Claude Guillemot, one of the founders of video game publisher Ubisoft and chairman of the Guillemot Corporation, has died at the age of 69 in a plane crash in western France, according to reports and a statement issued by the company.
Ubisoft confirmed his death, saying it was “deeply saddened” by the loss of its co-founder. The company said its thoughts were with his family and loved ones but did not provide further details about the incident.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADTwo killed in crash near La Baule
French broadcaster ICI reported that a Cessna 421 aircraft crashed shortly before 6 pm on Friday in La Baule, a seaside town in western France.
The twin-engine plane was carrying two people, both of whom died in the crash.
According to ICI, witnesses said the aircraft was approaching La Baule airport when it suddenly banked and crashed. The identity of the second passenger has not been released.
A pioneer of the video game industry
Claude Guillemot founded Ubisoft with his four brothers in 1986. The company went on to become one of the world’s leading video game publishers, producing popular franchises such as Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry and Rayman.
The Assassin’s Creed series, first released in 2007, has attracted more than 200 million players worldwide. Its latest major instalment, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, is set in 16th-century Japan and received praise from critics for its detailed world and historical setting.
Tributes pour in
French Minister Delegate in charge of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Affairs, Anne Le Henanff, paid tribute to Guillemot on X, saying the French video game industry had lost “one of its pioneers”.
In recent years, Ubisoft has expanded into film and television projects based on its best-known gaming franchises. The separate Guillemot Corporation continues to manufacture gaming accessories and audio equipment.
Claude Guillemot’s death marks the loss of one of the key figures behind the rise of one of the gaming industry’s most influential companies.