Ubisoft says you don't own your video games, read the fine print

Again, Ubisoft has found itself in a situation where fans are displeased, this time due to their recent statement regarding the ongoing legal dispute over the closure of ‘The Crew’.

Initially spotted by Polygon, page 12 of the 2024 Ubisoft lawsuit response reads:

In the complaint they’ve filed (ECF No. 1), it appears I’m observing that the Plaintiffs claim Ubisoft, Inc. deceived buyers of the game titled The Crew, by giving the impression they were getting unrestricted ownership rights. However, upon closer inspection, it seems consumers actually received the value of their purchase and were clearly informed at the time of transaction that they were acquiring a license for the game, not ownership.

Initially launched in September 2014, “The Crew” game saw the release of two follow-ups prior to its cessation in March 2024. Unfortunately, the situation worsened when Ubisoft withdrew digital licenses, meaning that players could no longer download the games post-shutdown.

A wave of indignation arose when people saw this situation as a possible assault on video game conservation, particularly after discovering that The Crew contained coding hinting at the possibility of an offline gameplay mode.

Here we stand now, on the precipice of gamer vs developer.

For quite some time, it has been established through legal means that instead of owning the actual digital versions of most games and software, what you possess are licenses to use them.

However, it gets more complicated, as Ubisoft contends that when you buy the tangible version of their game, you’re not actually the owner, but instead, you’re granted a license for the game itself.

In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs claim they thought they were buying an everlasting right to play The Crew when they purchased the physical copies.

Listening to this can be tough, but it’s a reality that many have been cautioning gamers against for quite some time now.

This is hard to accept, but it’s something that I, along with others, have been advising gamers to be aware of for years.

We don’t own our games and never really have, at least, according to the developers.

In their eyes, our games are a license that can be taken away at a moment’s notice for any reason.

In today’s age of flexible gaming, firms such as Nintendo are strongly emphasizing the concept that even traditional games serve as passkeys to a virtual gaming utopia.

You don’t own a game, whether you can hold it in your hand or not.

We don’t own our games and never really have.

In the ongoing battle, the plaintiffs argue multiple points in an attempt to counter Ubisoft.

In response to Ubisoft’s argument that the time limit for claims had passed, the plaintiffs countered in March by presenting pictures of their original games, which showed that the activation codes weren’t set to expire until the year 2099.

Oops, number one.

In addition to their claims, the plaintiffs assert that Ubisoft violated gift card regulations in California. To put it clearly, this law ensures that any gift card bought remains valid and does not expire.

In The Crew video game, players have the option to acquire Crew Credits which they can use to buy various in-game items. However, when Ubisoft discontinued the game, they automatically rendered invalid any previously purchased Crew Credits.

Oops, number two.

The big takeaway for gamers

In simpler terms, when you purchase a game from Ubisoft, whether physically or digitally, Ubisoft sees that you’re not actually owning the game itself. Instead, they consider you as just holding a permit or license for playing that specific game.

I hate this so much.

What do you think? Are you disappointed in Ubisoft?

2025-04-12 00:09

Ubisoft says you don’t own your video games, read the fine print

The big takeaway for gamers

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