Ubisoft co-founder Claude Guillemot dies in plane crash

Claude Guillemot, who co-founded Ubisoft with his four brothers in 1986, died Friday in a plane crash in La Baule, France; both people aboard were killed. Ubisoft said it was deeply saddened by the death of Guillemot, who also chaired Guillemot Corp., a maker of gaming and audio accessories.

Guillemot’s death marks the loss of a key figure from Ubisoft’s founding generation, even as the Guillemot family continues to control the company with Yves Guillemot as CEO. The moment underscores how much of Europe’s gaming industry was shaped by family-led companies that grew into global entertainment franchises.