CHP confirmed the vehicle in the video matches the car Zampella died in.
The driver became stuck in the fiery car after it crashed and died on the scene, authorities said. The passenger was ejected from the vehicle and died later at the hospital.
The vehicle swerved off the winding mountain road at around 12:45 p.m. on Sunday, struck rocks and burst into flames as it travelled southbound.
The Angeles Crest Highway — located in the San Gabriel Mountains — is a 66-mile stretch of two-lane road with some sections reaching higher than 7,000 feet.
Zampella, the 55-year-old gaming titan, whose work helped define modern first-person shooters, died in the fiery crash alongside a passenger, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Zampella’s passing reverberated across the gaming community and beyond — a stark reminder that even the creators of fantasy worlds and digital battles are not immune to real-world tragedy.
Zampella’s influence on gaming spans more than two decades. He first made his mark co-founding Infinity Ward in 2002, the studio that would go on to create Call of Duty — a franchise that has become a cultural and commercial powerhouse in the video game industry.
After departing Infinity Ward, he co-founded Respawn Entertainment in 2010, where he continued shaping blockbuster hits like the Titanfall series, Apex Legends and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.
Under his leadership, Respawn became a major force under the umbrella of Electronic Arts following its acquisition in 2017.
Game Awards host Geoff Keighley called Zampella a “dear friend” who “never wavered in his commitment to honesty and transparency”.
“While he created some of the most influential games of our time, I always felt he still had his greatest one ahead of him. It’s heartbreaking that we’ll never get to play it,” Keighley wrote on X.
Infinity Ward said Zampella “will always have a special place in our history”.
“Your legacy of creating iconic, lasting entertainment is immeasurable,” read a statement from the company on X.
Infinity Ward said Zampella “will always have a special place in our history”.
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