Sadly, the gaming world is ending the year with devastating news, as we have just lost one of the most influential figures behind the modern FPS genre.
Vince Zampella, best known as the creator of the Call of Duty franchise and the founder of Respawn Entertainment, passed away last Sunday afternoon, December 21. He was 55 years old.
According to information from NBC4 Investigates, Zampella was involved in a fatal single-car accident involving a Ferrari on Southern California's Angeles Crest Highway. The crash occurred around 12:45 p.m. on the mountain roads of the San Gabriel Mountains, north of Los Angeles.
Authorities from the California Highway Patrol stated that Zampella was in a vehicle with two occupants that veered off the road and struck a concrete barrier. The driver was trapped as the vehicle caught fire and was pronounced dead at the scene, while the passenger was ejected from the car and later passed away at a hospital.
The exact cause of the accident is not yet known, and investigators are currently reviewing witness footage of the 2026 Ferrari 296 GTS involved in the crash to determine the circumstances.
The Architect of the Modern First-Person Shooter
Vince Zampella’s...
