Ubisoft Disputes The Crew Lawsuit Claims, Asserts Players Did Not Have Unrestricted Ownership

Ubisoft has filed a motion to dismiss a class-action lawsuit in California related to the shutdown of its 2014 racing game, The Crew. The lawsuit, which was filed in February, claims that players were misled into believing they had full ownership of the game when, in fact, they were only purchasing a license. Ubisoft's response states that the plaintiffs' allegations are unfounded and that the company's decision to retire the game was made clear through notices on the game's packaging. The plaintiffs, Alan Liu and Matthew Cassell, allege that Ubisoft's actions constitute a breach of warranty, fraud, and unfair competition, among other claims. However, Ubisoft argues that these claims are time-barred, as they were made more than four years after the game's purchase. The company also points out that the game's packaging clearly stated that the game was subject to a limited license and that online play was required. The lawsuit has sparked a debate about game ownership in the digital age, with a recent California state law prohibiting digital storefronts from using terms like 'buy' or 'purchase' when referring to the licensing of digital media.