A cause of death was revealed Tuesday for prolific video game developer Vince Zampella, who was killed in a Ferrari crash in December on Southern California’s Angeles Crest Highway.
Zampella, an giant figure in the video game industry, died from thermal injuries and smoke inhalation, according to the medical examiner’s report. Blunt trauma was listed as an other significant condition.
Zampella, 56, was an industry force whose studios created several of the world’s best-selling games. He was the former CEO of video game developers Infinity Ward, the studio behind the wildly successful “Call of Duty” franchise.
Zampella co-founded Chatsworth-based Respawn Entertainment in 2010. The studio was acquired by video game giant EA in 2017. Respawn Entertainment is best known for the video games “Titanfall,” “Titanfall 2,” “Apex Legends” and “STAR WARS Jedi: Fallen Order.”
Zampella also led an EA studio team based in Playa Vista behind the “Battlefield” video game franchise.
The single-car crash on Dec. 21 was reported on the scenic road north of Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Mountains. The 2026 Ferrari 296 GTS veered off the road just after exiting a tunnel, hit a concrete barrier and a passenger was ejected, the California Highway Patrol said.
The driver, Zampella, was trapped in the ensuing car fire and died at the scene, the CHP said. The passenger later died at a hospital.
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