Ubisoft Shocker: You Don't Own 'The Crew' Game, It's Just a License!

In recently disclosed legal documents, Ubisoft has clarified that players did not truly possess their versions of The Crew; instead, they were granted a restricted permission to play the game. This revelation is part of an ongoing lawsuit concerning Ubisoft’s Game Ownership, initiated in California following the company’s decision to terminate The Crew’s servers in March 2024, rendering it impossible to play.

The lawsuit brought against Ubisoft in November 2024 alleges that they did not make it clear about the true nature of the purchase, selling a game at full price but keeping the ability to revoke access whenever they want. In February 2025, Ubisoft requested the case be thrown out.

Based on court records examined by Polygon, Ubisoft’s lawyers argued that “Consumers indeed got the value for their purchase, and it was clearly communicated at the point of sale that they were buying a license.

The filing alleges that Ubisoft may have deceived consumers who bought “The Crew” video game, leading them to believe they owned the game outright, when in reality they only had a restricted permission to play it.

Ubisoft countered by saying that no real damage was done, effectively discrediting the plaintiff’s accusations of deceptive marketing (false advertising) and anticompetitive practices (unfair competition). They maintained there was no substantial evidence of any harm suffered.

Full Price, But No Ownership

Initially, The Crew was rolled out in 2014 with marketing strategies similar to those of regular video games, priced at $59.99 USD in both physical and digital versions. However, unlike conventional games, it necessitated a constant internet connection to operate, including for single-player modes. Unfortunately, when Ubisoft discontinued support and closed the servers, the game could no longer be played.

Back in March 2025, I, as one of the plaintiffs, submitted some photos of the actual product packaging in our updated lawsuit. The activation code on the package had a mind-blowing expiration date set all the way to 2099! Now, you might think that means the product will last forever, but us plaintiffs believe the manufacturer misled consumers into thinking they were buying something with long-term viability, which we don’t think is true.

Gift Certificate Allegations

In the revised court documents, a fresh assertion has been made about in-game money. The plaintiffs believe that buying in-game currency within “The Crew” is subject to California’s laws governing gift certificates, which prohibit expiration. Since the game became unusable, any unused currency essentially expired, leading to an additional legal claim due to this violation.

The aspect of the Ubisoft Game Ownership Lawsuit stirs up wider debates concerning digital markets, downloadable content (DLC), and microtransactions, particularly in games where server operations controlled by publishers dictate functionalities.

Timeline and Modder Response

Ubisoft has until April 29, 2025, to submit their next response to the amended lawsuit. In the interim, some gamers have resurrected The Crew through unconventional methods. A community of modders has rebuilt the essential server-side foundation, enabling restricted functionality even after the official shutdown.

Ubisoft has not commented publicly beyond the filing itself.

In the ongoing discussions about digital ownership and consumer privileges, this legal case could significantly shape the future handling of games that require servers by businesses, as well as how consumers perceive their actual purchases.

2025-04-11 18:56

Ubisoft Shocker: You Don’t Own ‘The Crew’ Game, It’s Just a License!

Full Price, But No Ownership

Gift Certificate Allegations

Timeline and Modder Response

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