He also worked at Panasonic Interactive Media/Ripcord Games and SegaSoft, where he met Jason West. Together with West and Grant Collier, Zampella later founded Infinity Ward.
In September 1999, Zampella moved from Silicon Valley to work for 2015 Inc. in Tulsa, Oklahoma. By 2001, he had become the company’s director of development.
During this period, he was credited as the lead designer of Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, a game that received widespread critical acclaim. He continued to contribute to subsequent Medal of Honor titles.
Shortly after Infinity Ward was established, Electronic Arts decided to bring Medal of Honor development in-house. Infinity Ward then partnered with Activision to develop a new game under the codename “MOH Killer,” which later became Call of Duty.
Activision acquired Infinity Ward shortly after the game’s release. At the same time, Zampella and Jason West signed long-term employment contracts with the company.
Under the leadership of Zampella and West, Infinity Ward released Call of Duty 2, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
In a 2001 interview, Zampella said that he had “always been an avid computer user and gamer.” At the time, he was known as a casual Counter-Strike player.
According to TMZ, Zampella’s wife, Brigitte, filed for divorce in 2015. The couple was reported to have three children.
Vince Zampella’s legacy in the world of video games—particularly within the World War II genre—is immeasurable and will be remembered by gamers around the globe.***
