Ticker: A founder of Assassin’s Creed maker Ubisoft killed in a plane crash in France

June 21, 2026 - 04:17

Claude Guillemot, a co-founder of the French video game giant Ubisoft, died on Tuesday when his small plane crashed near La Baule airport in western France. He was 75 years old. The Cessna 421 went down shortly after takeoff, killing Guillemot and a 68-year-old flight instructor. No one else was on board. Local authorities confirmed the aircraft had just departed from the airport when it crashed for reasons still under investigation. Guillemot was one of the five brothers who founded Ubisoft in 1986, building it into a global powerhouse behind blockbuster franchises like Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six. The company is headquartered in nearby Rennes. French aviation safety officials have opened an inquiry into the accident.

In a separate development, Bolivia's President Luis Arce declared a state of national emergency on Wednesday as road blockades across the country choked off supplies of fuel and food. The blockades, set up by supporters of former President Evo Morales, have paralyzed transport routes for over a week. Arce said the emergency measure would allow the government to deploy military and police to clear the roads and restore the flow of essential goods. The protests stem from a power struggle within the ruling party ahead of the 2025 elections. Hospitals have reported shortages of oxygen and medicine, while gas stations in major cities have run dry. The government accused the blockaders of economic sabotage.