Vince Zampella, a pioneering force in the video game industry whose work defined the modern military shooter, has died at the age of 55. The co-creator of the landmark Call of Duty series passed away following a car accident in Los Angeles.
Zampella’s career began in the 1990s with various roles at a developer specializing in quiz show adaptations. His breakthrough came as lead designer on Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, a title celebrated for its cinematic intensity and immersive depiction of World War II, most notably in its harrowing recreation of the D-Day landings.
Following that success, Zampella co-founded Infinity Ward. There, he helped launch the Call of Duty franchise, which sought to surpass its predecessor by portraying the war as a broader allied effort, shifting players between American, British, and Soviet perspectives. This focus on large-scale, squad-based combat became a hallmark of the series.
The designer’s most seismic impact came with 2007’s Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Moving the action to a contemporary setting, it combined a gripping, globetrotting campaign with a revolutionary multiplayer mode that introduced concepts like kill-streak rewards. Its foundational systems continue to influence the genre today.
After a high-profile departure from Activision in 2010, Zampella co-founded Respawn Entertainment. The studio’s debut, Titanfall, reimagined movement in shooters with its fluid parkour and pilotable mechs. Its sequel is still hailed for its exceptional single-player narrative. Respawn later found massive success with the free-to-play battle royale Apex Legends and delivered critically acclaimed entries in the Star Wars universe with the Jedi series.
In recent years, Zampella was tasked with revitalizing the Battlefield franchise, a challenge he met with the commercially and critically successful Battlefield 6.
Colleagues and peers have remembered Zampella not only as a gifted designer and leader who championed creative talent, but as a staunch advocate for players and a respected mentor within the industry. His body of work, spanning military, sci-fi, and fantasy genres, leaves a lasting legacy on interactive entertainment.