Ubisoft co-founder Claude Guillemot dies in plane crash
What's the story
Claude Guillemot, the co-founder of French video game giant Ubisoft, has died at the age of 69. He was killed in a plane crash on Friday near La Baule, a seaside resort town in western France. Guillemot was one of two people aboard the Cessna 421 twin-engine propeller aircraft that went down shortly before 6pm local time while approaching La Baule's airport.
Legacy
Guillemot transformed small French company into global gaming giant
Guillemot co-founded Ubisoft with his four brothers in 1986, turning a small French gaming company into one of the world's largest video game publishers. Under their leadership, Ubisoft has created and published some of the most popular franchises in gaming history, including Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, Prince of Persia, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six, and Rayman. The company is renowned for its expansive open-world games that have captivated millions globally.
Franchise success
Assassin's Creed franchise has over 200 million players
Among Ubisoft's many successes, Assassin's Creed stands out as its biggest franchise. Launched in 2007, the historical action-adventure series has grown into a cultural phenomenon with over 200 million players worldwide. The latest major release, Assassin's Creed Shadows, was launched in 2025 and takes players to 16th-century Japan where they fight powerful enemies amid political intrigue. Beyond gaming, Ubisoft is also developing film and television adaptations of both Assassin's Creed and Far Cry franchises.
Additional responsibilities
His death is a huge loss for the industry
Apart from his contributions to Ubisoft, Guillemot also served as the chairman of Guillemot Corporation, a separate entity that produces gaming accessories and audio equipment. His death marks the loss of one of the key figures behind the rise of one of the gaming industry's most influential companies. The French video game industry has lost "one of its pioneers," said Anne Le Henanff, French Minister Delegate in charge of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Affairs.