Beleaguered game publisher Ubisoft is now facing backlash from players, who are seeking to attain a class action lawsuit against the company after it shut down the online multiplayer racing game The Crew. This lawsuit comes on top of struggles Ubisoft has seen with its recent game releases, with the flagship Star Wars Outlaws’ disappointing reception and the studio behind The Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown being shuttered.
The lawsuit, which was filed in California, alleges that the company mislead players who believed they were purchasing the game rather than only being provided with a license. Additionally, the lawsuit also alleges that Ubisoft “falsely represented” the contents of the physical release of the game, which buyers would expect to have the game files necessary to play the game instead of acting only as a key to access the game.
“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,” wrote the plaintiff’s lawyers. Adding that, “turns out the pinball manufacturer decided to come into your home, gut the insides of the pinball machine, and remove your ability to play the game that you bought and thought you owned.”
It’s interesting to see the lawyers on the plaintiff’s side point out the confusion some buyers have regarding ownership of a purchased game. It’s a situation that should improve after California passed a law that requires digital store fronts to inform buyers that they’re only receiving a license and not actual ownership of a game.
Depending on how this lawsuit shakes out, it could be an important ruling for the games industry. A lot of games are online only experiences that players spend a lot of money on, potentially leading to the expectation of being able to access this content well after a company decides to discontinue support.