Representatives for Ubisoft, the well-known French publisher, have stated that there’s no belief that game ownership transfers to players upon purchase.
In an attempt to dismiss a class action lawsuit launched in California by gamers, Ubisoft’s legal team pointed out that players were upset by their decision to shut down a game. The game in question, The Crew, was taken offline in 2024, marking a decade since it first hit the market. Since it required an internet connection to play, it can no longer be accessed or enjoyed by those who bought it.
“Displeased with Ubisoft’s recent move to discontinue the game after the notification period stated on the packaging, the plaintiffs are putting forth a wide range of claims on behalf of what they believe is a nationwide group of customers,” Ubisoft’s legal team noted in their request to dismiss, as highlighted by Polygon. These claims cover everything from breaches of California’s False Advertising Law and Unfair Competition Law, to the Consumer Legal Remedies Act, along with common law fraud and warranty breaches.
Following this, the plaintiffs submitted an updated complaint. They are now arguing that since players were left with unused in-game currency when The Crew was shut down, Ubisoft might have violated a state law stipulating that gift cards must remain valid indefinitely. This hinges on whether they can successfully argue that in-game currency falls under those legal requirements.
