Vince Zampella, boss of Apex Legends and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order developer Respawn Entertainment, has taken on an expanded role as head coach of DICE LA. Up until now, the LA-based DICE studio has primarily been responsible for providing support for DICE Stockholm, developer of the Battlefield franchise.
According to the LA Times profile, the office will remain separate from both Respawn and DICE Stockholm under Zampella’s leadership, but will “probably” be rebranded to establish its own identity.
“We will probably rebrand.We want to give it a new image. We want people to say, ‘This is a destination you can go and make new content.’ I think they’ve kind of gotten the branding that they are the support studio for DICE Stockholm. I think rebranding is important for showing people, ‘Hey! Come work here. We’re going to do some amazing things’,” Zampella said.
EA chief studios officer Laura Miele said the company expects the revamped studio will “work on and create a game on their own” under Zampella’s leadership.
“And I genuinely believe that he is going to help guide them creatively. He’s going to help them further fortify and build out their talent and their team.I think we’re going to have a really strong studio out of our Los Angeles location. They can go from a support team to a full stand-alone studio to create a new game offering,” Miele said.
While he leads the LA DICE office, Zampella says he will remain on as head of Respawn. Meanwhile, Jedi Fallen Order director Stig Asmussen will lead Respawn’s narrative-driven branch, Chad Grenier will oversee Apex Legends, and Peter Hirschmann will helm a VR Medal of Honor game for Oculus Rift called Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond.