Claude Guillemot, one of the five brothers who co-founded Ubisoft in 1986, has died following a light aircraft crash near La Baule in western France. He was 69.
The accident happened on June 19, when an aircraft registered to Guillemot came down in a field near La Baule airport, killing two people. Ubisoft confirmed his death on Saturday, following initial reporting by French regional outlet Ouest-France.
The company described his passing in a statement: “It was with deep sadness that we learned of the death of Claude Guillemot, co-founder of the Group and President of Guillemot Corporation, in an accident. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
Claude Guillemot and the origins of Ubisoft
Claude was one of five brothers who built Ubisoft from roots in Breton agriculture. Before the company existed, he and his four siblings, Christian, Gérard, Michel, and Yves, worked alongside their parents, handling sales, distribution, accounting, and day-to-day management of the family farming business in Brittany, France.
After university, the brothers turned toward new industries. Claude started by selling CD audio media, a move that brought the family into consumer electronics for the first time. That expanded into computers and software, and from there, video games.
On March 28, 1986, the five brothers formally established Ubi Soft Entertainment in France. They chose the name to evoke the concept of “ubiquitous” software. Over four decades, what began as a small French software company grew into one of the largest game publishers in the world, with major franchises including Assassin’s Creed and Rainbow Six. Yves Guillemot, the last of the five brothers in an executive role at the company, remains Ubisoft’s chairman and CEO.
His role at Guillemot Corporation
Outside Ubisoft, Claude focused on Guillemot Corporation, a hardware company that produces equipment and accessories for PCs, consoles, and mobile devices. He served as its president and CEO, overseeing a business distinct from Ubisoft’s publishing operations but connected through the same founding family.
Details about the cause of the June 19 crash near La Baule airport have not been made public. Guillemot’s family has not issued a separate statement beyond Ubisoft’s confirmation.