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- Ubisoft is currently facing a lawsuit after removing The Crew from gamers’ libraries.
- The company’s lawyers argue that gamers were never led to believe they would own the game forever.
- They further state that digital games are comparable to limited-time licenses.
Ubisoft’s The Crew series is home to over 40 million players, but fans were upset when the first game was forcefully removed from libraries earlier last year. This led to a lawsuit from the fans, which pointed to a potential violation of California’s consumer protection laws.
Nearly a year after the story took everyone by storm, Ubisoft’s internal response to the lawsuit has surfaced. As per the gaming giant’s lawyers, it never led gamers to believe that their purchase was permanent.
Why it matters: Digital libraries and ownership of games have become major talking points in the industry recently, and this situation highlights exactly why many are so concerned about the future of game distribution.
As per Polygon, Ubisoft’s lawyers stated that players had no reason to believe that purchasing The Crew granted them “unfettered ownership rights in the game.”
They went on to say that Ubisoft had already clarified that The Crew’s purchase was little more than a limited access license, nullifying the lawsuit’s argument altogether.
Although the gamers later modified the lawsuit in response, Ubisoft’s lawyers remained firm that the argument was rather weak. Nonetheless, everyone seems to have taken an interest in the stance regarding digital games.
Of course, these words did not come from Ubisoft directly, but they represent the company’s greater mindset. As far as the French gaming giant is concerned, digital game sales are akin to temporary licenses.
Many may mistake them for permanent ownership, but Ubisoft argues otherwise. The company has also warned audiences to become accustomed to not owning games in the past, further highlighting this mindset.
What are your thoughts on the lawsuit and Ubisoft’s response to it? Let’s discuss this in the comments and on the Tech4Gamers Forums.
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[Senior News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than 5 years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.
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