Ubisoft Co-Founder Claude Guillemot Dies in France Plane Crash
Claude Guillemot, 69, co-founder of Ubisoft and visionary behind franchises like Assassin’s Creed, died on June 19-20, 2026, when his twin-engine Cessna 421 crashed near La Baule-Escoublac Airport in western France. A flight instructor also perished. Guillemot, an avid pilot, was en route to an airshow. The crash is under investigation for suspected negligent homicide. Ubisoft and French officials mourned the loss of a gaming pioneer who built the company into a global powerhouse.
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Ubisoft Co-Founder Claude Guillemot Dies in Plane Crash
Claude Guillemot, 69, co-founder of French gaming giant Ubisoft, was killed on June 19 when his private twin-engine Cessna 421 crashed on approach to La Baule-Escoublac Airport in France. He was en route to a planned air show. A 70-year-old flight instructor also died in the accident. Ubisoft confirmed his death. Guillemot founded the company in 1986 with his four brothers, growing it from a game distributor into a global entertainment powerhouse behind franchises like Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six. He was also an avid pilot and held a pilot's license. The cause of the crash is under investigation by French aviation authorities. The Guillemot family remains the largest shareholder in Ubisoft through a holding company, while Tencent and JPMorgan Chase also hold significant stakes.
Latest from Tom's HardwareUbisoft co-founder Claude Guillemot dies in plane crash
Claude Guillemot, 69, co-founder of French gaming giant Ubisoft, was killed on June 19 when his twin-engine Cessna 421 crashed while approaching La Baule-Escoublac Airport in France. A 70-year-old flight instructor also died. Guillemot, an avid licensed pilot, was en route to an airshow. Ubisoft confirmed his death. Founded in 1986 with his four brothers, Ubisoft grew from a game distributor into a global powerhouse behind franchises like Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six. Despite recent troubles including a cyberattack, the Guillemot family remains the largest shareholder. Claude was also president of Guillemot Corporation, owner of brands like Thrustmaster and Hercules. The cause of the crash is under investigation by French aviation authorities.
Latest from Tom's HardwareUbisoft Co-Founder Claude Guillemot Dies in Plane Crash in France
Claude Guillemot, co-founder of the major video game publisher Ubisoft, died at age 69 in a plane crash in western France. The crash, which occurred in the region of western France, claimed two lives. Guillemot co-founded Ubisoft in 1986, which grew to become one of the world's largest entertainment companies, known for franchises such as Assassin's Creed. The incident has been reported by multiple major news outlets including The New York Times, AP News, Bloomberg, and Fox Business.
Top stories - Google NewsUbisoft co-founder Claude Guillemot dies in plane crash in France
Claude Guillemot, co-founder of global gaming company Ubisoft known for franchises like Assassin's Creed, was killed along with a flight instructor when his twin-engine Cessna 421 crashed near La Baule-Escoublac Airport in western France on June 19, 2026. The aircraft went down in a field just before landing. Both pilots were licensed and experienced. Ubisoft confirmed Guillemot's death but provided no further comment. Local authorities and an airport official spoke on condition of anonymity, confirming the incident and the start of an investigation. Guillemot co-founded Ubisoft with four brothers in 1986.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.Ubisoft Co-Founder Claude Guillemot Dies in Plane Crash in France
Claude Guillemot, the 69-year-old co-founder of the globally renowned video game company Ubisoft, died in a plane crash in western France on Saturday, June 20, 2026. The propeller plane crashed in a field near the municipality of La Baule while approaching the local airport. Two people died in the accident. The aircraft had departed from Rennes, where Guillemot lived, and he was the owner of the plane. A prosecutor confirmed his identity according to the current state of the investigation. Ubisoft expressed great sadness at the loss. Guillemot co-founded Ubisoft with his brothers in 1986, known for titles like 'Assassin's Creed' and 'Anno.' He was most recently head of the Guillemot Corporation. French Deputy Minister for AI and Digitalization Anne Le Hénanff paid tribute, stating 'The French video game industry loses one of its pioneers today.' Investigations on suspicion of negligent homicide have been initiated, but the exact causes of the crash remain unknown.
Nachrichten - WELTClaude Guillemot, Ubisoft Co-Founder and Gaming Empire Builder, Dies at 69 in Plane Crash
Claude Guillemot, the 69-year-old co-founder and visionary architect behind Ubisoft and iconic franchises including Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Tom Clancy's series, died Friday in a Cessna plane crash near La Baule, France. Guillemot was instrumental in transforming Ubisoft from a small French video game distributor into a global gaming powerhouse. The fatal crash occurred on June 20, 2026, in northwestern France. His death marks a significant loss for the video game industry, as he was widely recognized as the strategic leader who built Ubisoft into a multibillion-dollar entertainment empire known for blockbuster open-world titles and long-running series. The news was reported by Fortune and The Associated Press.
Fortune | FORTUNEUbisoft Co-Founder Claude Guillemot Dies at 69 in Plane Crash
Claude Guillemot, the 69-year-old co-founder of Ubisoft, the video game company behind the 'Assassin's Creed' franchise, died on Friday when a Cessna aircraft crashed in western France. The incident occurred on June 19, 2026, according to reports. Guillemot was a key figure in building Ubisoft into a global gaming powerhouse. The news was reported by Business Insider on June 20, 2026. The crash is under investigation, and details about other possible victims or the cause have not been released. His death marks a significant loss for the gaming industry and the Ubisoft community.
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