Vince Zampella: “Call of Duty Was Born Thanks to EA!”
Vince Zampella, one of the gaming world’s most recognizable figures, revealed in a new interview that the Call of Duty series, which has left its mark on FPS history, was actually born of a coincidence. The renowned producer explained that he founded his own studio after a bitter disagreement with EA, and that this process led to the birth of the legendary series.
Call of Duty Was Born Out of a Disagreement with EA
Zampella stated, “The only reason Call of Duty existed was because EA was being ‘rude’ at the time.” Zampella, who was working at Electronic Arts at the time, was involved in the development of Medal of Honor: Allied Assault but left the company due to disagreements with executives. Following this departure, he founded Infinity Ward in 2002 and signed a deal with Activision to launch the Call of Duty franchise.
Zampella’s departure changed the fate of the gaming world. While the Medal of Honor series gradually faded in popularity, Call of Duty quickly became the best-selling franchise in the FPS genre. Following this success, Activision expanded the series with new games every year, ultimately transforming it into a cult phenomenon.
Ironically, Zampella returned to EA years later. This time, as the head of Respawn Entertainment, he became one of the company’s most successful figures with projects like Titanfall, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and Apex Legends. Currently, he oversees Battlefield 6 and aims to restore the series to its former glory.
With Battlefield 6’s strong launch, Zampella’s past and present achievements have been revisited. The two giant franchises of the FPS genre—Call of Duty and Battlefield—actually represent two distinct, intersecting stories in the careers of the same name. Zampella’s statements once again highlight how one of the greatest rivalries in gaming history was born from a disagreement.
