Legendary video game designer Vince Zampella, co-creator of the Call of Duty franchise, tragically passed away Sunday in a car accident in southern California. Zampella, 55, most recently headed the Battlefield series at EA Games and played a crucial role in successful series like Medal of Honor, Titanfall, and Apex Legends. In 2002, he co-founded Infinity Ward with Grant Collier and Jason West, leading to the launch of Call of Duty in 2003. After Activision purchased Infinity Ward, Zampella was let go and subsequently won a lawsuit against the company regarding unpaid royalties and bonuses.

Zampella was instrumental in the creation of acclaimed Call of Duty titles, such as 2007’s Modern Warfare and 2009’s Modern Warfare 2. The franchise now comprises nearly twenty games and has reached sales of half a billion copies. In 2010, Zampella teamed up with Jason West to establish Respawn, producing two Titanfall titles before EA acquired the studio in 2017. Under EA’s umbrella, Respawn introduced Apex Legends and developed Star Wars games, including Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.

Zampella and another individual in his vehicle lost their lives on the Angeles Crest Highway north of Los Angeles in a single-car accident on Sunday afternoon. EA issued a statement to TMZ regarding Zampella’s passing, conveying their sympathies and emphasizing his significant impact on the video game industry, referring to him as a friend, associate, leader, and visionary creator whose legacy will persistently influence gaming for years to come.