Vince Zampella, video game pioneer behind ‘Call of Duty,’ dies at 55

Vincent Zampella, one of the creators of successful video games like “Call of Duty,” has died at 55

Vince Zampella, one of the creators of hit video games such as “Call of Duty,” has died. He was 55 years old.

Video game company Electronic Arts said Zampella died on Sunday. The company did not disclose the cause of death.

In 2010, Zampella founded Respawn Entertainment, a subsidiary of EA, and he was also the former CEO of video game developer Infinity Ward, the studio behind the hit “Call of Duty” franchise.

An Electronic Arts spokesperson said in a statement Monday that Zampella’s influence on the video game industry was “deep and far-reaching.”

“Friend, colleague, leader and visionary creator, his work helped shape modern interactive entertainment and inspired millions of gamers and developers around the world. His legacy will continue to shape the way games are made and the way players connect for generations to come,” a company spokesperson wrote.

One of Zampella’s major achievements was the creation of the Call of Duty franchise, which has sold over half a billion games worldwide,

The first-person shooter debuted in 2003 as a World War II simulation and has sold more than 500 million copies worldwide. Later releases delved into modern warfare and there is a live-action film based on the game in production with Paramount Pictures.

In recent years, Zampella spearheaded the creation of the action adventure video games Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.