We have some very sad news to report on this evening, as it's emerged that legendary game designer Vince Zampella — the figurehead behind some of the most influential first-person shooters of the last two decades — has suddenly died in a car accident aged 55.
As reported on by NBC, Zampella passed away on Sunday, December 21st in Southern California. The southbound car, a Ferrari, "veered off the road, hit a concrete barrier and a passenger was ejected", the California Highway Patrol said. Both the driver and passenger are reported to have died.
Zampella was the lead designer on some of the biggest and most critically acclaimed AAA video games since the turn of the millennium. He lead development on 2002's Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, Call of Duty's Infinity Ward team for releases from 2003 through 2009, the Titanfall franchise, Apex Legends, the Star Wars Jedi series and more. His most recent contribution to the industry was heading up Battlefield Studios on 2025's smash hit, Battlefield 6.