Claude Guillemot, co-founder of video game maker Ubisoft, dies in plane crash

Claude Guillemot, co-founder of Ubisoft, dies in plane crash. Claude Guillemot, a founder of Ubisoft, was killed when a twin-engine Cessna 421 crashed Friday evening near La Baule airport on the Atlantic coast. He was 69, and the flight instructor on board also died. Guillemot and his brothers founded Ubisoft in 1986, the studio behind popular franchises such as Assassin's Creed, Just Dance, Rayman, and Tom Clancy games.

Ubisoft confirmed Guillemot's death but offered no further comment. The crash occurred as the plane was approaching La Baule-Escoublac Airport, and authorities said investigators are examining the incident.

Guillemot's passing marks a significant loss for the video game industry; Ubisoft has grown into a global publisher with major franchises and a long history of creative influence. His work helped launch a company whose titles defined generations of gaming and shaped the industry’s cultural footprint.