Ubisoft Is Facing Lawsuit After The Crew Was Removed From Platforms

As a long-time gamer and collector of digital games, I find it disheartening to witness yet another instance where game developers seem to prioritize their convenience over the satisfaction of their customers. The Crew‘s shutdown and subsequent class action lawsuit is a stark reminder that, as gamers, we are often purchasing licenses rather than owning the games outright.


Ubisoft is under scrutiny due to a potential class action lawsuit filed in a California court, following their decision to close down The Crew earlier this year, about a decade since its initial release. Two players have initiated this legal action, alleging that Ubisoft misled consumers into buying The Crew without disclosing the possibility of shutting down its servers, thereby rendering the online game unplayable.

Last December, when Ubisoft announced the game shutdown, they extended refunds to the players who had recently bought the game. However, due to the game’s age, many players were unfortunately not eligible for these refunds.

Picture this scenario: You return to your game room after years, eager to enjoy your beloved pinball machine. To your dismay, upon entering, you find it stripped of essential parts – the playing paddles, the ball and bumpers are absent, and the screen that once proudly displayed your top score is nowhere to be found. This, it seems, was the result of the manufacturer deciding to break into your home, empty out the internal workings of your pinball machine, and thus take away your ability to play the game you thought you owned.

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The lawsuit claims players were duped in two ways: First, by allegedly misleading players into thinking they were buying a game when they were merely licensing it, even if a player bought the physical disk. Second, Ubisoft “falsely represented” that The Crew’s files were on those physical disks to access freely, and that the disks weren’t simply “a key” for the game. The lawsuit adds that Ubisoft is violating California consumer protection laws.

Instead of buying a game, many gamers are unknowingly acquiring a license, rather than the game itself. This discrepancy is something digital platforms like Steam are striving to clarify when customers purchase games.

Ubisoft has announced that they are turning off their servers following a decade of service because of issues with server maintenance and licensing. However, the 2018 sequel, known as The Crew 2, and the newest installment in the series, The Crew Motorfest, will continue to operate without interruption once the servers have been shut down.

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2024-11-12 22:38