Claude Guillemot, 69, one of the five brothers who founded Ubisoft, died Friday in a light aircraft crash in La Baule-Escoublac, Loire-Atlantique. The twin-engine Cessna 421 had taken off from Rennes in the late afternoon bound for La Baule, where an air show was to be held. The aircraft crashed shortly before 18 p.m. in a field near the airfield. Two people were on board. None survived.
Two dead, a plane on fire
Upon arrival, emergency responders discovered the aircraft engulfed in flames, which had spread to the surrounding vegetation. The fire destroyed approximately 500 square meters of land. Firefighters confirmed the deaths of the two occupants. A significant emergency response was deployed: 63 firefighters, 29 vehicles, paramedics, the gendarmerie, the mayor of La Baule, and the public prosecutor of Saint-Nazaire were all mobilized at the scene.
Claude Guillemot was in charge
According to initial reports following the accident, Claude Guillemot was piloting the Cessna 421B. An instructor was also on board. The aircraft was on approach to La Baule airfield when it crashed. Witnesses reported a turn before impact. The precise causes of the crash have not yet been determined.
Formal identification is still regulated
Claude Guillemot's identity was linked to the accident as early as Saturday morning. Available information indicates that he was the owner of the aircraft and that he was among the victims. However, his formal identification had not yet been fully made public in the first hours following the tragedy, even though his family had been notified.
A figure in French video games
Claude Guillemot was one of the siblings who founded Ubisoft in 1986 with his brothers Michel, Yves, Gérard, and Christian. The group, which originated in Brittany, has become one of the world's leading video game companies, driven by franchises such as Assassin's Creed, Far Cry ou Just DanceClaude Guillemot sat on the board of directors of Ubisoft and held management positions related to operations.
The head of Guillemot Corporation
Alongside his work at Ubisoft, Claude Guillemot headed Guillemot Corporation, a group specializing in video game accessories and audio equipment, notably through its Thrustmaster and Hercules brands. The company expanded internationally, with operations in Europe, Canada, and China. A governance transition was initiated in 2025, with the transfer of the CEO position to his son, Valentin Guillemot.
An investigation to understand the fall
The investigation must now establish the exact circumstances of the accident: the approach, the condition of the aircraft, flight conditions, any communications, the trajectory, and the final moments before impact. No publicly available information currently allows for attributing the crash to a specific cause. The human toll is final: two dead. The remaining details are now the subject of technical and legal investigations.
