Legendary Game Developer Behind Call Of Duty And Apex Legends Killed In Ferrari Crash

One of the most influential names in the FPS genre, Vince Zampella, passed away at the age of 55 on Sunday, December 21st, in a tragic car accident with one other unidentified person. Vince Zampella worked on the Medal of Honor series, which spawned Call of Duty, which spawned Battlefield and eventually Respawn's own Titanfall. Between corporate politics and the intense competition in the gaming industry, Vince Zampella was a key creator behind all of the above series, going from Electronic Arts to Activision (under Infinity Ward, which he co-founded) to co-founding Respawn, which eventually partnered again with Electronic Arts. His untimely death comes just months after the hugely successful launch of Battlefield 6.

We've actually covered Vince Zampella a few times in the past. He (correctly) stated that "the only reason Call of Duty exists is because EA were d*cks", and was outspoken in his endorsement of Battlefield 6 players buying the game from Steam instead of EA's App. But Zampella wasn't just an outspoken advocate for players and his fellow developers— he made a historic impact on the gaming industry at large, and the response to his death in the industry shows it.

In a response to the news given to IGN, Electronic Arts stated that "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."

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,… pic.twitter.com/M2NgyJRWu2

— Battlefield (@Battlefield) December 22, 2025

The X/Twitter accounts for Battlefield, Respawn Entertainment, and Apex Legends, among others, have all made statements. The most personal from an industry figure on the matter was from The Game Awards head and longtime game journalist Geoff Keighley, who called Zampella "a dear friend", an "extraordinary person", and "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". Keighley reminisced on their time together working on The Final Hours of Titanfall documentary, and mourns the loss of dinners, long conversations, and future games.

Ultimately, Keighley puts it best: "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."