Ubisoft Sued Over The Crew: Claims Buyers Don't Own Games

Ubisoft has firmly stated that purchasing a game does not grant players "unfettered ownership rights," but rather a "limited license to access the game." This stance came to light as the company attempted to dismiss a lawsuit filed by two dissatisfied players of The Crew. These players took Ubisoft to court after the company shut down the original racing game in 2023.

As of 2014, The Crew is no longer playable. No version of the game, be it physical or digital, can be purchased or played, with servers going offline permanently by the end of March 2024. While Ubisoft ensured offline versions for The Crew 2 and its sequel, The Crew: Motorfest, no such measures were taken for the original game.

At the end of last year, two gamers filed a lawsuit against Ubisoft, asserting they believed they were "paying to own and possess the video game The Crew" rather than "paying for a limited license to use The Crew." The lawsuit likened the situation to buying a pinball machine only to find its essential components removed years later.

As reported by Polygon, the claimants allege that Ubisoft violated California’s False Advertising Law, Unfair Competition Law, and Consumer Legal Remedies Act, along with claims of common law fraud and breach of warranty. They argue that Ubisoft contravened California's gift card laws, which prohibit expiration dates on gift cards. The plaintiffs also presented images of the game’s activation code, indicating no expiration until 2099, suggesting that The Crew should remain playable "during this time and long thereafter."

In response, Ubisoft refuted these claims. Their legal team argued that the plaintiffs purchased physical copies of The Crew under the false assumption of obtaining "unfettered access to the game in perpetuity." Ubisoft emphasized that consumers were clearly informed at the time of purchase that they were buying a license, not owning the game outright. The company also pointed out that the Xbox and PlayStation packaging contained a prominent notice, in all capital letters, stating that Ubisoft could cancel access to specific online features with 30 days' prior notice.

Ubisoft has moved to dismiss the case, but if unsuccessful, the two plaintiffs are prepared to proceed to a jury trial. Meanwhile, digital marketplaces like Steam now feature explicit warnings to customers that they are purchasing a license, not the game itself. This change follows a new law signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom, mandating digital marketplaces to clarify the nature of purchases. While this law doesn't prevent companies from removing access to content, it ensures that customers are aware of the licensing terms before making a purchase.