Ubisoft Co-Founder Claude Guillemot Killed in Plane Crash Near La Baule, France

Claude Guillemot, 69, died Friday afternoon when the twin-engine Cessna 421 he was piloting crashed in a field near La Baule-Escoublac Airport on France's western Atlantic coast. A flight instructor traveling with him was also killed. Both were licensed and experienced pilots, according to La Baule Mayor Franck Louvrier in a statement cited by CBS News.

The plane went down just short of the runway. Local firefighters arrived to find the aircraft on fire, with flames spreading into the surrounding environment, according to French outlet Ouest-France as reported by Engadget. IGN, citing Bloomberg, identified Guillemot as the plane's owner and pilot. The cause of the crash has not been announced. An investigation is underway.

One of Five Brothers Who Built Ubisoft

Claude Guillemot and his brothers — Christian, Gérard, Michel, and Yves — founded Ubisoft in 1986 in France. The company started distributing software and publishing early titles like Zombi before growing into one of the largest video game publishers on earth. Its catalog today includes Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, Rayman, Prince of Persia, Just Dance, and the Tom Clancy franchise, according to IGN and CBS News.

Ubisoft's public face has long been Yves Guillemot, who remains the company's CEO and chairman. Claude held a seat on Ubisoft's board of directors but built his own separate lane. He served as chairman and CEO of Guillemot Corporation, which designs and manufactures gaming peripherals and accessories under brands including Thrustmaster and DJ equipment maker Hercules, according to Engadget and Forbes.

Ubisoft issued a brief statement to Bloomberg: "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. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time. No further statements will be made at this time."

As of June 20, Yves Guillemot had not issued a personal public statement, according to Forbes.

Where Ubisoft Stands Now

Claude Guillemot's death comes at a difficult stretch for the company he helped create. Ubisoft's share price has fallen from roughly $23 in 2018 to approximately $1.12 as of Forbes' reporting on June 20, 2026, giving the company a market capitalization of around $741 million. The Guillemot family has maintained ownership and control throughout the company's turbulent run, which has included discussions about potential sales and privatization.

Forbes noted that despite the stock's collapse, Ubisoft has no announced plans to slow its release slate.

The Flight Instructor

The flight instructor who died alongside Guillemot has not been publicly identified in any of the four sources reviewed. Mayor Louvrier confirmed both deaths in his statement, as reported by CBS News, but offered no further personal details about the second victim. The instructor's family is also grieving, and their name has yet to be made public.

The sources agree on the core facts: the aircraft type, the location, the identities of the two aboard, and the outcome. What they do not yet establish is the cause. French authorities have opened an investigation, but no preliminary findings have been released as of June 20, 2026. IGN noted that "additional details related to the crash have yet to be revealed."

The strongest reason for caution is that early crash reporting frequently attributes cause before any official inquiry concludes. None of the four sources — Engadget, Forbes, CBS News, or IGN — speculate on mechanical failure, pilot error, or weather. That restraint is appropriate given where the investigation stands.

Guillemot Corporation, which Claude led, is a publicly traded company separate from Ubisoft. What his death means for that company's leadership and operations is the immediate unresolved question. No successor has been named, and Guillemot Corp. had not issued a statement beyond what Ubisoft shared as of the time these sources were published.