Ubisoft is in hot water again. This time, the French gaming giant is facing a proposed class action lawsuit over its decision to shut down The Crew earlier this year.
Two players have filed a lawsuit in a California court, alleging that Ubisoft “duped consumers” into purchasing the game without disclosing the potential for server shutdowns. They argue that Ubisoft misled players into believing they owned the game, whether it was a physical disc or a digital download. In reality, the game data was stored on remote servers, and the physical and digital copies merely provided access to it.
The lawsuit claims that Ubisoft’s actions violated California state consumer protection laws. The plaintiffs are seeking monetary relief and damages, and they’re requesting the court to certify the lawsuit as a class action to include other affected players.
This lawsuit comes on the heels of a new California state law that requires digital storefronts to inform players that they don’t own the games they purchase but are instead buying a license. This law highlights the growing concern over the ownership of digital goods and the potential for companies to remove access to them.
Ubisoft’s decision to shut down The Crew has sparked debate among gamers and legal experts. While the company cited server infrastructure and licensing constraints as reasons for the shutdown, many players feel that they were unfairly deprived of a game they had purchased.
It remains to be seen how this lawsuit will unfold, but it could have significant implications for the gaming industry. As more and more games are released digitally, it’s crucial for companies to be transparent about the terms of service and the potential for server shutdowns.
