Ubisoft has clarified that purchasing a game does not grant players "unfettered ownership rights," but rather a "limited license to access the game." This statement emerged as the company sought to dismiss a lawsuit filed by two dissatisfied players of The Crew, who challenged Ubisoft's decision to shut down the original racing game in 2023.

The 2014 release, The Crew, is no longer playable. All versions of the game, whether physical or digital, have become inaccessible following the complete server shutdown at the end of March 2024. While Ubisoft made efforts to develop offline versions for The Crew 2 and its sequel, The Crew: Motorfest, allowing continued play, no such measures were implemented for the original game.

Toward the end of last year, two gamers initiated legal action against Ubisoft, asserting that they believed they were purchasing outright ownership of The Crew rather than a limited license. The lawsuit likened the situation to buying a pinball machine, only to find it stripped of essential components years later.

As Polygon reported, the plaintiffs accused Ubisoft of breaching California's False Advertising Law, Unfair Competition Law, and Consumer Legal Remedies Act, along with allegations of common law fraud and breach of warranty. They also claimed Ubisoft contravened California's regulations on gift cards, which cannot expire. Furthermore, they presented images of the game's activation code, valid until 2099, suggesting that The Crew should remain playable well into the future.

In response, Ubisoft's legal team argued that the plaintiffs purchased physical copies of The Crew with the understanding they were acquiring a license, not perpetual ownership. They emphasized that consumers were informed at the time of purchase about the nature of the license and highlighted that Xbox and PlayStation packaging included a prominent notice about potential service termination with 30 days' notice.

Ubisoft has moved to dismiss the case, but if unsuccessful, the plaintiffs are prepared to proceed to a jury trial. Meanwhile, digital marketplaces like Steam have begun to explicitly inform customers that they are purchasing a license, not a game, following a new law signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom. This law mandates clear disclosure of the licensing nature of digital media purchases, though it does not prevent companies from discontinuing access to content.