Ubisoft's The Crew Lawsuit: We Don't Own Bought Games

Ubisoft has made it clear that purchasing a game does not grant players "unfettered ownership rights" but rather a "limited license to access the game." This statement was part of Ubisoft's defense in their attempt to dismiss a lawsuit initiated by two disgruntled players of The Crew. These players took legal action after Ubisoft shut down the original racing game last year, rendering it unplayable.

As of the end of March 2024, The Crew is no longer playable. Regardless of whether it's a physical or digital copy, no version of the game can be accessed, with servers going dark completely at the end of March 2024. While Ubisoft developed offline versions of The Crew 2 and The Crew: Motorfest, allowing players to continue playing, no such measures were taken for the original game.

Towards the end of last year, two gamers sued Ubisoft, claiming they believed they were "paying to own and possess the video game The Crew" rather than just buying a "limited license to use The Crew." Their lawsuit likened the situation to buying a pinball machine, only to find it stripped of its essential components years later.

As Polygon reported, the plaintiffs accused Ubisoft of violating several California laws, including the False Advertising Law, Unfair Competition Law, and Consumer Legal Remedies Act, along with claims of common law fraud and breach of warranty. They also argued that Ubisoft violated California's state law on gift cards, which cannot expire. The gamers presented evidence that the activation code for The Crew explicitly stated an expiration date of 2099, suggesting to them that the game would remain playable at least until that date.

However, Ubisoft's legal team countered these claims, asserting that the plaintiffs received what they paid for—a license to use the game, not perpetual ownership. They pointed out that both Xbox and PlayStation packaging included a prominent notice that Ubisoft could terminate access to online features with 30 days' notice.

Ubisoft has filed a motion to dismiss the case. Should this motion fail, the plaintiffs are prepared to proceed to a jury trial. Meanwhile, digital marketplaces like Steam have started to explicitly inform customers that they are purchasing a license, not owning the game outright. This change follows a new California law signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, mandating clearer disclosure about the nature of digital purchases. While this law doesn't stop companies from removing access to content, it ensures consumers are better informed about what they're buying.