Ubisoft co-founder dies in plane crash in France
Claude Guimaud, one of the co-founders of the world-renowned company Ubisoft—creator of iconic video game franchises—died in a plane crash in France. The plane, carrying the 69-year-old entrepreneur, crashed into a field and immediately caught fire, leaving no chance of survival.
The incident occurred on Friday afternoon and is already being investigated by aviation authorities, who are determining the causes of the crash and the fire.
According to the French publication Ouest-France, Claude Guimau was aboard a private Cessna 421 tourist plane with the pilot when the aircraft suddenly lost altitude and crashed into a field, after which it burst into flames almost instantly. The fire quickly spread not only to the plane itself but also to the surrounding vegetation, complicating the work of rescue workers and creating a risk of secondary fires.
By the time firefighters arrived at the scene, the aircraft was already completely engulfed in flames, and they were unable to rescue the people inside. At this time, official authorities have not reported any final conclusions, but both technical malfunctions and possible external factors that could have affected the flight are being considered.
According to preliminary information, Guimau was en route to a meeting of the La Baule Flying Club, where he was scheduled to participate in events for aviation enthusiasts this coming weekend. This makes the tragedy all the more sudden, as the flight was purely private and recreational in nature.
Claude Guillemot was one of five brothers who founded Ubisoft in 1986 and subsequently turned the company into one of the biggest players in the global video game industry. He also headed the Guillemot Corporation and served on Ubisoft’s board of directors, contributing to the development of franchises that became global hits, including Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, Rayman, and Prince of Persia.
