Vince Zampella, co-creator of the Call of Duty franchise and founder of Respawn Entertainment, has passed away aged 55.
A report from NBC4 stated that two people, which included Zampella, passed away while driving out of a tunnel in Los Angeles’ San Gabriel Mountains before colliding with a barrier.
Zampella is widely regarded as a pioneer of the first-person shooter genre, co-founding the Call of Duty franchise at Infinity Ward. During his time at the studio, he played an integral role in the development of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and 2009’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
In 2010, Zampella founded Respawn Entertainment alongside Infinity Ward co-founder Jason West. The studio launched two Titanfall games before Electronic Arts (EA) acquired the studio in 2017. Under EA, the studio launched battle royale title Apex Legends, which has continued to be a prominent esports title over the years.
After the successful formation of Infinity Ward and Respawn Entertainment, Zampella became the head of DICE‘s Los Angeles-based studio known as Ripple Effect Studios. He spearheaded the development of Battlefield 6, a title that received award nominations following a promising launch.
On social media, Respawn Entertainment commented: “We’re heartbroken by the passing of our founder and dear friend Vince Zampella.
“Vince was a titan and legend of this industry, a visionary leader and a force who shaped teams and games like Call of Duty, Titanfall, Apex Legends, the Star Wars Jedi series and Battlefield for our community in ways that will be felt for generations.”
Zampella’s Esports Impact
While Zampella is best known for his time spearheading the development of several iconic titles, he also played a role in assisting the growth of Call of Duty esports in its infancy.
“In 2008 when COD esports was just beginning, I invited some devs from Infinity Ward to watch me play at the MLG Vegas National Championship,” revealed ENVY founder Mike ‘Hastr0’ Rufail.
“Vince Zampella and Jason West showed up with many of their devs, and I had my first-ever cheering section while I competed. Soon after, MLG and Activision were working together, and the rest is history. Vince Zampella was one of the champions for COD esports, and it really impacted me when I heard he had passed.”
Known for his role in founding some of the biggest studios in gaming, Zampella will be remembered fondly for his lasting legacy on the first-person shooter genre.
Esports Insider extends its condolences to Zampella’s family and friends.
The post Call of Duty co-creator Vince Zampella passes away aged 55 appeared first on Esports Insider.
