NBC4 Investigates has learned that video game developer Vince Zampella was killed in a Ferrari accident on the Angeles Crest Highway in Southern California on Sunday afternoon. His studios have been responsible for the creation of a number of the best-selling games in the world. Zampella, an acclaimed figure in the video game industry, is the head of Respawn Entertainment.
The prolific designer was the former CEO of Infinity Ward, the studio that developed the popular “Call of Duty” series of video games. The single-car crash was reported at about 12:45 p.m. on the scenic road north of Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Mountains. According to the California Highway Patrol, the southbound Ferrari veered off the road shortly after exiting a tunnel, struck a concrete barrier, and a passenger was thrown from the vehicle.
The driver, Zampella, was trapped in the ensuing car fire, the CHP said. NBC4 Investigates was informed by authorities that the passenger passed away in a hospital while he was still alive. Details about the passenger’s identity were not immediately available.
Details about what led to the crash off the winding forest road overlooking Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley also were not immediately available. A witness provided video of the crash involving a 2026 Ferrari 296 GTS to authorities that shows the red car slamming into the barrier just after exiting the tunnel.
The six-figure, mid-engine sports car powered by a hybrid twin-turbo V-6 is capable of 819-plus horsepower.
Zampella, 55, co-founded Chatsworth-based Respawn Entertainment in 2010. The studio was acquired by video game giant EA in 2017. Respawn Entertainment is best known for the video games “Titanfall,” “Titanfall 2,” “Apex Legends” and “STAR WARS Jedi: Fallen Order.”
“He really knew how to create stories and create experiences that really hit at the heart of the human experience, whether it’s terror, dread, heroism,” said Washington Post video game critic Gene Park, who has met Zampella. “I think he was really able to kind of encapsulate that through the designs of the video games he made.
“He was a very, very humble person. He was very well aware of the impact that he made on people, and he never took it for granted.”
Zampella also led an EA studio team based in Playa Vista behind the “Battlefield” video game franchise.
EA referred to Zampella’s influence on the video game industry as “profound and far-reaching” in a statement. “This is an unimaginable loss, and our hearts are with Vince’s family, his loved ones, and all those touched by his work,” EA said in the statement.
“Vince’s influence on the video game industry was profound and far-reaching. His work shaped contemporary interactive entertainment and inspired millions of players and developers worldwide. He was a friend, coworker, leader, and visionary creator. His legacy will continue to shape how games are made and how players connect for generations to come.”
The Zampella family has been contacted by NBCLA for comment. Additionally, NBCLA has contacted Respawn Entertainment.
