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Vince Zampella, one of the brains behind the well-known video game "Call of Duty," passed away in a traffic accident at the age of 55, industry giant Electronic Arts reported on Monday.
The developer and executive passed away on Sunday while driving his Ferrari on a highway north of Los Angeles, according to local station NBC4.
Videos of the moment of the fatal accident where Zampella lost his life are circulating on social media.
"For unknown reasons, the vehicle left the roadway, struck a concrete barrier and became completely engulfed in flames," the California Highway Patrol reported in a statement, without identifying the two victims of the accident.
The agency added that both the driver and the passenger, who was ejected from the vehicle, died as a result of their injuries.
Witnesses posted a video of the crimson red Ferrari destroyed and covered in flames on the mountain road. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.
Zampella's studios created some of the best-selling video games in the world and he was considered a pioneer in those dedicated to first-person shooters.
This year, when his video game "Battlefield 6" set a new sales record for the franchise, the producer expressed his gratitude saying he "never" took "moments like this for granted," despite his long and successful career in the industry.
That massive combat game has won over more than 100 million users over the last two decades, in its various versions.
However, that figure is not the top one. To this day, his other gem, "Call of Duty," has more than 100 million active players per month.
"You have the dream that the game will be popular, but I don't think you're ever prepared for that level of success," Zampella acknowledged to the specialized website IGN in a 2016 interview.
- Deep and transcendental -
Zampella was known for being the co-creator of the "Call of Duty" franchise and founder of Respawn Entertainment, the studio responsible for "Titanfall," "Apex Legends," and "Star Wars Jedi."
After starting in the 1990s as a shooter game designer, he co-founded Infinity Ward in 2002 and helped launch "Call of Duty" in 2003. Activision later acquired his studio.
He left that last company under controversial circumstances and founded Respawn in 2010, which Electronic Arts bought in 2017.
At EA, he ended up being in charge of revitalizing the "Battlefield" franchise, consolidating his reputation as one of the most influential figures in modern first-person shooters.
"It is an unimaginable loss, and our hearts go out to Vince's family, his loved ones, and all those whose lives he touched," Electronic Arts said in a statement.
"Vince's influence on the video game industry was profound and far-reaching," the company highlighted, adding that "his work helped shape modern interactive entertainment."
A statement from Respawn, posted on the "Battlefield" account on the social network X, praised Zampella "for how he showed up every day, trusting his teams, fostering bold ideas and believing in 'Battlefield' and the people building it."
[Publicidad]