The reason behind Call of Duty is clear to Battlefield leader Vince Zampella: “EA were dicks”
In a candid interview, the Battlefield chief reflects on how a publisher feud sparked a billion-dollar franchise.
Vince Zampella, the influential Head of Battlefield and a co-creator of the Call of Duty franchise, has offered a surprisingly blunt account of how the world’s biggest military shooter came into existence. In a candid interview with GQ, Zampella stated unequivocally that the entire Call of Duty series exists solely “because EA were dicks,” referencing a pivotal moment of friction with Electronic Arts years ago.
The history of a rivalry born of discord
The story begins before Call of Duty was a global phenomenon. Zampella and his peers were working at developer 2015 Inc. on the highly regarded Medal of Honor: Allied Assault. The success of this title should have cemented the team’s relationship with EA, which published the Medal of Honor series. However, the situation quickly changed.
Instead of continuing the partnership, EA made the strategic decision to move all future Medal of Honor development in-house, effectively cutting off the external team. This sudden, disruptive move prompted Zampella and his colleagues to form a new independent studio: Infinity Ward. The newly formed studio then signed a deal with Activision Blizzard to create a competitor game. Internally, the project was even codenamed “MOH Killer.” This direct response to their former publisher’s actions ultimately manifested as the first Call of Duty game, which launched in 2003 and quickly rose to challenge EA’s dominance.
After a contentious parting from Activision in 2010, Zampella co-founded Respawn Entertainment, the studio behind hits like Titanfall, Star Wars Jedi, and Apex Legends. Respawn was later acquired by EA, bringing Zampella back into the fold of the company that, in his words, prompted the creation of his most famous IP.
An impressive experience
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Battlefield 6 was released last week, and in our opinion, Vladimir Arteaga had this to say about Electronic Arts’ latest FPS: “It is undoubtedly a strong contender for the best first-person shooter of 2025 and this console generation. The campaign is an explosion of well-choreographed action, and the multiplayer mode is the orchestrated chaos that fans have been waiting for: tanks, jets, helicopters, and constant revives combine in a symphony of total war.”
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