Co-founder of the Assassin's Creed game developer dies in a plane crash — Le Figaro

Claude Guillemot, 69, a co-founder of Ubisoft, one of the world’s largest video game developers, died in a plane crash in France, according to Ouest-France, which cited a source, and a source at Le Figaro confirmed the report.

A twin-engine Cessna 421 business jet, which, according to Le Figaro, was piloted by Guimo, crashed on the evening of Friday, June 19. The accident occurred during the approach to La Boly airfield near the city of Nantes. Both people on board were killed. The second person was an instructor, according to Ouest-France.

Ubisoft was founded in 1986 by the five Guillemot brothers. Claude served on the board of directors and was also responsible for operations as executive vice president.

The company produces popular franchises such as Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, Tom Clancy's, and Just Dance. During the pandemic, it grew successfully thanks to lockdowns and other restrictions that increased player engagement. But recently, Ubisoft has been struggling with sales in an increasingly competitive market. One reason for this was the delay of the release of *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* following weaker-than-expected demand for *Star Wars Outlaws*, which led to a downward revision of the profit forecast.

In January, Ubisoft announced a major restructuring, including plans to halt development on several games, close two divisions, and post a loss of €1 billion in the 2025–2026 fiscal year. On that day, the company lost a third of its market capitalization, and its stock plummeted to an all-time low. In May, it announced that the timeline for returning to profitability and positive cash flow would be pushed back by a year.

From the start of the year through the close of trading on June 19, Ubisoft's stock price fell by 18%, but over the past three months, it has risen by 37%.