Battlefield Studios lead Vince Zampella has an interesting take on Call of Duty vs. Battlefield.
Vince Zampella’s Background
Zampella was lead designer for the 2002 EA game Medal of Honor: Allied Assault. He started the studio Infinity Ward with Grant Collier, with the intention to keep making Medal of Honor games.
However, EA then decided they would start making Medal of Honor games themselves. Infinity Ward made a new deal with Activision to make a “Medal of Honor-killer.” That game was the first Call of Duty.
In 2009, Zampella left Infinity Ward and Activision in acrimonious circumstances. He and Jason West sued Activision for wrongful termination and won an undisclosed settlement.
Zampella would return to EA with a new studio, Respawn Entertainment. Respawn would build their own legend with Titanfall, Star Wars Jedi, and Apex Legends.
EA assigned Zampella to lead a large-scale reboot of the Battlefield franchise in 2020. That reboot starts with Battlefield 6.
What Does Zampella Think About Battlefield Vs. Call of Duty?
Zampella was asked about the competition between Call of Duty and Battlefield in a recent interview. Zampella said this (edited for clarity):
I mean, both have existed for so long together. I think they complement each other in different ways.
We have things that they don’t. Battlefield has the destruction, the class system stuff. It’s such an amazing experience. It’s different.
Is it a competitor? In a way, like every other game is a competitor? Kind of, in a way? But, you know, Battlefield is unique, and offers things that no one else really can.
That Doesn’t Sound Like The Battlefield Trash Talk We Know…
DICE was legendary for their trash talk vs. Call of Duty and their game studios back in the day. As recently as last week, a DICE developer ripped into Call of Duty for adding novelty skins like Nicki Minaj.
But if you’ve read this far, you know why Zampella didn’t do the same thing. In spite of his falling out with Activision, Call of Duty was Zampella’s baby. He also definitely has some friends who still work on the franchise today.
This really highlights the awkward situation EA put Battlefield Studios in. Zampella came from Call of Duty. So did Byron Beede, who is now SVP and General Manager for Battlefield. Zampella and Beede used to make Call of Duty games to compete against DICE and Battlefield. At the same time, DICE is one of five studios making Battlefield, and they all answer to both Zampella and Beede.
Zampella Has A Point – It’s A Bigger World Now
Zampella does make a point that hardcore Call of Duty and Battlefield fans should both take notice. Even these two giants of online multiplayer shooters face a tough market with more competitors than they had in the early 2000s. Fortnite and PUBG each are bigger competition for both of them.
That’s why Zampella focused on Battlefield’s unique qualities. In a world where gamers can get their FPS fix on their phones, without paying retail price, that’s what makes Battlefield stand out from the rest.
