Ubisoft: Difference between revisions

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On January 15, 2024, Ubisoft's director of subscriptions, Philippe Tremblay, was interviewed by [http://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 |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>

===California class action lawsuit===

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 |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, 20205, 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 |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 |access-date=12 Apr 2025 |website=Scribd}}</ref></blockquote>On March 18, 2025 plaintiffs ammended the complain 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.

===GDPR Complaint===

On April 24 2025, noyb (a European non-profit organisation for digital rights) filed a [[GDPR]] complaint to the Austrian data protection authority (DSB) against Ubisoft for forcing its customers to connect to the internet every time a single player game is launched, thereby collecting data on gaming behaviour. This collection of data is alleged to be an infringement of Article 6(1) of the GDPR.

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>

<blockquote>Complaint filed in Austria. noyb has therefore filed a GDPR complaint with the Austrian data protection authority (DSB). We request the DSB to declare that Ubisoft infringed Article 6(1) GDPR with its processing of personal data without a valid legal basis. In addition, we request that Ubisoft deletes all personal information by the complainant that has been processed without a valid legal basis – and that the company ceases further unlawful processing. Last but not least, we suggest that the data protection authority impose an administrative fine. Based on Ubisoft’s turnover of more than € 2 billion, the data protection authority could issue a fine of up to € 92 million.(“Like to Play Alone? Ubisoft Is Still Watching You!,” 2025)</blockquote>

According to noyb there is no valid and legal reason to collect such data "Under Article 6(1) GDPR, there seems to be no valid legal basis to randomly collect such user data" (“Like to Play Alone? Ubisoft Is Still Watching You!,” 2025).<ref name="gdpr-complaint" />

===Switch to subscription model for the game Rocksmith===

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 On January 15, 2024, Ubisoft's director of subscriptions, Philippe Tremblay, was interviewed by [http://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 |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>
+===California class action lawsuit===
+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 |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, 20205, 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 |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 |access-date=12 Apr 2025 |website=Scribd}}</ref></blockquote>On March 18, 2025 plaintiffs  ammended the complain 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 -->
+===GDPR Complaint===
+On April 24 2025, noyb (a European non-profit organisation for digital rights) filed a [[GDPR]] complaint to the Austrian data protection authority (DSB) against Ubisoft for forcing its customers to connect to the internet every time a single player game is launched, thereby collecting data on gaming behaviour. This collection of data is alleged to be an infringement of Article 6(1) of the GDPR.
+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>
+<blockquote>Complaint filed in Austria. noyb has therefore filed a GDPR complaint with the Austrian data protection authority (DSB). We request the DSB to declare that Ubisoft infringed Article 6(1) GDPR with its processing of personal data without a valid legal basis. In addition, we request that Ubisoft deletes all personal information by the complainant that has been processed without a valid legal basis – and that the company ceases further unlawful processing. Last but not least, we suggest that the data protection authority impose an administrative fine. Based on Ubisoft’s turnover of more than € 2 billion, the data protection authority could issue a fine of up to € 92 million.(“Like to Play Alone? Ubisoft Is Still Watching You!,” 2025)</blockquote>
+According to noyb there is no valid and legal reason to collect such data "Under Article 6(1) GDPR, there seems to be no valid legal basis to randomly collect such user data" (“Like to Play Alone? Ubisoft Is Still Watching You!,” 2025).<ref name="gdpr-complaint" />
 ===Switch to subscription model for the game Rocksmith===