SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS—On December 22, at approximately 12:45 p.m. Vince Zampella, video game giant, and co-creator of the Call of Duty games and franchise died in a fiery crash while traveling southbound on the Angeles Crest Highway near mile marker 62.7.
“For unknown reasons, the vehicle veered off the roadway, struck a concrete barrier, and became fully engulfed [in flames],” the California Highway Patrol stated.
There were two victims. The passenger was ejected from the vehicle, while the driver remained trapped. Both victims died at the scene. Their names were not initially released pending the notification of the next of kin.
Zampella, best known for his work building the “Apex Legends,” building the multi-million-dollar video game franchise, selling half a billion dollars in games with 100 million interactive players.
He started in the video game industry with shooting games in the 1990s cofounding “Infinity Ward Studio” in 2002. The first “Call of Duty” video game was launched in 2003.
