Vince Zampella (born 1970) is an American video game designer best known for being a co-founder and former studio head of Infinity Ward and the current head of Respawn Entertainment and Ripple Effect Studios.[4][5]
Vince Zampella | |
|---|---|
 Zampella in 2019.[1] | |
| Born | 1970 (aged 54)[2] |
| Occupation(s) | Head of Respawn Entertainment and Ripple Effect Studios Executive Vice President of Electronic Arts |
| Notable work | Call of Duty Medal of Honor: Allied Assault |
| Title | Founder of Infinity Ward and Respawn Entertainment |
| Children | 3[3] |
Career
editEarly career
editFollowing his "unsuccessful" enrollment at Broward College (at the time known as Broward Community College,[6]) Zampella worked as a handyman. A friend of his helped him get a job at a local game company, where he answered phones and tested new releases. In a 1997 interview with Gamezilla, Zampella said he "started out in graphic design and digital video at GameTek, then went to Atari to help launch its PC division" sometime prior to 1997.[7] Zampella also worked at Panasonic Interactive Media/Ripcord Games and SegaSoft, where he met Jason West, whom he would later pair with to found Infinity Ward.[2][8]
Zampella worked at 2015 from 1999-2002, during which he was credited as the lead designer for the critically acclaimed Medal of Honor: Allied Assault.[9] After Allied Assault's success, Zampella and Grant Collier founded Infinity Ward, where they began further Medal of Honor work.[5]
Infinity Ward
editShortly after Infinity Ward's creation, Electronic Arts decided to move Medal of Honor development in-house, and Infinity Ward took a deal with Activision to create a new game, codenamed "MOH Killer".[10] "MOH Killer" became Call of Duty, and Activision acquired Infinity Ward shortly after the game's release. At the same time, Zampella and fellow IW employee Jason West signed long-term employment contracts with Activision.[11] Under Zampella's and West's leadership, Infinity Ward released Call of Duty 2, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
Respawn Entertainment and EA
editMonths after the successful release of Modern Warfare 2, Zampella and Jason West were fired by Activision and denied the "$36 million in bonuses and royalties they’d been expecting". The pair sued Activision for wrongful termination that week and founded Respawn Entertainment the next month. During the years-long Activision suit, Zampella and West went on to demand $1 billion in damages from Activision, up from an initial $36 million. Other former IW employees also joined the suit. Activision eventually paid the other ex-IW employees $42 million, and paid West and Zampella "a settlement thought to be in the tens of millions of dollars".
In April 2010, the pair founded Respawn Entertainment, and signed with Electronic Arts for the release of their next game.[12] West left Respawn in March 2013.[13] The studio then released two Titanfall games, and it was acquired by EA in November 2017.[14] Under EA, the studio then released games such as Apex Legends, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
In January 2020, EA announced that Zampella will lead the Los Angeles branch of DICE.[15] In 2021, EA put Zampella in charge of the Battlefield franchise following the "challenging" launch of Battlefield 2042 and the departure of Oskar Gabrielson, general manager of DICE.[16] DICE LA was renamed as Ripple Effect Studios in July 2018.[17]
Personal life
editIn a 2001 interview, Zampella described himself as having "always been an avid computer user and gamer". He was a casual Counter-Strike player at the time.[18]
According to TMZ, Zampella's wife Brigitte filed for divorce in 2015. They are reported as having 3 children together at the time.[3]
References
edit- ^ Takahashi, Dean. "Respawn's Vince Zampella interview — Why you won't see Titans in Apex Legends". VentureBeat. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ a b Chafkin, Max (11 June 2013). "Modern Warfare". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on 2024-08-22. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ a b "Call of Duty Creator's Wife Files for Mega-Divorce". TMZ. 23 December 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-12-23. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ Bailey, Kat. "Exclusive: Vince Zampella Confirms Next Battlefield Will Use Modern Setting, First Concept Art Revealed". IGN. Archived from the original on 2024-09-19. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ a b McWhertor, Michael (22 December 2010). "The Modern Warfare Fight: Your Guide to Activision Vs. Infinity Ward". Kotaku. Archived from the original on 2018-12-18. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ History of the College - Broward College, archived from the original on June 4, 2024, retrieved September 22, 2024
- ^ Eatough, Mitch. "Interview with Vince Zampella, Baldies Producer". Gamezilla. Archived from the original on 2002-02-02. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "Bangai-O Spirits Elite Design Contest". IGN. September 3, 2006. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
- ^ Smith, Ed (June 10, 2016). "Why 2002 Was Possibly the Most Important Year in Video Gaming History". Vice. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
- ^ "The Medal of Honor killer: A Call of Duty story". MCV. 15 May 2019. Archived from the original on 2024-07-30. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "Activision Acquires Infinity Ward Developer Of Critically Acclaimed PC Game Call Of Duty™". investor.activision.com. Archived from the original on 2024-05-25. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ Pham, Alex; Ben Fritz (April 12, 2010). "Jason West and Vincent Zampella's new call of duty". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 13, 2010. Retrieved May 21, 2010.
- ^ Crecente, Brian (March 3, 2013). "Respawn Entertainment co-founder Jason West retires". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on March 7, 2013. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
- ^ McWhertor, Michael (November 9, 2017). "EA to acquire Titanfall developer Respawn". Polygon. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
- ^ Shanley, Patrick (January 2, 2020). "Respawn Entertainment Co-Founder Vince Zampella to Head DICE's L.A.-Based Game Studio". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
- ^ Pereira, Chris; Makuch, Eddie (December 2, 2021). "Battlefield Franchise Undergoes Major Shake-Up". GameSpot. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ Phillips, Tom (July 8, 2021). "Battlefield developer DICE LA renamed to Ripple Effect Studios". Eurogamer. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
- ^ "Medal of Honor Interview". Evil Avatar. Archived from the original on 2001-03-31. Retrieved 19 September 2024.