Ubisoft Faces Lawsuit Over Ownership of Purchased 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 declaration came in response to a lawsuit filed by two dissatisfied players of The Crew, challenging Ubisoft's decision to terminate the servers of the original racing game in 2023.

As of 2014, The Crew is no longer playable in any form—whether physical or digital—since the servers were completely shut down at the end of March 2024. While Ubisoft made offline versions available for The Crew 2 and its sequel, The Crew: Motorfest, no such accommodations were extended to the original game.

Last year, two gamers initiated legal action against Ubisoft, claiming they were misled into believing they were "paying to own and possess the video game The Crew" rather than merely acquiring a limited license. Their lawsuit painted a vivid picture: "Imagine you buy a pinball machine, and years later, you enter your den to go play it, only to discover that all the paddles are missing, the pinball and bumpers are gone, and the monitor that proudly displayed your unassailable high score is removed."

As reported by Polygon, the plaintiffs accused Ubisoft of breaching California's False Advertising Law, Unfair Competition Law, Consumer Legal Remedies Act, and engaging in common law fraud and breach of warranty. They also argued that Ubisoft violated state laws regarding gift cards, which are not allowed to expire. Furthermore, the gamers presented evidence showing that the activation code for The Crew was valid until 2099, suggesting that the game should remain playable during this period and beyond.

In response, Ubisoft's legal team argued that "Plaintiffs allege that they purchased physical copies of The Crew under the belief that they were obtaining unfettered access to the game in perpetuity. Plaintiffs also take issue with the fact that Ubisoft did not offer to create an 'offline, single-player option of the Game, otherwise known as a 'patch' when it shut down The Crew’s servers in March 2024." They emphasized that consumers were clearly informed at the time of purchase that they were buying a license, not owning the game outright.

Ubisoft's response further noted that the packaging for Xbox and PlayStation versions included a prominent warning—in all capital letters—that Ubisoft may cancel access to specific online features with 30 days' prior notice.

Currently, Ubisoft is seeking to dismiss the case. Should the motion fail and the lawsuit proceed, the plaintiffs have requested a jury trial.

In light of such issues, digital marketplaces like Steam have started to include clear warnings that customers are purchasing a license, not a game. This change follows a law signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom, which mandates digital marketplaces to inform customers about the licensing nature of their purchases. While this law does not stop companies from withdrawing access to content, it ensures buyers are aware of the terms before making a purchase.