Vince Zampella, the head of Battlefield and co-creator of the Call of Duty franchise, died in a single-car accident in Los Angeles on Sunday, according to a report by NBC Los Angeles. Zampella was 55 years old.
The report recounts the accident, stating “the single-car crash was reported at about 12:45 p.m. on the scenic road north of Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Mountains. The southbound car veered off the road, hit a concrete barrier and a passenger was ejected, the California Highway Patrol said. The driver was trapped in the ensuing car fire, the CHP said. The driver died at the scene and the passenger died at a hospital, authorities told NBC4 Investigates.”
Following the initial news report, Battlefield Studios shared the following statement on X (formerly Twitter):
“We are heartbroken by the loss of Vince Zampella, a creative leader whose work shaped generations of players and helped define what modern shooters and action games could be.”
“Across a remarkable career, Vince played a foundational role in franchises including Call of Duty, Titanfall, Apex Legends, and the Star Wars Jedi series. During his time guiding Battlefield, he led with care and purpose, always grounding decisions in what mattered most to the community and the long-term future of the franchise.
“While his impact reached far beyond any one game or studio, we will remember Vince for how he showed up every day, trusting his teams, encouraging bold ideas, and believing in Battlefield and the people building it.
“We are deeply grateful for his leadership, his generosity, and the care he brought to everything he touched, and we will carry that forward with us.”
Zampella co-created Infinity Ward in 2003 with Jason West and would go on to create legendary titles in the FPS space, including Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and its sequel. After a lawsuit against Activision pushed Zampella, West, and other employees out of Infinity Ward, he would go on to create Respawn Entertainment and lead the charge of the Battlefield series at Battlefield Studios. Titanfall, Apex Legends, Star Wars Jedi, and the recent Battlefield 6, were just a few of the major titles that Zampella helped ship.
