The gaming industry is mourning the loss of Claude Guillemot, one of the co-founders of Ubisoft, who passed away in a plane crash in France. He was 69 years old. According to French media Franceinfo.fr‘s report via Google Translate, a private Cessna 421 aircraft crashed in a field near La Baule Airport in western France on Friday afternoon. Emergency responders confirmed that both people aboard the aircraft, Guillemot and a flight instructor, had died in the accident. Guillemot had reportedly been expected to attend a gathering of more than 100 aircraft in La Baule over the weekend.
Ubisoft later confirmed the news in a statement to Reuters, expressing its condolences to Guillemot’s family and loved ones. “Ubisoft was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Claude Guillemot, co-founder of the group and chairman of Guillemot Corp, in an accident. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time. No further statements will be made at this time,” the company wrote.
Claude Guillemot helped establish Ubisoft in 1986 alongside his four brothers: Michel, Yves, Gérard, and Christian. Over the following decades, the company grew into one of the largest gaming companies in the world, best known for Assassin’s Creed, Rainbow Six, and Rayman.
While not as publicly facing as the other founders, Claude remained an important figure within the wider family business group. He served as Guillemot Corporation chairman, a company that specializes in producing gaming and audio hardware, including Thrustmaster and Djuced.
The Ubisoft co-founder’s death comes just months after the gaming industry lost another prominent figure in a tragic accident. In December 2025, Infinity Ward co-founder and Respawn Entertainment boss Vince Zampella died following a car crash in California at the age of 55.
French authorities have not yet announced the cause of the plane crash, and an investigation is ongoing.
