Vince Zampella, one of the creators behind the Call of Duty games franchise, has sadly died at the age of 55.
Video game maker Electronic Arts (EA), which produces the popular series, said the 55-year-old died on Sunday but did not disclose a cause of death.
However, numerous reports have since emerged that he died in a car crash in Southern California.
According to NBC Los Angeles, Zampella was involved in a single-vehicle collision involving a Ferrari that occurred in the San Gabriel Mountains at about 12.45pm local time.
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"For unknown reasons, the vehicle veered off the roadway, struck a concrete barrier, and became fully engulfed," the California Highway Patrol said in a statement, while revealing the vehicle had burst into flames upon impact.
According to the BBC, officials said the person on the vehicle's passenger seat was ejected while the driver remained trapped.
It is unclear if Zampella was driving the car and who the other person inside was; however, both tragically died at the scene.
Zampella was a titan of the video game industry and founded Respawn Entertainment, a subsidiary of EA, in 2010.
He was also notably the former chief executive of video game developer Infinity Ward, the studio behind the Call of Duty franchise.
Reflecting on his legacy, a spokesperson for EA Games described Zampella’s contribution to the industry as ‘far-reaching and profound’ before revealing how his contribution to the industry would continue to shape the future of game development.
"A friend, colleague, leader and visionary creator, his work helped shape modern interactive entertainment and inspired millions of players and developers around the world," the spokesperson added.
"His legacy will continue to shape how games are made and how players connect for generations to come."
Easily one of the most popular game franchises in the world, Call of Duty cemented its place in history as one of the most beloved first-person shooters.
Boasting a massive global reach with over 100 million monthly active users across its franchise, it even recently hit 250 million annual players in recent reports.
Upon launch back in 2003, the game was originally designed around World War II, but more recent updates to the franchise have seen it expand and evolve into modern warfare, too.
It is understood that a movie adaptation is also currently in the works.
Yet while Call of Duty is by far Zampella’s most recognisable work, it isn’t the only much-loved game he worked on, as he was also at the helm of the creation of action-adventure video games Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
He was also behind other widely popular games, including the Medal of Honor, Titanfall, and Apex Legend.
Topics: Call of Duty, Call of Duty: Warzone, Gaming
Phoebe Tonks