Geoff Keighley took the stage at the DICE Summit 2026 keynote yesterday, reflecting on what made Vince Zampella so extraordinary. "What struck me most was his restlessness," Keighley told the audience. "Nothing was ever quite good enough for him. That relentless drive for excellence pushed him to constantly strive for better games, a better company, and to be a better person. Since his passing, I've often wondered what his superpower was. Sure, he knew how to build incredible teams and create amazing games, but within huge corporations bogged down by bureaucracy and politics, Vince remained stubbornly human. He was straightforward, had no patience for nonsense, and was fiercely loyal to those doing the actual work."
Keighley was speaking about Vince Zampella, the co-creator of the Call of Duty series, co-founder of Infinity Ward, and co-founder of Respawn Entertainment, who tragically died in a car accident this past December at age 55.
Keighley introduced a special segment of the DICE Summit keynote dedicated to honoring Zampella's legacy. Numerous industry leaders joined him on stage or appeared in video messages, sharing personal stories about his impact on them and the gaming world at large.
"Technically, we never worked together, but he's had a huge effect on me," said Randy Pitchford, CEO of Gearbox, in a video message. "Not just as a game developer, but as a person."
Respawn game director Peter Hirschmann added in another video clip, "That's the theme of Vince's entire career. No matter who was around him, he always found a way to bring out their best."
Daniel Suarez, head of production at Respawn, echoed this sentiment in his video appearance: "The team always appreciated that Vince had their best interests at heart. They knew he'd go to bat for what was best for the game. Because you knew he had your back, you knew he'd be the one pushing for it to be the best game possible, as long as the team could do their best work. People loved him for that."
Xbox head Phil Spencer was the second speaker to address the crowd in person, discussing his friendly rivalry with Zampella over the years and the lessons he learned from their friendship. "Vince's legacy of leading without ego, of truly leading a team, is something I took a lot from. Just watching how he guided his teams to achieve such greatness was inspiring."
More video messages followed Spencer's speech. "I didn't know what a servant leader was until I met Vince, and honestly, I'm not sure if Vince knew either. But he was the best servant leader I've ever known," said Stig Asmussen, former Respawn game director.
Hideo Kojima also appeared in a video message, stating, "I think without him, the modern game industry might not exist."
"He just really wanted to make great games for players with a team of developers he enjoyed working with. I don't think it was about changing the industry or creating a legendary game," said Rob Pardo, former CCO of Blizzard. "I think he was simpler than that."
Byron Beede, SVP on Battlefield, shared in a video: "Watching him lead, having him lead us for so long, we've become like him—with a sense of discipline, drive, ambition, execution, and a standard for excellence that always puts players first. Thanks to Vince, that's in our DNA now."
The next video speaker was Bethesda director Todd Howard. "Vince was cool," he said. "He was, I think, and a lot of people who knew him would agree, probably the least full of it person I knew. And sometimes, he didn't mind pointing out when someone else was. Vince was cool! So cool that my oldest son has only ever asked to meet or get a picture with one game developer: Vince! Twice! And Vince never changed. He was still that same guy when we first met, except he got a new T-shirt once a year. That was about it. Vince was cool. He knew what was cool about a game. He instinctively knew what made a great game. He knew how to take a game from average to good to great, and he knew exactly what needed to be done to get there. He knew how hard it would be, the effort and personal sacrifice required. And he wasn't afraid to do it. It was never about him. It was always about the game. Most of all, about the team making it."
After more video messages, the final in-person speaker was Laura Miele, president of EA Entertainment. "We've talked a lot today about Vince as a titan of gaming who helped create highly successful franchises," she said. "And all of that is true. But what he would often say is, 'I just want to be remembered for being a great dad.' He truly lived that. There were many meetings over the years he didn't attend because he needed to be somewhere else—at a game, a school event, or just being there for his kids when they needed him. This instinct to show up didn't stop with his family. He really showed up for people. He mentored, supported, and believed in others, often before they believed in themselves. He created cultures where people felt trusted, protected, and challenged to be their best. Vince Zampella changed how games were made, but more importantly, he changed how people were treated while making them."
A final round of video messages concluded the presentation, including a reappearance by Kojima, who summed it up: "I hope people will look to Vince as a model and aim high."
DICE attendees have been asked to look for setups of blank Magic: The Gathering cards around the conference. They're encouraged to write memories, tributes, and other thoughts about Zampella before depositing them in available boxes. The cards will be delivered to his family after the conference.
Zampella was widely known across the industry for co-creating Call of Duty at Infinity Ward, the studio he co-founded. After leaving Infinity Ward, he joined several former team members to found Respawn Entertainment, which went on to produce hits like Titanfall (IGN review), Titanfall 2 (IGN review), Apex Legends (IGN review), Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (IGN review), and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (IGN review). His most recent contribution was as director of Battlefield 6.
