Russell Peters
$20 million
Vince Zampella’s net worth was estimated at $40 million at the time of his death in December 2025. Born Vincent Walter Zampella II, he was an American video game designer and executive best known for co-founding Infinity Ward and creating the Call of Duty franchise, then co-founding Respawn Entertainment — which created Titanfall and Apex Legends — before its $455 million acquisition by Electronic Arts in 2017. Zampella died on December 21, 2025, at age 55, in a car crash on Angeles Crest Highway near Los Angeles.
Updated March 2026: According to Forbes, Vince Zampella died on December 21, 2025, in a Ferrari 296 GTS crash on Angeles Crest Highway. His passenger also died. Industry tributes poured in from across the video game sector, and a memorial tribute session was held at the DICE Summit in February 2026. At the time of his death, his net worth was estimated at approximately $40 million.
Vincent Walter Zampella II was born on October 1, 1970, in the Fort Lauderdale area of Florida. Details about his formal education are limited in public records, but he entered the video game industry in the 1990s during the period when PC gaming was transitioning to mainstream consumer entertainment. He worked on early titles before co-founding Infinity Ward in 2002 with fellow developers including Jason West. The studio was formed partly with financial backing and a development deal from Activision.
Zampella co-founded Infinity Ward in 2002 and served as studio head during development of the original Call of Duty (2003), a World War II first-person shooter that sold millions of copies and launched one of gaming’s most valuable franchises. Under his direction, Infinity Ward developed Call of Duty 2 (2005) and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007), which is widely credited as one of the most influential games in the first-person shooter genre, revolutionizing multiplayer game design. Modern Warfare 2 (2009) set entertainment industry launch records at the time.
In March 2010, Activision fired Zampella and co-founder Jason West, alleging insubordination. Zampella and West filed a counter-lawsuit against Activision claiming unpaid bonuses exceeding $36 million. The dispute was settled in 2012 with undisclosed terms. Within weeks of their termination, Zampella and West co-founded Respawn Entertainment in 2010, which was funded by EA Partners. Respawn released Titanfall (2014), a critically acclaimed mech-shooter, and Titanfall 2 (2016) before launching the free-to-play battle royale Apex Legends in February 2019. Apex Legends attracted 25 million players in its first week and became one of the most-played games globally. In December 2017, Electronic Arts acquired Respawn Entertainment for $455 million, according to EA’s investor relations. Zampella remained with EA as the head of Respawn and later took on oversight of the Battlefield franchise through Ripple Effect Studios.
Vince Zampella was divorced from Brigette Zampella, with the divorce finalized in 2015. He had three children: Quentin (approximately 26 as of 2025), Kyle (approximately 22), and Courtney (approximately 19), per People. He resided in Valencia, California, where his home was estimated at approximately $5 million. Zampella died on December 21, 2025, at age 55, when the Ferrari 296 GTS he was driving crashed on Angeles Crest Highway near Los Angeles. His passenger also died in the crash. The video game industry mourned his death widely, with tributes from EA, Respawn, Activision, and peers throughout the industry. A dedicated memorial session was held at the DICE Summit in February 2026.
Vince Zampella’s net worth was estimated at approximately $40 million at the time of his death in December 2025. His wealth was built primarily through an undisclosed settlement with Activision (involving bonus claims exceeding $36 million), his equity stake in Respawn Entertainment (acquired by EA for $455 million in 2017), and his ongoing executive compensation at Electronic Arts.
Vince Zampella died on December 21, 2025, at age 55, in a car crash on Angeles Crest Highway near Los Angeles, California. He was driving a Ferrari 296 GTS when the crash occurred; a passenger also died. The video game industry held a memorial tribute for him at the DICE Summit in February 2026, per Forbes.
Vince Zampella was 55 years old at the time of his death on December 21, 2025. He was born on October 1, 1970, in the Fort Lauderdale area of Florida.
Vince Zampella co-created the Call of Duty franchise at Infinity Ward (2002–2010), including the groundbreaking Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007). After co-founding Respawn Entertainment in 2010, he oversaw the development of Titanfall (2014), Titanfall 2 (2016), and Apex Legends (2019), which attracted 25 million players in its first week.
Electronic Arts acquired Respawn Entertainment for $455 million in December 2017, per the official EA investor relations announcement. Vince Zampella co-founded Respawn in 2010 following his departure from Infinity Ward.
Vince Zampella had three children: Quentin, Kyle, and Courtney, per People. He was divorced from Brigette Zampella, with the divorce finalized in 2015.