Ubisoft: Difference between revisions

One of the most significant consumer protection issues surrounding Ubisoft in recent years relates to the 2014 game ''The Crew''. In late 2023, Ubisoft announced the shutdown of the online services for ''The Crew'', making the game unplayable entirely, even the single-player content.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lyles |first=Taylor |date=14 Dec 2023 |title=The Crew Delisted From All Digital Storefronts, Servers Shut Down Early 2024 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/the-crew-delisted-from-all-digital-storefronts-servers-shut-down-early-2024 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/BduKe |archive-date=23 Feb 2024 |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=IGN}}</ref> The decision to decommission the game's servers was controversial, as Ubisoft retroactively altered the terms of sale. Players who had purchased the game, which was initially marketed with certain single-player functionality, found that they could no longer access said single-player features after the servers were shut down.

The decommissioning of ''The Crew'' also sparked a wider debate on the viability of "[[Games as a service|games-as-a-service]]” models, which Ubisoft has heavily invested in.<ref>[https://www.stopkillinggames.com/ Stop Killing Games]</ref> These models often require ongoing internet connectivity to function and rely on servers run by the company. At any time, the company can decide to shut down the servers and the games will no longer be playable, as seen with ''The Crew''.

''Star Wars Outlaws'' was released in August 2024, with two editions that allowed players to have early access to the game for $110 and $130, respectively, approximately twice the cost of the game on release day.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reed |first=Chris |date=6 Aug 2024 |title=Star Wars Outlaws: Here’s What Comes in Each Edition |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/star-wars-outlaws-release-date-special-editions |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/qYVna |archive-date=9 Apr 2024 |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=IGN}}</ref> Ubisoft then pushed an update just before the full release that caused players on PlayStation 5 who had paid extra for the game as early access to have their save file deleted.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Knight |first=Kyle |date=28 Aug 2024 |title=Star Wars Outlaws Players Forced to Delete Saved Data on PS5 |url=https://gamerant.com/star-wars-outlaws-bug-delete-save-data-ps5/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240828172855/https://gamerant.com/star-wars-outlaws-bug-delete-save-data-ps5/ |archive-date=28 Aug 2024 |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=Game Rant}}</ref> Although the update was intended to fix a game-breaking bug, upon full release many bugs remained.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gherzo |first=Alex |date=27 Aug 2024 |title=Star Wars Outlaws Still Looks Buggy the Week of Its Release |url=https://www.geeksandgamers.com/star-wars-outlaws-still-looks-buggy-the-week-of-its-release/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240901085122/https://www.geeksandgamers.com/star-wars-outlaws-still-looks-buggy-the-week-of-its-release/ |archive-date=1 Sep 2024 |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=Geeks and Gamers}}</ref> This behavior also highlights an ongoing pattern in which Ubisoft releases an incomplete game, expects players to buy the game and act as the testers, and then patches the game later.   

Ubisoft's CEO, Yves Guillemot, has repeatedly stated that "[[Games as a service|games as a service]]" is the future of the gaming industry,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schreier |first=Jason |date=30 May 2017 |title=Top Video Game Companies Won't Stop Talking About 'Games As A Service' |url=https://kotaku.com/top-video-game-companies-wont-stop-talking-about-games-1795663927 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/lTKUh |archive-date=30 May 2017 |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=Kotaku}}</ref> and Ubisoft's director of subscriptions, Philippe Tremblay, said that players should get used to not owning their games.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yin-Poole |first=Wesley |date=16 Jan 2024 |title=Ubisoft Exec Says Gamers Need to Get 'Comfortable' Not Owning Their Games for Subscriptions to Take Off |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/ubisoft-exec-says-gamers-need-to-get-comfortable-not-owning-their-games-for-subscriptions-to-take-off |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/DrBOV |archive-date=16 Jan 2024 |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=IGN}}</ref> These comments have been met with criticism, particularly when juxtaposed with decisions like the shutdown of ''The Crew'' and the introduction of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) into Ubisoft’s business model.

On January 15, 2024, Ubisoft's director of subscriptions, Philippe Tremblay, was interviewed by [https://www.gamesindustry.biz gamesindustry.biz]. During this interview, Tremblay made the following comment on ownership:<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dring |first=Christopher |date=15 Jan 2024 |title=The new Ubisoft+ and getting gamers comfortable with not owning their games |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/the-new-ubisoft-and-getting-gamers-comfortable-with-not-owning-their-games |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/xQGZi |archive-date=15 Jan 2024 |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=Games Industry}}</ref><blockquote>"One of the things we saw is that gamers are used to, a little bit like DVD, having and owning their games. That's the consumer shift that needs to happen. They got comfortable not owning their CD collection or DVD collection. That's a transformation that's been a bit slower to happen [in games]. As gamers grow comfortable in that aspect… you don't lose your progress. If you resume your game at another time, your progress file is still there. That's not been deleted. You don't lose what you've built in the game or your engagement with the game. So it's about feeling comfortable with not owning your game."</blockquote>

On July 10, 2025, during the Q&A portion of Ubisoft’s 2025 General Meeting<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tran |first=Edmond |date=19 Jul 2025 |title=Ubisoft CEO Addresses Stop Killing Games Movement Concerns |url=https://thisweekinvideogames.com/news/ubisoft-ceo-addresses-stop-killing-games-movement-concerns/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250721162253/https://thisweekinvideogames.com/news/ubisoft-ceo-addresses-stop-killing-games-movement-concerns/ |archive-date=21 Jul 2025 |access-date=2025-07-10 |website=This Week in Videogames}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=10 Jul 2025 |title=Investor center: General Meetings |url=https://www.ubisoft.com/en-us/company/about-us/investors#generalMeetings |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250711171411/https://www.ubisoft.com/en-us/company/about-us/investors#generalMeetings |archive-date=11 Jul 2025 |access-date=2025-07-20 |website=Ubisoft}}</ref> at around 1:22:30<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 Jul 2025 |title=General Meeting 2025 |url=https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/zzxygofu/ |archive-url=https://archive.ph/tMCS7 |archive-date=11 Jan 2026 |access-date=2025-07-20}}</ref>, Guillemot has addressed shareholder concerns regarding the [[Stop Killing Games]] movement, unfortunately repeating the same misinformation as the lobby group [[Stop Killing Games#Industry push back|Video Game Europe]] regarding the wrong assumption that the initiative is asking for servers to be kept alive forever<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 Jul 2024 |title=Europeans can save gaming! |url=https://youtu.be/mkMe9MxxZiI?t=150 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260111183426/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkMe9MxxZiI&t=150s |archive-date=11 Jan 2026 |access-date=2025-07-20 |website=Youtube: Accursed Farms}}</ref>:<blockquote>“We operate in a market, and whenever we release a game, we provide a lot of support for that game. We also provide a lot of services to make sure that the game is accessible and remains playable 24/7.”

Polygon reported on November 11, 2024<ref>{{Cite web |last=Carpenter |first=Nicole |date=11 Nov 2024 |title=Ubisoft sued for shutting down The Crew |url=https://www.polygon.com/gaming/476979/ubisoft-the-crew-shut-down-lawsuit-class-action |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241111185514/https://www.polygon.com/gaming/476979/ubisoft-the-crew-shut-down-lawsuit-class-action/ |archive-date=11 Nov 2024 |access-date=12 Apr 2025 |website=Polygon}}</ref> about two owners of the crew filing a class action lawsuit against Ubisoft  on November 04, 2024 alleging violations of unfair competition, false advertising, fraudulent misrepresentation and breach of implied warranty, according to California Law.<ref>{{Cite web |date=11 Apr 2024 |title=Crew Lawsuit Via Polygon |url=https://it.scribd.com/document/790913960/Crew-Lawsuit-via-Polygon |url-status=live |access-date=12 Apr 2025 |website=Scribd}}</ref><blockquote>"Imagine you buy a pinball machine, and years later, you enter your den to go play it, only to discover that all the paddles are missing, the pinball and bumpers are gone, and the monitor that proudly displayed your unassailable high score is removed."</blockquote>Ubisoft responded to this lawsuit with a motion to dismiss on February 05, 2025, also reported by Polygon,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Carpenter |first=Nicole |date=9 Apr 2025 |title=Ubisoft holds firm in The Crew lawsuit: You don’t own your video games |url=https://www.polygon.com/gaming/555469/ubisoft-holds-firm-in-the-crew-lawsuit-you-dont-own-your-video-games |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/yEvgd |archive-date=6 Sep 2025 |access-date=12 Apr 2025 |website=Polygon}}</ref> arguing that plaintiffs don’t have a case reiterating that fact that you don't own the video game you bought:<blockquote>"The [essence] of the plaintiffs’ complaint is that Ubisoft allegedly misled purchasers of its video game The Crew into believing they were purchasing unfettered ownership rights in the game, rather than a limited license to access the game. But the reality is that consumers received the benefit of their bargain and were explicitly notified, at the time of purchase, that they were purchasing a license."<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 Feb 2025 |title=The Crew lawsuit, Ubisoft response -- via Polygon |url=https://it.scribd.com/document/848030901/The-Crew-lawsuit-Ubisoft-response-via-Polygon |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241112000401/https://www.scribd.com/document/790913960/Crew-Lawsuit-via-Polygon |archive-date=12 Nov 2024 |access-date=12 Apr 2025 |website=Scribd}}</ref></blockquote>On March 18, 2025 plaintiffs  amended the complaint with pictures of the physical copy arguing that the in-box Activation Code for The Crew had an expiration date of 2099. Additionally, the game’s in-game currency could be considered a form of gift certificate. In California, a gift certificate is not allowed to expire.<!-- could not find copy of court document, only the polygon report -->

Noyb's official statement:<ref name="gdpr-complaint">Like to play alone? Ubisoft is still watching you! (2025, April 28). noyb.eu. https://noyb.eu/en/play-alone-ubisoft-still-watching-you</ref>

Tech4Gamers recently reported on July 5, 2025<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rehman |first=Obaid Ur |date=2025-07-05 |title="Ubisoft Wants Gamers To Destroy All Copies of A Game Once It Goes Offline" |url=https://tech4gamers.com/ubisoft-eula-destroy-all-copies-game-goes-offline/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/9Impr |archive-date=7 Jul 2025 |work=Tech4Gamers}}</ref> the Ubisoft EULA has been updated, which states that upon "termination of Your UBISOFT Account" or "UBISOFT’s decision to discontinue offering and/or supporting the Product" the owner of a game must not only uninstall the product, but you must also "destroy all copies of the Product in Your possession". As gameGPU states; "even physical media"<ref>{{Cite news |last=Games |first=Maximum |date=2025-07-05 |title=Ubisoft requires all copies of the game to be destroyed upon EULA termination |url=https://en.gamegpu.com/game/Ubisoft-requires-all-copies-of-games-to-be-deleted-upon-EULA-termination |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/sc63i |archive-date=11 Jan 2026 |work=GameGPU}}</ref>.