Vince Zampella, co-creator of Call of Duty and founder of Respawn Entertainment, has died in a car accident near Los Angeles.
LOS ANGELES: Vince Zampella, the acclaimed co-creator of the video game juggernaut Call of Duty, has died in a car crash.
Gaming giant Electronic Arts confirmed the death on Monday.
According to local broadcaster NBC4, the developer and executive died on Sunday while driving his Ferrari on a scenic road north of Los Angeles.
“For unknown reasons, the vehicle veered off the roadway, struck a concrete barrier, and became fully engulfed,” the California Highway Patrol said in a statement.
The CHP did not identify the two victims in the crash.
It added that both the driver and a passenger who was ejected from the vehicle succumbed to their injuries.
Zampella was best known for co-creating the *Call of Duty* franchise and founding Respawn Entertainment.
His studio was behind titles including *Titanfall*, *Apex Legends*, and the *Star Wars Jedi* games.
After starting as a designer in the 1990s, 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.
“This is an unimaginable loss, and our hearts are with Vince’s family, his loved ones, and all those touched by his work,” Electronic Arts said in a statement.
The company added that his influence on the video game industry was profound and far-reaching.
A statement by Respawn, posted on the *Battlefield* X account, praised Zampella for trusting his teams and encouraging bold ideas.
Zampella championed what he believed was right for the people behind those studios and the players, it said.
