Claude Guillemot, co-founder of video game maker Ubisoft, dies in plane crash

June 21, 2026 - 16:41

Claude Guillemot, one of the five brothers who founded the global video game giant Ubisoft, died on Friday evening in a plane crash in France. He was 69 years old.

Guillemot was flying in a twin-engine Cessna 421 alongside a flight instructor when the aircraft went down near the town of Malestroit in the Brittany region. Both men were killed in the accident. French authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash.

The Guillemot family started Ubisoft in 1986 in a small town in Brittany. Claude, along with his brothers Christian, Gerard, Michel, and Yves, built the company from a local distributor into one of the largest video game publishers in the world, known for franchises like Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six.

While Yves Guillemot has served as the company's long-time CEO, Claude was a key figure in the early expansion of the business. He was less visible in the public eye than his brother Yves but remained involved in the company's operations for many years. The news of his death comes at a turbulent time for Ubisoft, which has been dealing with financial struggles and a recent restructuring effort. The company has not yet issued a formal statement regarding the incident.