Battlefield head, Call of Duty co-creator, and Respawn CEO Vince Zampella has died

Vince Zampella, the head of Respawn Entertainment and overseer of the Battlefield franchise, has died.

As reported by NBC Los Angeles, the former Infinity Ward co-founder and Call of Duty co-creator died in a car crash on Southern California’s Angeles Crest Highway.

The car reportedly veered off the road in the San Gabriel Mountains and hit a concrete barrier, after which it caught fire. The driver was trapped in the fire, while a passenger was ejected from the car as a result of the crash.

The driver died at the scene, and the passenger died at the hospital, NBC reports. It’s not confirmed whether Zampella was the driver or the passenger, and the identity of the other person in the car has not yet been confirmed.

It is not yet known what led to the crash, but NBC reports that a witness provided video of the crash, which involved a 2026 Ferrari 296 GTS, to authorities investigating the incident.

A spokesperson for Electronic Arts said: “This is an unimaginable loss, and our hearts are with Vince’s family, his loved ones, and all those touched by his work. Vince’s influence on the video game industry was profound and far-reaching.

“A friend, colleague, leader and visionary creator, his work helped shape modern interactive entertainment and inspired millions of players and developers around the world. His legacy will continue to shape how games are made and how players connect for generations to come.”

Zampella started his career as a graphic designer in the 90s, eventually working for game companies such as Atari and Sega. His big break came at 2015, Inc, where he was the lead designer of the critically acclaimed Electronic Arts first-person shooter, Medal of Honor: Allied Assault.

After its release, Zampella co-founded Infinity Ward with Grant Collier and Jason West, and signed a publishing agreement with Activision with the aim of creating a first-person shooter that would surpass the Medal of Honor series.

The result was the blockbuster Call of Duty franchise, and Zampella would continue to lead Infinity Ward as the studio released numerous entries in the series, up to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 in 2009.

Zampella’s relationship with the series would last less than a decade, however, and following a high-profile dispute with Activision, which saw Zampella and West fired and denied bonuses for Modern Warfare 2, they formed Respawn Entertainment in 2010. The studio would go on to release Titanfall, Titanfall 2, Apex Legends, and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order with their former publisher, Electronic Arts.

Respawn was acquired by EA in 2017, and Zampella took on leadership of another EA-owned studio, the LA arm of DICE, in 2020, before being chosen to oversee the Battlefield series in 2021, following the disappointing release of Battlefield 2042.

The result of Zampella’s leadership was Battlefield 6, which released earlier this year and sold over 7 million copies in its first three days, making it the biggest launch in the series’ history.

“We never take moments like this for granted, so I want to express our sincere gratitude to our global Battlefield Studios and passionate community that has helped get us to this point,” Zampella said in a statement after the game’s launch. “We appreciate you joining us for Battlefield 6’s momentous launch. We have so much more to come in the weeks ahead.”

Reacting to the news on X, The Game Awards producer Geoff Keighley – who called Zampella a “dear friend” – wrote: “Vince was an extraordinary person – a gamer at heart, but also a visionary executive with a rare ability to recognize talent and give people the freedom and confidence to create something truly great.

“I saw that up close while writing The Final Hours of Titanfall. I’ll always be deeply grateful that he trusted me to tell the story of the company’s founding. Even when it was difficult or uncomfortable, Vince never wavered in his commitment to honesty and transparency. He believed that the truth mattered, and he was willing to share it with the world.

“Vince cared deeply about doing the right thing. And even while working inside large organizations, he consistently pushed to put players first — to prioritize the experience, the craft, and the people who played the games.

“He leaves behind an incredible legacy of work. I’ll miss our dinners and long conversations. And while he created some of the most influential games of our time, I always felt he still had his greatest one ahead of him. It’s heartbreaking that we’ll never get to play it.”