Ubisoft co-founder Claude Guillemot killed in France plane crash
Authorities said Guillemot and a flight instructor died when a Cessna crashed near La Baule airport in western France.
By Maya Lindqvist · Senior Technology Correspondent
2 min read
Claude Guillemot, one of the founders of Ubisoft, died in a plane crash in western France, authorities said Saturday, according to The Associated Press. Fortune reported that Guillemot was 69.
His death removes one of the original figures behind Ubisoft, the French video game company known for franchises including Assassin’s Creed, Just Dance, Rayman and Tom Clancy, according to The Associated Press.
La Baule Mayor Franck Louvrier said in a statement cited by AP that the crash happened Friday evening near La Baule airport on France’s Atlantic coast. The aircraft was a twin-motor Cessna 421 carrying Guillemot and a flight instructor, Louvrier said.
The mayor said the instructor also died in the crash, according to AP. Louvrier said both people aboard were licensed and experienced pilots.
An airport official told AP that the plane went down in a field shortly before it was due to land at La Baule-Escoublac Airport. AP said the official spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to be named publicly.
Authorities have opened an investigation into the crash, Louvrier said, according to AP. No cause was reported.
Ubisoft confirms death
Ubisoft confirmed Guillemot’s death, AP reported. The company did not offer further comment, according to the report.
Guillemot founded Ubisoft in 1986 with four of his brothers, according to AP. The company later became one of the best-known names in global video games, with Assassin’s Creed among its most recognizable series.
AP identified Ubisoft as the maker of Assassin’s Creed and listed Just Dance, Rayman and Tom Clancy titles among the company’s other major game properties. The company’s games have made Ubisoft a prominent publisher in Europe and in the wider gaming business, according to AP’s description of the company as global.
The crash occurred near La Baule, a coastal area in western France, AP reported. Authorities had not released additional details about the flight or the circumstances before the crash as of Saturday.
This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.