Ubisoft’s legal team recently defended the company’s stance in court, asserting that purchasing a game doesn’t necessarily grant ownership to the players. This argument is part of their effort to dismiss a class-action lawsuit brought against the gaming giant by a group of disgruntled gamers in California.
The heart of the complaint lies in Ubisoft’s decision to take down “The Crew” in 2024, a decade after its initial launch. Since the game relies heavily on an online connection, shutting it down rendered it completely unplayable, much to the dismay of its fanbase.
Ubisoft’s lawyers argued that the gamers’ frustration was understandable but legally unfounded. They described the lawsuit as a ‘kitchen sink approach,’ aiming to tackle the issue from multiple angles without firm legal footing. The plaintiffs are pursuing claims under California’s False Advertising Law, Unfair Competition Law, Consumer Legal Remedies Act, and have also included allegations of common law fraud and breaches of warranty, as detailed in Ubisoft’s motion to dismiss cited by Polygon.
In a strategic move, the plaintiffs have updated their complaint. Their latest claim suggests that since players had unspent in-game currency when “The Crew” was retired, Ubisoft might have violated state laws concerning gift cards, which stipulate these must remain valid indefinitely. The case now rests on whether in-game currency can be equated with gift cards under the law.
