Ubisoft Sued Over The Crew Game Ownership

Ubisoft has affirmed that purchasing a game does not grant players "absolute ownership rights," only a "restricted license to access the game."

The corporation made these statements while attempting to dismiss a lawsuit filed by two dissatisfied The Crew players who sued the company after it discontinued the original racing title last year.

The 2014 version of The Crew is no longer accessible. No edition of the game—physical, digital, or previously owned—can be purchased or played in any form. The servers were permanently deactivated at the end of March 2024.

Ubisoft implemented measures to provide offline modes for The Crew 2 and its sequel, The Crew: Motorfest, allowing players to continue their experience. However, no such solution was offered for the original game.

Late last year, two players filed a lawsuit against Ubisoft, claiming they had believed they were "paying to own and permanently possess The Crew video game, rather than purchasing a time-limited license to use it."

"Imagine buying a pinball machine, and years later, walking into your game room to play, only to find the paddles missing, the ball and bumpers gone, and the high-score display removed," the lawsuit stated.

As reported by Polygon, the plaintiffs accused Ubisoft of breaching California’s False Advertising Law, Unfair Competition Law, and Consumer Legal Remedies Act, along with "allegations of common law fraud and warranty breach." They also contended that Ubisoft violated California’s gift card regulations, which prohibit expiration dates.

The players included images of the game’s activation code, which clearly states it remains valid until 2099. They interpreted this as a promise "that The Crew would be playable during that period and beyond."

Unsurprisingly, Ubisoft disputes these claims.

"Plaintiffs allege they bought physical copies of The Crew expecting unlimited, permanent access. They also object to Ubisoft’s failure to release an 'offline, single-player patch' when the servers were taken offline in March 2024," Ubisoft’s legal team wrote.

"At its core, the complaint alleges that Ubisoft misled buyers into thinking they were acquiring full ownership of The Crew, rather than a limited usage license. In reality, customers received exactly what they bargained for and were explicitly informed at purchase that they were acquiring a license."

Ubisoft further noted that Xbox and PlayStation packaging includes "a clear, capitalized notice stating that Ubisoft may discontinue access to specific online features with 30 days' prior notice."

Ubisoft has now filed a motion to dismiss the case. If it proceeds, the plaintiffs have requested a jury trial.

Platforms like Steam now provide upfront notices informing customers that they are purchasing a license, not a game. This change followed California Governor Gavin Newsom’s signing of a law requiring digital marketplaces to clarify that consumers are buying licensed media, not ownership.

It’s important to note that the new law does not prevent companies from revoking content access. However, it does require them to notify buyers about the limited nature of their purchase before completion.