Call of Duty co-creator Vince Zampella dies: the video game industry has lost one of its key developers
23 December 21:05
Vince Zampella, one of the developers of the Call of Duty game series, died in a car accident in California. He was 55 years old. The death was confirmed by Electronic Arts, which owns the game studio co-founded by Zampella. This was reported by the BBC, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
What is known
According to police, the accident occurred on December 21 on a Los Angeles highway. The Ferrari sports car in which Zampella was traveling drove off the road, crashed into a concrete fence and caught fire.
There was another person in the car, but law enforcement officials have not yet specified who was driving and what caused the accident.
Who is Vince Zampella?
Vince Zampella was one of the key figures in the modern video game industry. In 2003, he, together with Jason West and Grant Collier, created the first part of Call of Duty, a shooter inspired by the events of World War II.
The game quickly became a global hit and marked the beginning of one of the most successful franchises in the history of the gaming industry: total sales of the series exceeded half a billion copies.
Why Call of Duty has become a phenomenon
In the next installments of the series, the developers shifted the focus from historical events to modern military conflicts, which allowed the game to remain relevant and expand its audience. Call of Duty has become not only a commercial success, but also a cultural phenomenon – its influence has gone beyond gaming. A feature film based on the game is being developed by Paramount Pictures.
Other projects and legacy
Call of Duty was not Zampella’s only major project. He led the development of a number of other well-known games, including Apex Legends, Titanfall, Medal of Honor, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. These projects cemented his reputation as one of the most influential game producers and designers of his generation.
