A number of the best-known names in recreation improvement are in Las Vegas this week for the annual DICE Summit and one of many first orders of enterprise is paying tribute to the late Vince Zampella. “His legacy isn’t simply within the franchises or awards,” EA Leisure president Laura Miele mentioned, in accordance with an on-the-ground report by Game File. “It lives in each studio that chooses belief over concern, craft over shortcuts, individuals over ego.”
Bethesda’s Todd Howard, Steel Gear creator Hideo Kojima, and others appeared through pre-recorded video segments to share recollections of and tributes to the person who helped form and shepherd a number of the greatest studios and franchises in gaming. “Vince was the actual deal,” Howard mentioned. “I might at all times search his recommendation with each recreation that I did, or find out how to maneuver on all that is happening within the trade.”
At DICE, Hideo Kojima revealed that he had many discussions with Vince Zampella about creating a primary individual Steel Gear Strong recreation collectively after the discharge of Steel Gear Strong 4. pic.twitter.com/hhjbCqG7T2
— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) February 11, 2026
Zampella died tragically and unexpectedly in a automotive crash final December that additionally claimed the lifetime of his passenger. He labored on Medal of Honor within the early 2000s earlier than cofounding Infinity Ward to steer Name of Obligation. He later cofounded a brand new studio, Respawn Leisure, amid an acrimonious cut up with Activision over studio bonuses. On the time of his dying he had change into an govt president at EA overseeing Battlefield and different franchises.
The primary-person Steel Gear Strong that wasn’t
Kojima, who had his personal messy cut up with writer Konami again within the 2010s, mentioned Zampella took him on a tour of Respawn whereas he was within the means of getting Demise Stranding maker Kojima Productions off the bottom. “He gave me loads of assist and recommendation,” Kojima mentioned, according to Game File. “He confirmed me his studio, and I included a number of the good features into our personal studio.”
Kojima even revealed that the 2 had at one pointed talked about probably collaborating on a first-person Steel Gear Strong shooter someday after Steel Gear Strong 4 was launched in 2008. Howard added that he’d beforehand nominated Zampella for a lifetime achievement award, however he’d refused to simply accept the dignity.
