‘Call of Duty’ video game co-creator Vince Zampella passes away

Vince Zampella, co-creator of the "Call of Duty" video game franchise, died on Sunday after a car accident in California, according to US media reports. He was 55.

Zampella, who led game developer Respawn Entertainment and co-founded Infinity Ward, was killed in a single-vehicle crash around 12:45 pm, NBC Los Angeles reported.

The report said Zampella was travelling in a Ferrari when the vehicle lost control shortly after exiting a tunnel and slammed into a concrete barrier. The California Highway Patrol confirmed that a passenger was killed in the crash, though the victim's identity was not immediately disclosed.

Authorities later said Zampella, who was behind the wheel, became trapped when a fire broke out at the crash site.

Zampella co-created the blockbuster first-person shooter "Call of Duty" with Jason West and Grant Collier, who established Infinity Ward in 2002 to develop the original title. He later played a key role in shaping some of the franchise's most successful releases, including "Modern Warfare" (2007) and "Modern Warfare 2" (2009).

"Beyond Call of Duty", Zampella contributed to several major projects at other game studios, such as "Medal of Honor" and "Titanfall".

After beginning his career in the video game industry in the mid-1990s, Zampella was recently elevated to oversee EA Games' military shooter franchise, "Battlefield". The sixth instalment of the series was released in October this year.

In 2010, he founded Respawn Entertainment under EA Games, where the studio went on to develop the widely popular Titanfall franchise and the hit shooter Apex Legends.

Zampella also filed a lawsuit against "Call of Duty" publisher Activision alongside fellow Infinity Ward developers, alleging unpaid royalties. Over the years, the "Call of Duty" franchise has sold more than 500 million copies worldwide.

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The franchise consists of 23 mainline titles. The series is known for its military-focused narratives, often set during World War II, the Cold War, and modern or near-future conflicts, with stories revolving around special forces missions, covert operations, and global threats across different regions and eras.