Vince Zampella, Chairman and Co-Founder Apex Legends Respawn Entertainment and the general manager of the EA Studios group were killed in a car accident on Sunday at the NBC affiliate in Los Angeles. NBC4 reported. Zampella was 55 years old.
Zampella was reportedly involved in a car crash north of Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Mountains along with another person in the vehicle who later died at a hospital.
Electronic Arts confirmed Zampella's death in a statement provided to Polygon.
This is an unimaginable loss and our hearts go out to Vince's family, his loved ones and everyone touched by his work. Vince's influence on the video game industry was profound and far-reaching. His work as a friend, colleague, leader and visionary creator has helped shape modern interactive entertainment and inspired millions of gamers and developers around the world. His legacy will continue to shape how games are made and how players communicate for generations to come.
Zampella's nearly 30-year career in the video game industry included founding Infinity Ward in 2002, where he oversaw the creation and explosive growth of Call of Duty franchise; and founding of Respawn Entertainment, creator Apex Legendsand the Titanfall and Star Wars Jedi series. Building on their studio's success in developing AAA shooters, Zampella acquired Electronic Arts' Battlefield franchise in 2021, a decision that led to the launch this year by developers DICE and Battlefield Studios the biggest game in the series to date, Battlefield 6.
Prior to working on Call of Duty and the Titanfall franchise, Zampella worked at 2015 Inc., which developed Medal of Honor: Allied Attack for EA. Members of this team formed Infinity Ward under the leadership of Zampella's co-founders, Jason West and Grant Collier, who then went on to work on the Call of Duty franchise. Infinity Ward presented the original Call of Dutyrealistic shooter about World War II, 2003. While at Infinity Ward, Zampella served as studio head, creative director, and producer on a number of Call of Duty sequels, including the highly influential Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfarewhich pushed the franchise into a modern military setting.
Zampella and West were later fired from Activision, and the founders sued their publisher over unpaid wages, claiming billions of dollars in damages. The founders of Infinity Ward and Activision eventually came to an agreement.
After Infinity Ward, Zampella and West founded Respawn Entertainment in 2010, developing shooter games. Titanfall, Titanfall 2And Apex Legends, and adventure games Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order And Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. Based on his proven track record, EA tasked Zampella with turning around the flagging Battlefield franchise after its soft launch Battlefield 2042.
