Hideo Kojima says he talked to Vince Zampella about making a Metal Gear shooter at Respawn
Kojima and other industry leaders mourned the Call of Duty co-creator at DICE
Hideo Kojima has claimed that he and Call of Duty co-creator Vince Zampella once discussed making a Metal Gear shooter at Respawn.
Speaking during a video package at DICE 2026 during a ‘Remembering A Titan’ keynote on Zampella’s life and work, Kojima said the conversations took place following the launch of Metal Gear Solid 4 in 2008.
In 2010, Zampella and Jason West were fired from Call of Duty maker Infinity Ward and set up Titanfall and Apex Legends studio Respawn.
The Metal Gear shooter discussed with Kojima was one of the options being considered as Respawn was being founded, the Death Stranding designer said.
When Kojima himself went independent to build Kojima Productions, he said he sought Zampella’s advice about setting up his own studio after his experiences at Respawn.
“Without him, the gaming industry wouldn’t be what it is today,” said Kojima of Zampella.
Kojima was paying tribute to Zampella alongside Phil Spencer, Geoff Keighley, Laura Miele, Todd Howard, Randy Pitchford, Ted Price and many more, who talked about Zampella’s impact on their work, their lives and the industry in general.
Respawn founder Vince Zampella tragically died in a car accident in December. Zampella was one of the most prominent figures in video games, best known for his significant influence on the first-person shooter genre.
Notably, he led Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, co-created Call of Duty and Modern Warfare, and his studio Respawn created Titanfall and Apex Legends. Most recently, he oversaw the critically acclaimed Battlefield 6.
At the DICE event, EA Entertainment president Laura Miele said Zameplla “changed how games are made” and “more importantly, how people are treated while making them”.
Xbox boss Phil Spencer also appeared on stage and said (as transcribed by Game File): “He was always able to work with the team, to set the bar even higher, and inspire such great work.”
Bethesda game designer Todd Howard called Zampella “the real deal” when describing their friendship. “I would always seek his advice with every game that I did, or how to maneuver on all that is going on in the industry.”
