Important Game Creator Dies in Car Accident
Vince Zampella, a very important person in video games and a co-creator of the famous Call of Duty series, has died at 55 years old. He died after a car crash in Southern California on Angeles Crest Highway.
Police said the accident happened on Sunday afternoon. The Ferrari car he was driving went off the road after leaving a tunnel. It hit a concrete barrier and then caught fire. Mr. Zampella died right there. A passenger in the car also died later in the hospital.
The California Highway Patrol reported the crash around 12:45 pm in the mountains north of Los Angeles. Investigators said the car drove off the curvy two-lane road. They are still trying to find out why the crash happened, and the investigation is ongoing.
About Vince Zampella
Vince Zampella was best known as the former head of Infinity Ward, the company that made Call of Duty games. He helped start Infinity Ward in 2002. He played a big part in creating some of the most important games in the series, such as:
- Modern Warfare (2007)
- Modern Warfare 2 (2009)
These games changed how "first-person shooter" games and online multiplayer games were made.
In 2010, Mr. Zampella also helped start Respawn Entertainment, which was later bought by Electronic Arts (EA). At Respawn, he helped create many popular games:
- Titanfall
- Titanfall 2
- The hit battle-royale game Apex Legends
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
In recent years, he also led EA teams working on the long-running Battlefield game series.
His Impact on Gaming
EA said that Mr. Zampella's impact was "huge and lasting." They called him a creator with great ideas whose work shaped modern video games and inspired millions of players and game makers worldwide. His friends and game critics praised his leadership, his humble nature, and how much he focused on making games fun for players.
For over 30 years, Mr. Zampella helped define how popular shooter games looked, felt, and worked. His influence can be seen in many successful game series, from the movie-like battles in Call of Duty to the smooth movement and stories in Respawn's games.
As many people continue to share good memories of him, the gaming world is thinking about his impact. His legacy will keep shaping how games are made and played for many years.
