Claude Guillemot, who played a crucial role in establishing the video game giant Ubisoft, tragically died in a plane crash in France. He was 69 years old. Ubisoft is celebrated for creating popular franchises like Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry.
“Ubisoft was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Claude Guillemot, co-founder of the group and chairman of Guillemot Corp., in an accident,” a Ubisoft spokesperson stated. “Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
The incident involved a Cessna 421 plane, which went down shortly before 6 p.m. on Friday in La Baule, a popular seaside resort in western France. According to the French news network ICI, both individuals on board the plane perished. Mayor Franck Louvrier detailed that the aircraft was nearing the town’s airport when it suddenly “banked and crashed,” based on witness accounts. The identity of the second traveler remains unknown.
In 1986, Claude Guillemot and his four brothers founded Ubisoft Entertainment. The company quickly gained traction with early hits including Zombi and the Rayman platform game of the 1990s, successfully capturing a significant segment of the video game industry.
The release of Assassin’s Creed in 2007 further cemented Ubisoft’s status as an industry leader. This historical action-adventure series features two secret societies in conflict and has engaged 200 million players. The 2025 edition of the series, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, lets players step into 16th-century Japan to thwart malevolent forces. A New York Times
critic lauded the game for its “stunningly realized depiction” of Japan and noted, Shadows offers more, digging deeper to deliver a fascinating, grounded picture beyond the wild, natural world.”
Despite receiving rave reviews, the game faced scrutiny online for including a Black samurai character named Yasuke, spurring debate. Entrepreneur Elon Musk raised concerns that the game exemplified how diversity initiatives might stifle artistic expression. In response, Ubisoft highlighted that their games are fictional while acknowledging Yasuke as a real historical figure.
Ubisoft’s film and TV division is developing adaptations of the Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry series, further expanding the reach of their storytelling.
Apart from Ubisoft, Guillemot also led the Guillemot Corporation, specializing in gaming accessories and audio technology.
Derrick Bryson Taylor from The Times
reports on breaking news in culture and the arts.