Claude Guillemot, a co-founder of Assassin’s Creed maker Ubisoft alongside his four brothers, has died in a plane crash in France.
French media reported that Guillemot died on Friday evening when the Cessna 421 twin engine plane he was piloting crashed close to the aerodrome of the beach resort of La Baule in Western France where he has a vacation home. His instructor is reported to have died as well.
“Ubisoft learned with deep sadness of the death of Claude Guillemot, co-founder of the group and President of Guillemot Corporation, in an accident. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this ordeal,” an Ubisoft representative said in a statement.
The entrepreneur and businessman and the unnamed plane instructor had reportedly set off from the city of Rennes for La Baule on Friday afternoon for the Fly In La Baule meeting gathering light airplane enthusiasts.
Claude Guillemot, who was 69, co-created video games specialist Ubisoft with brothers Michel, Yves, Gérard and Christian in their hometown of Carentoir in Brittany in 1986.
Kicking off with early games Zombi, Iron Lord, it steadily grew into one of the most influential game makers in the world with titles Assassin’s Creed, Rayman, Driver, Rabbids, Tom Clancy’s, and Watch Dogs.
He also led on the development of their other joint company Guillemot Corporation, specialized in gaming accessories and digital audio technology, which was created prior to Ubisoft in 1984.
In 2000, the brothers also formed Gameloft, which would go on to become a major player in downloadable video games for smartphones.
Claude Guillemot handed the day-to-day running of Guillemot Corporation to his son Valentin Guillemot in July 2025, appointing him CEO, but remained attached to the company in the role Chairman of the Board of Director and continued to guide its overall direction.
Over at Ubisoft, which is headed by brother Yves Guillemot, Claude Guillemot was on the board under the title of Deputy Chief Executive Officer but was not part of the day-to-day leadership team.
Claude Guillemot’s death comes as Ubisoft gears up for the release of its reboot Black Flag Resynced on July 9, which it hopes will reset the company’s fortunes after a number of difficult years financially in which the popularity of its games has waned.
