Key Takeaways
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- Ubisoft co-founder Claude Guillemot passed away in a plane crash on June 19, 2026.
- Guillemot was a significant contributor to Ubisofts growth into one of the worlds largest entertainment companies.
- The Minister of the Digital in France honored Guillemos impact on the global video game industry.
- Ubisoft has lost one of its historical builders and a discreet yet essential figure, leaving a void in the video game publishing world.
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Claude Guillemot, a co-founder of Ubisoft and president of Guillemot Corporation, died on Friday, June 19, 2026, at the age of 69 in a plane crash near La Baule, France. The twin-engine Cessna 421 aircraft, piloted by Guillemot with a flight instructor aboard, crashed into a field close to La Baule Airport around 5:45 PM. The plane had departed from Rennes earlier that afternoon and was en route to an air gathering organized in the region. Upon arrival of emergency services, the aircraft was engulfed in flames, and both occupants tragically perished. An investigation has been launched to determine the precise circumstances of the accident. Ubisoft confirmed Guillemot’s death to various media outlets, including Bloomberg. In a statement, the company expressed its deep sorrow over the loss of its co-founder and extended its thoughts to his family and loved ones.
Ubisoft Loses Pioneering Builder Claude Guillemot, A Founding Brother and Global Video Game Industry Influencer
Guillemot was one of five founding brothers of Ubisoft, a company established in 1986. He played a significant role in building Ubisoft into one of the world’s largest entertainment companies. The Minister of the Digital, Anne Le Henanff, honored the memory of a great Breton entrepreneur who contributed to making France shine in the global video game industry. With Claude Guillemot’s passing, Ubisoft loses one of its historical builders, a discreet but essential figure who participated in making the company one of the greatest video game publishers worldwide. Mike Cripe is a freelance writer who has worked at The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. He can be found on Bluesky (mikecripe.bsky.social) or Twitter (MikeCripe).
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“In a mix of sobering news and excitement, we’ve learned that Claude Guillemot, the renowned co-founder of Ubisoft alongside his brothers since 1986, tragically passed away last Friday in an air accident. Bruno Pferd’s latest piece, ‘Co-Founder of Video Game Studio Ubisoft Dies in Air Accident’ Co-Founder of Video Game Studio Ubisoft Dies in Air Accident shares this news and explores Guillemot’s lasting impact on the industry. But moving on to lighter news, our exploration of Amsterdam continues! We’ve found a captivating developer diary from Panache Digital Games’ upcoming gem, ‘1666 Amsterdam’. Published just last week by Ahmed Hassan, this insightful piece takes us behind the scenes with Patrice Désilets as he shares why he chose Amsterdam and how his team meticulously recreated its essence in-game, complete with architectural details and occult research conducted at renowned museums. Dive right in here 1666 Amsterdam: Patrice Désilets Explains Why He Chose Amsterdam. Meanwhile, back in Edo, Jonathan Dubinski takes us behind the scenes of Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ final update in his latest post on June 16th. In ‘Assassin’s Creed Shadows: The Final Update, Here’s What It Includes’ Assassin’s Creed Shadows: The Final Update, Here’s What It Includes, he reveals new storyline quests, exclusive rewards like skins, revamped Animus hub events, and combat arenas known as domains where unlockables await. Get ready for an explosive conclusion to Naoe and Yasuke’s adventures!”
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Links to external sources for further reading
- He was one of the company's five founders.He was one of the company's five founders.tomshardware.com
- A founder of 'Assassin's Creed' maker Ubisoft killed in a plane crash in western FranceA founder of 'Assassin's Creed' maker Ubisoft killed in a plane crash in western Franceign.com
- Ubisoft co-founder Claude Guillemot dies in plane crash - French publisher established in 1986 became one of the biggest entertainment companies in the worldUbisoft co-founder Claude Guillemot dies in plane crash - French publisher established in 1986 became one of the biggest entertainment companies in the worldnytimes.com
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