Claude Guillemot, 69, one of the five Guillemot brothers who founded video game publisher Ubisoft, died when a private plane crashed in La Baule, France. The crash happened with a flight instructor on board, and the state-run ICI news network confirmed that the company founder was on the aircraft.
Ubisoft issued a statement to Bloomberg saying it was deeply saddened by the death of Claude Guillemot, described as a co-founder of the group and chairman of Guillemot Corporation. The company said, “Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time,” and added that it would not comment further.
Despite years of ups and downs, including earlier talk of a sale and privatization, Ubisoft has remained controlled by the Guillemot family. Claude Guillemot served as chairman and CEO of Guillemot Corporation, which focuses on gaming accessories across a network of brands.
Ubisoft has been under heavy market pressure as it tries to balance major intellectual property such as Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry. Its share price has fallen sharply from $23 in 2018 to $1.12 now, and its market value is about $741 million, though there are no plans to slow its release schedule.