The gaming industry is mourning the sudden death of Vince Zampella, the brilliant mind behind the Call of Duty franchise and a co-founder of Respawn Entertainment. The 55-year-old game developer perished in a catastrophic Ferrari crash on a scenic mountain road near Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon. His loss marks a significant moment for the interactive entertainment world.
Electronic Arts (EA), a company with which Zampella had deep ties, issued a statement on Monday confirming his death and reflecting on his legacy. “This is an unimaginable loss,” the company stated, “and Vince Zampella was for us, and I’m sure for many others, a visionary creator whose work has shaped the world of interactive entertainment as we know it today.”
Disturbing video evidence circulating widely captures the moments before and during the fatal incident. The footage shows a bright red 2026 Ferrari 296 GTS exiting a tunnel along the Angeles Crest Highway in the San Gabriel Mountains. Almost immediately, the high-performance vehicle loses traction, spinning erratically before violently striking a concrete barrier. The car then ignites in a devastating fireball.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) has released preliminary details of the accident, which took place on December 21 at 12:45 p.m. The collision’s intensity resulted in a passenger being ejected from the car. Both Zampella, who was operating the vehicle, and his passenger tragically passed away from their injuries. The CHP is actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash to ascertain whether speed, road conditions, or mechanical failure played a role.