Tributes pour in for FPS "visionary" Vince Zampella, co-creator of Call of Duty and Titanfall, who has died

Vince Zampella, best known for co-creating the Call of Duty and Titanfall series, has died at the age of 55. As a co-founder of both Infinity Ward and Respawn Entertainment, his impact on the medium of videogames cannot be understated. Under his leadership, Infinity Ward produced Call of Duty 2, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Similarly, he steered Respawn to enormous success as it created the Titanfall duology, Apex Legends, and the Star Wars Jedi series. Most recently, Zampella took charge of the Battlefield franchise after 2042's challenging launch. He shepherded the series to release Battlefield 6, widely regarded as a return to form and one of 2025's best-selling titles. He will be remembered for helping create some of the best FPS games ever made.

This includes, in my opinion, the greatest FPS level ever made. The entire Titanfall 2 campaign is flawless, but I replayed the mission Effect and Cause last night and nothing released before or since can top its time-jumping, wall-running action.

Tributes have poured in for the games veteran, including from his former workplaces, colleagues, and other industry legends.

The Game Awards founder Geoff Keighley calls Zampella "a titan of the video game industry," a "visionary," and "an extraordinary person."

"While he created some of the most influential games of our time, I always felt he still had his greatest one ahead of him," Keighley writes on X. "It's heartbreaking that we'll never get to play it."

Ed Boon, co-creator of Mortal Kombat, calls Zampella a "legend in gaming."

Hideo Kojima also pays tribute, saying, "I honestly don't have the words. It's far too soon. This is heartbreaking." The Metal Gear creator remembers Zampella being there for him when he founded Kojima Productions: "When I was preparing to go independent myself, and maybe because he felt we were in similar situations, he took the time to listen to me, offered advice, and supported me in many ways."

The studios Zampella founded and companies he worked for have also posted their tributes on X. "We are deeply grateful for his leadership, his generosity, and the care he brought to everything he touched, and we will carry that forward with us," writes the official Battlefield account.

Respawn says it is "heartbroken" by the news and calls Zampella a "titan of this industry" in a statement posted on X. "His impact reached far beyond any one game or studio. We will remember Vince for how he showed up every day, trusting his teams, encouraging bold ideas, and believing in Respawn and Battlefield. Most importantly, he championed what he believed was right for the people behind those studios and our players because it mattered."

Infinity Ward posted a statement, saying: "As one of the founders of Infinity Ward and Call of Duty, you will always have a special place in our history. Your legacy of creating iconic, lasting entertainment is immeasurable."

Other developers from these studios have also shared their stories of interactions with Zampella. Moy Parra, an animator for Apex Legends and Infinity Ward, started a thread for people to share their memories of the visionary creator. His fondest memory was words of encouragement Zampella gave him on his first day at Respawn, saying "I'm sure you'll do great." The simple gesture helped calm his anxiety, and many others feel the same.

Zampella didn't just touch the hearts of his peers. Countless players have paid their respects to a true legend of gaming. Personally, I don't think I would be writing about videogames without his work. Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer kickstarted my lifelong love of first-person shooters, and my obsession with Titanfall 2 led me to pick up Apex Legends the day it was shadowdropped back in 2019. My four-figure-hours obsession with that game kickstarted my writing career and a seven-year campaign to add good sliding mechanics to every FPS.

Zampella will be greatly missed by the gaming community, his former colleagues, and his family. But he leaves behind possibly the greatest FPS legacy this century and his influence will be felt for decades to come. "Trust me."