrielson, general manager of DICE.[22] DICE LA was renamed Ripple Effect Studios in July 2021.[23] Under EA, the studio released Apex Legends, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (both 2019), Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (2023), and Battlefield 6 (2025).[24]

Personal life

In a 2001 interview, Zampella said that he had "always been an avid computer user and gamer". At the time he was a casual Counter-Strike player.[25] According to TMZ, Zampella's wife Brigitte filed for divorce in 2015. At the time it was reported that they had three children.[26] Vince was in the beginning stages of creating an exotic car dealership, production company and studio space with actress, car builder and YouTuber Emilia Hartford.[27]

Death

On December 21, 2025, Zampella died after losing control of the 2026 Ferrari 296 GTS he was driving; veering off road and striking a concrete barrier after exiting a tunnel on the Angeles Crest Highway in the San Gabriel Mountains, north of Los Angeles. The vehicle caught fire, and a passenger in the vehicle was ejected. The passenger later died at the hospital, while Zampella died at the scene. He was 55 years old.[28][24]

Electronic Arts released a statement calling Zampella "a friend, colleague, leader and visionary creator" whose influence on the video game industry was "profound and far-reaching".[29] The Twitter accounts for Battlefield, Respawn, and Apex Legends posted statements honoring Zampella.[30][31][32]

Infinity Ward released a statement honoring Zampella and said that his "legacy of creating iconic, lasting entertainment was immeasurable" and offered condolences to his family and loved ones.[33] Treyarch also released a statement, "We're deeply saddened by Vince Zampella's tragic passing. His legacy as one of the founders of Call of Duty and a legend of our industry will never be forgotten."[34]

The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences dedicated a session at the 2026 DICE Summit to Zampella titled "Remembering a Titan". It featured a collection of his friends and colleagues and reflected on "Vince’s inspirations, generosity, personality, and the indelible mark he left on entertainment, the game industry, the teams he worked with, and the hundreds of millions of players whose lives were touched by his games."[35] It included character testimonies by industry giants like Todd Howard, Hideo Kojima, Geoff Keighley and Randy Pitchford, among others. A recording of the commemorative session is available on YouTube.[36]

References

  1. ^ Takahashi, Dean (February 4, 2019). "Respawn's Vince Zampella interview — Why you won't see Titans in Apex Legends". VentureBeat. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  2. ^ Bailey, Kat (September 16, 2024). "Exclusive: Vince Zampella Confirms Next Battlefield Will Use Modern Setting, First Concept Art Revealed". IGN. Archived from the original on September 19, 2024. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  3. ^ a b McWhertor, Michael (December 22, 2010). "The Modern Warfare Fight: Your Guide to Activision Vs. Infinity Ward". Kotaku. Archived from the original on December 18, 2018. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Vince Zampella, video game pioneer behind the cultural phenomenon Call of Duty". The Telegraph. December 23, 2025. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  5. ^ Zampella, Vince [@VinceZampella] (October 1, 2022). "Today is my birthday" (Tweet). Retrieved December 23, 2025 – via Twitter.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  6. ^ a b MacDonald, Keza; Stuart, Keith (December 23, 2025). "Call of Duty's Vince Zampella was a video games visionary". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  7. ^ a b c d Chafkin, Max (June 11, 2013). "Modern Warfare". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on August 22, 2024. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  8. ^ Eatough, Mitch. "Interview with Vince Zampella, Baldies Producer". Gamezilla. Archived from the original on February 2, 2002. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  9. ^ "Bangai-O Spirits Elite Design Contest". IGN. September 3, 2006. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  10. ^ Colberg, Sonya (June 12, 2000). "Somebody's Gotta Do It". Tulsa World. p. 7. Retrieved December 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Nascenzi, Nicole (January 10, 2001). "Game of Honor". Tulsa World. p. E1. Retrieved December 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Smith, Ed (June 10, 2016). "Why 2002 Was Possibly the Most Important Year in Video Gaming History". Vice. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  13. ^ "The Medal of Honor killer: A Call of Duty story". MCV. May 15, 2019. Archived from the original on July 30, 2024. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  14. ^ "Activision Acquires Infinity Ward Developer Of Critically Acclaimed PC Game Call Of Duty™". investor.activision.com. Archived from the original on May 25, 2024. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  15. ^ Moreau, Jordan (December 22, 2025). "Vince Zampella, 'Call of Duty' Creator, Dies at 55 in Car Accident". Yahoo Entertainment. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
  16. ^ a b Gardner, Eriq (May 31, 2012). "Activision Settles Huge 'Call of Duty' Litigation on Eve of Trial". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  17. ^ Grant, Christopher (May 15, 2012). "Activision pays $42m to former Infinity Ward devs, not a settlement". Polygon. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  18. ^ Pham, Alex; Ben Fritz (April 12, 2010). "Jason West and Vincent Zampella's new call of duty". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 13, 2010. Retrieved May 21, 2010.
  19. ^ Crecente, Brian (March 3, 2013). "Respawn Entertainment co-founder Jason West retires". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on March 7, 2013. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  20. ^ McWhertor, Michael (November 9, 2017). "EA to acquire Titanfall developer Respawn". Polygon. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
  21. ^ Shanley, Patrick (January 2, 2020). "Respawn Entertainment Co-Founder Vince Zampella to Head DICE's L.A.-Based Game Studio". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  22. ^ Pereira, Chris; Makuch, Eddie (December 2, 2021). "Battlefield Franchise Undergoes Major Shake-Up". GameSpot. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  23. ^ Phillips, Tom (July 8, 2021). "Battlefield developer DICE LA renamed to Ripple Effect Studios". Eurogamer. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  24. ^ a b McCaffrey, Ryan (December 22, 2025). "Call of Duty Co-Creator, Respawn Co-Founder, and EA Executive Vince Zampella Killed in Car Accident". IGN. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
  25. ^ "Medal of Honor Interview". Evil Avatar. Archived from the original on March 31, 2001. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  26. ^ "Call of Duty Creator's Wife Files for Mega-Divorce". TMZ. December 23, 2015. Archived from the original on December 23, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  27. ^ "i have no words" January 20, 2026 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_jmdu_Zq38
  28. ^ Broad, Dennis; Lloyd, Jonathan (December 22, 2025). "Vince Zampella, video game developer behind Call of Duty franchise, killed in crash". NBC Los Angeles. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
  29. ^ Moreau, Jordan (December 22, 2025). "Vince Zampella, 'Call of Duty' Creator, Dies at 55 in Car Accident". Variety. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
  30. ^ @PlayApex, Apex Legends. "Rest easy, Vince. Thank you". X (formerly Twitter).
  31. ^ @Respawn, Respawn Entertainment. "We're heartbroken by the passing of our founder and dear friend Vince Zampella". X (formerly Twitter).
  32. ^ @Battlefield, Battlefield. "We are heartbroken by the loss of Vince Zampella". X (formerly Twitter).
  33. ^ Mccaffrey, Ryan (December 22, 2025). "Call of Duty Co-Creator, Respawn Co-Founder, and EA Executive Vince Zampella Killed in Car Accident". IGN. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
  34. ^ @Treyarch, Treyarch. "We're deeply saddened by Vince Zampella's tragic passing. His legacy as one of the founders of Call of Duty and a legend of our industry will never be forgotten". X (formerly Twitter).
  35. ^ Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. "2026 D.I.C.E. Summit Schedule". Archived from the original on January 30, 2026. Retrieved February 26, 2026.
  36. ^ Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. "Remembering a Titan". YouTube. IGN Entertainment. Retrieved February 26, 2026.
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