Lawyers for Ubisoft, the well-known French gaming publisher, recently made an interesting argument stating that purchasing a game doesn’t imply ownership for players. This came up in response to a class action lawsuit in California, where gamers have taken legal action against the company.
The issue arose when Ubisoft decided to shut down “The Crew” in 2024, after it had been available for ten years. This decision effectively made the game unplayable because of its required online connection, much to the dismay of its players.
Ubisoft’s legal team, in their defense, pointed out that players were aware of the terms, which were clearly mentioned on the product’s packaging. They characterized the lawsuit as an attempt to throw numerous allegations at the company, arguing infractions of California’s False Advertising Law, Unfair Competition Law, Consumer Legal Remedies Act, alongside claims of common law fraud and breach of warranty. Polygon reported on these legal maneuvers as Ubisoft sought to have the case dismissed.
However, the case evolved further when the plaintiffs filed an updated complaint. They argued that with unspent virtual currency left in “The Crew” when it was shut down, Ubisoft might have violated a state law, which mandates that gift cards remain valid indefinitely. The crux of this argument hinges on whether in-game currency can be classified in the same way as gift cards under the law.
