Vince Zampella (X.com/Battlefield)
Vince Zampella, the pioneering video game designer best known as co-creator of the Call of Duty franchise, has died at age 55 in a tragic high-speed car crash in Southern California, authorities confirmed.
A report published in News.com.au stated that the single-vehicle collision occurred around 12:45 p.m. Sunday on Angeles Crest Highway north of Los Angeles when the 2026 Ferrari 296 GTS Zampella was driving veered off the road shortly after exiting a tunnel, struck a concrete barrier and erupted into flames.
A witness-captured video of the crash shows the red Ferrari speeding out of the tunnel before the violent impact.
According to California Highway Patrol there was another person in the car at the time of crash who was thrown out due to the heavy impact. He was taken to the hospital and died there.
Zampella, who has left a big legacy behind him in the gaming industry, co-founded Infinity Ward and helped launch Call of Duty in 2003, shaping modern first-person shooters. He later co-founded Respawn Entertainment, responsible for hits like Titanfall, Apex Legends and Star Wars Jedi, and was a senior figure at Electronic Arts.