Claude Guillemeau, one of the five brothers who founded the gaming giant Ubisoft, has died in a plane crash in western France. The news was confirmed by local authorities and by the company, which has become one of the most influential forces in the global video game industry.
The 69-year-old entrepreneur was traveling in a light twin-engine Cessna 421 aircraft in the area of the Atlantic coastal town of La Baule on Friday evening. An experienced instructor pilot was also on board. Initial reports said the plane crashed in farmland shortly before landing at La Baule-Escoublac Airport.
La Baule Mayor Frank Louvrier confirmed the incident, and airport officials told the Associated Press that the plane crashed just before the final approach. The cause of the crash is still being investigated by French aviation authorities. Claude Guillemot was also a licensed pilot and had many years of experience in aviation.
In an official statement, Ubisoft confirmed the death of its co-founder and expressed condolences to his family, without commenting on further details about the tragedy.
Claude Guillemot was among the key figures behind the creation of Ubisoft in 1986 along with his brothers Yves, Christian, Gérard and Michel Guillemot. The company began as a small family business in Brittany, distributing computer software, and later became one of the world's largest video game development and publishing companies.
Under the leadership of the Guillemot family, Ubisoft built some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, including Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six, Watch Dogs and The Division. In recent decades, the company has established itself as one of the largest employers in the sector, with dozens of studios and thousands of employees worldwide.
Although he was less frequently present in public than his brother Yves Guillemaux, Claude Guillemaux made a significant contribution to the company's international expansion and its transformation from a regional distributor to a global player in the interactive entertainment market.
The news of his death comes at a time of significant change for Ubisoft. In recent years, the company has undergone a major reorganization and increased collaboration with international partners, while continuing to develop some of the most popular series in the world of video games.
The investigation into the disaster is ongoing, with French authorities yet to determine whether the incident was related to a technical malfunction, weather conditions or human error.