Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot Pays Tribute to Brother Claude Who Died in Plane Crash - News
by William D'Angelo , posted on 01 July 2026 / 4,364 Views
Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot in a post on LinkedIn has paid tribute to his brother and Ubisoft co-founder Claude Guillemot, who recently died in a plane crash at the age of 69.
Claude founded Ubisoft with his four brothers - Christian, Gérard, Michel, and Yves - in March 1986 with the original name of "Ubi Soft" as it represented "ubiquitous" software. Yves is the current CEO and chairman of Ubisoft.
Ubisoft in its own statement right after the plane crash said, "it was with deep sadness that we learned of the death of Claude Guillemot, co-founder of the Group and President of Guillemot Corporation, in an accident. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time."
Read the message from Yves Guillemot below:
Ten days ago, we tragically lost my eldest brother Claude, with whom I co-founded Ubisoft alongside my three other brothers.
Since then, we have received an extraordinary number of messages from our employees, players, partners, friends, and members of the gaming and tech industries around the world. On behalf of my family and Ubisoft, I want to express our gratitude for your support, and the memories you have shared. They have brought us great comfort. During this difficult time, our thoughts are with his wife Nathalie and their children, Valentin, Julia, and Victoria.
Claude's impact extended far beyond what he built. As a founder of Ubisoft, a member of the Board of Directors, and the President of Guillemot Corporation, he helped shape Ubisoft with an entrepreneurial spirit, curiosity, and unwavering optimism. He believed deeply in innovation, embraced new technologies early, and always encouraged us to look ahead with confidence.
Those who knew Claude will remember him above all for the person he was. He had a remarkable ability to connect with people. Whether speaking with a longtime partner, a young employee, or someone he had just met, he always gave people his full attention. He was genuinely interested in others, generous with his time, and always ready to share his enthusiasm or a few words of encouragement.
The many tributes we have received all speak of his kindness, wisdom, optimism, and infectious energy. Above all, they remind us how naturally Claude made people feel valued and welcome.
Those qualities helped shape Ubisoft’s culture and values from the very beginning. Our belief that great games are created by talented people working together with trust, curiosity, and respect owes much to the example Claude set every day. His humanity influenced our company as much as his vision.
Thank you again to everyone who has reached out. Your messages remind us that the values Claude embodied continue to resonate far beyond Ubisoft, and for that we are deeply grateful.
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.
