Vince Zampella, the current head of Battlefield, didn’t hesitate to recall the origins of Call of Duty. According to him, the Activision franchise exists because Electronic Arts was run by idiots. This year, both shooter series will face off again, releasing just a month apart.
The Origins of Infinity Ward and Call of Duty
Zampella didn’t reveal anything new, but his recent interview with GQ has revived a story from the early 2000s. Back then, he was working on Medal of Honor: Allied Assault with the studio 2015 Inc. Soon after, some of the team became unhappy with Electronic Arts’ deal, leading Grant Collier, Jason West, and Zampella to found Infinity Ward.
Infinity Ward signed with Activision to create a project known internally as MOH Killer, which would eventually overshadow the Medal of Honor franchise. However, after Modern Warfare 2, Zampella and West had a falling out with Activision Blizzard. That conflict led them to found Respawn Entertainment (Star Wars Jedi, Titanfall, Apex Legends), which was later acquired by Electronic Arts. Now, Zampella is leading the direction of Battlefield, the rival of Call of Duty.
Zampella didn’t hold back when criticizing EA’s executives from 20 years ago, calling them idiots. He suggested that without the 2002 split, Medal of Honor might still be leading the first-person shooter genre today.
The interview also touched on the marketing campaign for Battlefield 6, which aimed to evoke nostalgia for the big launches of the past, when every new Call of Duty felt like a major event in the industry. “It was a little surreal,” said Zampella. “When you’re watching a random TV show like Family Guy or The Office, and they’re talking about Call of Duty. It hits you, like, ‘Oh shit!’”
In other news, Former Blizzard president Mike Ybarra claims Battlefield 6 will “boot stomp” Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, arguing the rivalry will push both franchises to deliver better FPS experiences and end CoD’s years of decline.
