Mr. Zampella is now a senior executive at EA.
Vince Zampella, head of the Battlefield franchise and one of the creators of Call of Duty, told GQ that EA is responsible for Call of Duty’s existence and did not spare harsh words for the company’s leadership.
Zampella worked on the Medal of Honor series from 1999 to 2002, serving as the lead designer on Medal of Honor: Allied Assault. He then co-founded Infinity Ward with plans to continue that work, but EA chose to retain control of the franchise and cut off funding to Infinity Ward despite the studio’s contributions.
The only reason Call of Duty exists is that EA acted like ***.
At that point, Activision backed Infinity Ward—recognizing the talent behind Medal of Honor: Allied Assault and the chance to challenge EA. That decision gave rise to Call of Duty, which went on to become one of the gaming industry’s most successful and lucrative franchises.
After Modern Warfare 2 launched in 2009, Zampella left Activision amid disputes over unpaid bonuses and royalties, a conflict that ultimately developed into a protracted, years-long legal battle. He later founded Respawn Entertainment, the studio behind the Titanfall duology and Apex Legends. When EA acquired Respawn, Zampella returned to the company, steadily advanced through the ranks, and eventually took the reins of the Battlefield franchise.
Source: iXBT.games