Ubisoft Addresses The Crew Lawsuit, Explains Players Never Had Ownership of Their Games

Ubisoft Faces Legal Action Over The Crew Server Shutdown

In November 2024, Ubisoft found itself in hot water as two California gamers filed a lawsuit against the gaming giant regarding the abrupt closure of servers for *The Crew*.The plaintiffs likened this action to the scenario of purchasing a pinball machine, only to have the manufacturer invade their home, stripping away vital components such as the paddles and bumpers, leaving behind an unusable shell.

The lawsuit highlighted the argument that Ubisoft misled consumers by suggesting they were purchasing a game, while, in reality, they had merely acquired a limited license to access it. This contention was especially poignant for one plaintiff, who had bought a physical disc for *The Crew*—a product rendered inert following the server shutdown.

Ubisoft’s Response to Player Backlash

In response to the negative reactions from players, Ubisoft announced updates for *The Crew 2* and *The Crew Motorfest*, introducing offline modes that would allow continued gameplay post-server closure, which was set for early 2024. However, this commitment was not extended to *The Crew*, which faced complete server shutdown in March 2024, further fueling the plaintiffs’ grievances.

According to reporting from Polygon, Ubisoft firmly defended its position in court, asserting that the plaintiffs should have understood they were only acquiring a license upon purchasing *The Crew*, rather than ownership of the game itself.

“Frustrated with Ubisoft’s recent decision to retire the game following a notice period delineated on the product’s packaging, Plaintiffs apply a kitchen sink approach on behalf of a putative class of nationwide customers, ”Ubisoft stated in its defense.

Ubisoft further argued that the plaintiffs had extensively enjoyed *The Crew*, playing it for several years prior to its scheduled shutdown, which was officially communicated in December 2023. According to Ubisoft, this extended access constituted fair value received for their purchase.

“After making their purchases, Plaintiffs enjoyed access to The Crew for years before Ubisoft decided in late 2023 to retire and shut down the servers of the ten-year-old video game. Plaintiffs received the benefit of their bargain and cannot complain now that they were deceived simply because Ubisoft did not then create an offline version of the discontinued video game.”

In light of Ubisoft’s legal response, the plaintiffs amended the complaints, countering the assertion that they had fully utilized *The Crew* during its operational years. They contended that there was no indication that the servers would ever be deactivated.

The Broader Context of Game Ownership

This lawsuit reflects broader issues in the gaming industry regarding digital ownership. Notably, Valve had addressed similar concerns late last year by introducing a warning on Steam, informing players that purchases were licenses for access rather than ownership of the actual game. This marked a significant move towards greater transparency in digital game sales.

As this legal battle unfolds, it is likely to reignite discussions about consumer rights in the digital gaming space, raising awareness about the implications of perceived ownership versus actual licensing in video game transactions.

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