The co-founder of video game company Ubisoft, Claude Guillemot, has died following a private plane crash in western France.
The company confirmed the development in an official statement issued to French media on Saturday, expressing condolences to the entrepreneur’s family.
According to local aviation reports, Guillemot, who was 69, was piloting a twin-engine Cessna 421 aircraft alongside a flight instructor when the plane went down near the coastal resort town of La Baule. The flight had departed from Rennes in the northwestern region of the country, heading towards La Baule, where Guillemot maintained a private residence.
Emergency authorities noted that the cause of the crash remains under investigation by French aviation officials.
Guillemot co-founded Ubisoft in the mid-1980s alongside his brothers, growing the firm from a regional computer vendor into one of the world’s largest video game publishers, known for major franchises such as Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Watch Dogs.
Before his death, Guillemot had stepped down from daily operational duties in 2025, handing over executive control to his son, Valentin Guillemot, who serves as CEO, while retaining his position as the Chairman of the Board of Directors.
