One of Ubisoft's Founders Dies in Plane Crash in France

Claude Guillemot, one of the four brothers who founded the global video game company Ubisoft, died Friday in a light aircraft crash near La Baule on France's Atlantic coast. He was 69 years old.

Company sources confirmed Guillemot's death on Saturday. He was a member of Ubisoft's board of directors and served as the deputy CEO responsible for operations. Le Figaro reported, citing sources close to the matter, that Guillemot was piloting his own Cessna 421 aircraft when it crashed in a wheat field near the La Baule airfield.

The aircraft had departed from its base in Rennes and was en route to La Baule, where a gathering of over a hundred aircraft was scheduled for the weekend. The mayor of La Baule, Franck Louvrier, told media that witnesses reported the plane made a turn during its landing approach before plummeting to the ground.

Guillemot and his brothers established Ubisoft in 1986, building it into one of the world's leading video game publishers. In parallel, Claude Guillemot led Guillemot Corporation, known for its Hercules audio solutions and Thurstmaster gaming accessories.

Ubisoft has recently been in the financial spotlight due to significant stock fluctuations and reported record losses of 1.47 billion euros for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, announced on May 20 as part of a restructuring effort.