The video game industry is mourning the loss of Claude Guillemot, a key figure at Ubisoft and a member of the founding Guillemot family. He was 69 years old when the training aircraft he was piloting crashed.
The accident occurred on Friday, June 19th, near the La Baule airport in the Loire-Atlantique region. Guillemot was piloting his own twin-engine Cessna 421 aircraft, accompanied by a flight instructor whose identity has not been disclosed.
Claude Guillemot played an instrumental role in Ubisoft’s remarkable growth. He was instrumental in transforming the company from a small retail store founded in 1984 into the global video game powerhouse it is today. Over the 1990s and 2000s, Ubisoft expanded significantly, establishing studios worldwide and developing iconic franchises such as Assassin’s Creed, Prince of Persia, Rabbids, Rayman, Just Dance, and Rainbow Six.
Until his passing, Guillemot held the position of Executive Vice President of Operations at Ubisoft. He also served as the CEO of Trustmaster and Hercules, companies specializing in PC peripherals. Our deepest condolences go out to his family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.