Summary
Two players of the online-only racing gameThe Creware suing Ubisoft, the game’s developer and publisher, over its shuttering of the game’s servers, which effectively removed all access to the title.The Crew, released in 2014, was an online exclusive with no single-player campaign available for players without an internet connection. Shutting down the servers in December 2023 left owners of the game without the ability to utilize their purchased copies of the game.
Ubisoft’s decision to dismantle servers for an always-online game highlights a growing source of contention for purchasers of digital media, namely that digital downloads are licensed rather than purchased. When older games are delisted, or live-service games have their server support discontinued, the reality of the purchasing arrangement becomes painfully clear to customers. Thenew California bill AB 2426, signed into law in October 2024 and going into effect in early 2025, mandates that this discrepancy is presented to consumers with greater transparency.
As originallyreported by Polygon, the two players filing suit contend that the termination of access lessens the value of the product they purchased, and would have influenced their decision to pay full price for the game in the first place. The lawsuit likens Ubisoft’s removal of access to evenThe Crew’s single-player campaign to a “pinball machine manufacturer [deciding] to come into your home, gut the insides of the pinball machine, and remove your ability to play the game that you bought and thought you owned.” While the disabled server has drawn the ire of dedicated players,Ubisoft is not the first company to remove access to legacy titles.
Delisting Older Titles Continues to Anger Players
The suit goes on to claim that Ubisoft “duped” players by leading them to believe they were buying a game, rather than renting a revocable license to it, and that portions of the game would remain available offline in perpetuity. According to the lawsuit, these actions violate California’s consumer protection laws. The lawsuit follows public backlash towardsthe shuttering ofThe Crew’s servers, which prompted Ubisoft to promise players offline versions of newer titles in the franchise and generated a “Stop Killing Games” initiative, spearheaded by YouTube creator Ross Scott.
As digital transactions rapidly replace physical purchasing for games and other media, it seems inevitable thatthe debate over ownership, longevity, and preservationwill expand. Lawsuits of this kind may become more frequent until publishers and digital storefronts address the issue in a way that players find satisfactory. Ubisoft continues to struggle against player backlash in recent months, following the delay ofAssassin’s Creed Shadows, the potential shutdown of the free-to-play shooterXDefiant, and the recent release of a blockchain-centered RPG.
The Crew
WHERE TO PLAY
Your car is your avatar - fine tune your ride as you level up and progress through 5 unique and richly detailed regions of a massive open-world US. Maneuver through the bustling streets of New York City and Los Angeles, cruise down sunny Miami Beach or trek through the breathtaking plateaus of Monument Valley. Each locale comes with its own set of surprises and driving challenges to master. On your journey you will encounter other players on the road – all potentially worthy companions to crew up with, or future rivals to compete against. This is driving at its most exciting, varied and open.Jump in and out seamlessly and build your crew of four through bonding or intense rivalry. Whether your objective is to take down a convoy or to escape the police, achieving it with friends ensures a fresh experience each time you join in.The entire United States is your driving playground – all roads and everything in between. Every type of terrain imaginable is yours to master – from downtown city streets to suburbs, hillsides, cornfields, canyons, desert dunes or even race tracks.
