Call of Duty co-creator Vince Zampella has died after being involved in a car crash on Sunday (21 December).
The 55-year-old was said to be driving his Ferrari on Southern California's Angeles Crest Highway, when the car 'veered off the roadway, struck a concrete barrier, and became fully engulfed,' according to California Highway Patrol. The crash occurred in the San Gabriel Mountains at around 12.45pm (PST).
Local reports also claim an unnamed passenger was ejected from the car. The vehicle is also believed to have caught fire on impact.
According to NBC Los Angeles, authorities said that Zampella was trapped in the fire, dying at the scene, whereas the other passenger died at the hospital.
Zampella is famed for his work on the Call of Duty and Battlefield franchises, and in 2010, he founded Respawn Entertainment, a subsidiary of Electronic Arts (EA).
A spokesperson for EA described his influence on the video game industry as 'profound and far-reaching'.
“A friend, colleague, leader and visionary creator, his work helped shape modern interactive entertainment and inspired millions of players and developers around the world," they said in a statement.
“His legacy will continue to shape how games are made and how players connect for generations to come.”
He was also the father of three adult children, Quentin, 26, Kyle, 22, and Courtney, 19, whom he shared with his ex-wife, Brigitte.
His youngest child, Courtney, has shared an emotional tribute to her father on social media.
She shared an old photo of herself and her dad when she was a child, with the caption: "My best friend, forever and always."
One of his most notable contributions to the gaming world was his pioneering work on first-person military shooter-style games. The first is the original Call of Duty title, which appeared in 2003 as a World War II simulation and sold more than 500 million copies worldwide.
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Following its huge success, Zampella and his co-creators, Jason West and Grant Collier, expanded the franchise to 20 main titles, and a live-action movie based on the game is currently in production by Paramount Pictures.
Call of Duty wasn't his only successful franchise, as he also had a hand in other games, like Medal of Honor, Titanfall, and Apex Legends. He also helped create two Star Wars video games, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
Geoff Keighley, co-creator of The Game Awards, described Zampella as 'an extraordinary person.'
“Vince was an extraordinary person — a gamer at heart, but also a visionary executive with a rare ability to recognise talent and give people the freedom and confidence to create something truly great," he wrote in an emotional tribute on social media.
"And while he created some of the most influential games of our time, I always felt he still had his greatest one ahead of him. It’s heartbreaking that we’ll never get to play it."
Featured Image Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty ImagesTopics: US News, Gaming, Call of Duty
Emma Rosemurgey