Ubisoft says you don't own your video games, read the fine print

Ubisoft is out making fans upset once more with its last response to the ongoing lawsuit over the shutdown of The Crew.

Initially spotted by Polygon, page 12 of the 2024 Ubisoft lawsuit response reads:

"The gravamen of Plaintiffs' Complaint (ECF No. 1) is that Ubisoft, Inc. 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."

The Crew was released in September of 2014; the game would go on to receive two sequels before the original shut down in March 2024. To make matters worse, Ubisoft revoked digital licenses from players, so the games couldn't even be downloaded after their shutdown.

Outrage followed in the presence of what many perceived as an attack against video game preservation, especially once it was realized that The Crew had code that referenced a potential offline mode.

Here we stand now, on the precipice of gamer vs developer.

It's been legally determined for a while now that you don't actually own the digital copies of most games or software; you just have licences to them.

But to make matters worse, Ubisoft argues you don't even own the physical copy of a game but rather a license to said game.

"In the Complaint, Plaintiffs allege that they purchased physical copies of The Crew under the belief that they were obtaining unfettered access to the game in perpetuity."

Hearing this is brutal, but it's one of those things I've seen myself and others warning gamers about for years.

We don't own our games and never really have, at least, according to the developers.

In their eyes, our games are a license that can be taken away at a moment's notice for any reason.

In the era of at-will gaming, companies like Nintendo are doubling down on the idea that even physical games are simply keys to gaming paradise.

You don't own a game, whether you can hold it in your hand or not.

In the ongoing battle, the plaintiffs argue multiple points in an attempt to counter Ubisoft.

While Ubisoft contended that the statute of limitations had been reached, the plaintiffs responded in March with photos of their physical copies, which stated that the activation code didn't expire until 2099.

Oops, number one.

On top of it, the plaintiffs also argue that Ubisoft has broken gift card laws in California. The law, for the sake of simplicity, states that any gift card purchased can never expire.

In The Crew, players can purchase Crew Credits to buy other items. By removing the game, Ubisoft has forcefully expired Crew Credits that players had purchased.

Oops, number two.

The big takeaway for gamers

What this all means for gamers is this: If you buy a game from Ubisoft, whether physical or not, the company doesn't think you own it. It believes you only own a license to said game.

I hate this so much.

What do you think? Are you disappointed in Ubisoft?

You might even back Ubisoft; who knows? We can if you let us know below or on social media. Now, go enjoy some games you may or may not own!