Ubisoft Under Fire as Lawsuit Challenges Game Ownership Rights

A legal dispute over Ubisoft’s 2014 online racing game The Crew is reigniting debate about digital ownership, with the publisher asserting that players never truly “owned” the title – despite paying for it. The case, now before a California court, centers on Ubisoft’s decision to shut down the game’s servers and revoke user access, a move critics say undermines consumer rights in the age of digital distribution.

Filed by two California residents, the lawsuit alleges that Ubisoft misled players who purchased physical and digital copies of The Crew, believing they were buying a product they could access indefinitely. But with The Crew relying entirely on online connectivity, Ubisoft’s 2023 server shutdown rendered the game virtually unplayable, leaving users with nothing more than a limited demo.

Unlike other publishers that retain access to delisted games or provide offline functionality, Ubisoft went further by removing The Crew from customers’ Ubisoft Connect libraries. Refunds were offered only to recent buyers.

In its legal response, Ubisoft maintained that the game’s packaging and digital terms clearly granted users a limited license – not ownership – and argued that the statute of limitations on the claims had expired. However, the plaintiffs countered that the clock only started in 2023 when the shutdown was announced, and pointed to the game’s packaging, which included activation code validity until 2099.

They also took a new legal angle, claiming The Crew’s virtual currency constitutes a “gift certificate” under California law, which prohibits expiration dates on such items.

The case has sparked wider concern among consumers and digital rights advocates. A growing petition in Canada is urging lawmakers to introduce legal safeguards requiring publishers to implement offline options when ending support for online-only games. The Stop Killing Games campaign is pushing for similar reforms globally.

Ubisoft, meanwhile, has promised to introduce offline modes for its newer titles, The Crew 2 and The Crew Motorfest, but maintains its stance on licensing over ownership. The controversy arrives as more companies pivot toward live-service models and subscription-based gaming, raising ongoing questions about long-term access and digital consumer rights.

Platform holders have begun to acknowledge the tension. Valve recently revised its Steam platform language to clarify that users are purchasing access licenses rather than permanent ownership, in line with California law. In contrast, rival storefront GOG took a subtle jab by reaffirming its commitment to DRM-free, offline installers for all purchases.

As digital consumption continues to reshape the gaming landscape, the outcome of this case could have far-reaching implications for how publishers define – and consumers understand – what it really means to “buy” a game.