Ubisoft is committing to its stance that gamers must get comfortable by not owning their games as the company has systematically delisted The Crew from gamers’ Ubisoft Connect Libraries essentially preventing players from playing the game.
A screenshot from The Crew (2016), Ivory Tower
Ubisoft Director of Subscriptions Philippe Tremblay informed Games Industry in January that a shift needs to happen so that gamers get comfortable not owning their games.
He said, “One of the things we saw is that gamers are used to, a little bit like DVD, having and owning their games. That’s the consumer shift that needs to happen. They got comfortable not owning their CD collection or DVD collection. That’s a transformation that’s been a bit slower to happen [in games]. As gamers grow comfortable in that aspect… you don’t lose your progress. If you resume your game at another time, your progress file is still there. That’s not been deleted. You don’t lose what you’ve built in the game or your engagement with the game. So it’s about feeling comfortable with not owning your game.”
However, Tremblay did indicate that gamers would still have access to the games, “I still have two boxes of DVDs. I definitely understand the gamers perspective with that. But as people embrace that model, they will see that these games will exist, the service will continue, and you’ll be able to access them when you feel like. That’s reassuring. Streaming is also a thing that works really well with subscription. So you pay when you need it, as opposed to paying all the time.”
A screenshot from The Crew (2016), Ivory Tower
It appears that not only does Ubisoft want gamers comfortable with not owning their games, but if the company decides to shut down any of their games, players won’t actually have access to the game when they feel like it.
Ubisoft announced in the middle of December that The Crew would be shut down. In a blog post, the company stated, “Today, The Crew 1, including all its editions, and virtual currency packs, will be delisted from all online stores. The game will remain playable until March 31st, 2024, for all The Crew 1 owners. After this date, the servers will be shut down, which means that the game will not be accessible anymore on any platform, including PC / Xbox 360 / Xbox One / PlayStation 4 / Amazon Luna and Ubisoft+.”
The company explained, “We understand this may be disappointing for players still enjoying the game, but it has become a necessity due to upcoming server infrastructure and licensing constraints. Decommissioning a game, and especially our first one, is not something we take lightly. Our goal remains to provide the best action driving gameplay experience for players and to deliver on it, we are continuing to provide new content and support for The Crew 2 and the recently launched The Crew Motorfest.”
A screenshot from The Crew Motorfest (2023), Ubisoft Ivory Tower
Multiple gamers have noted they are now unable to access the game. One user 7ndrew wrote, ” saw on Reddit that Ubisoft was revoking licensed to The Crew in their launcher. So I opened the launcher and got greeted to The™ Most™ Fucking™ Pathetic™ error message ever. I’m wheezing.”
He added, “And yep, my license indeed got revoked on Ubisoft Connect.”
7ndrew on X
On The_Crew subreddit, one user danocturno shared a screenshot revealing he no longer had access to the game. Specifically, a message at the top of the game reads, “You no longer have access to this game. Why not check the Store to pursue your adventures?”
a screenshot from The_Crew subreddit
PC Gamers’ Mollie Taylor reports that you can still download the game via Steam, but it requires an activation code to play.
A screenshot of an activation code being required to play The Crew after being downloaded from Steam.
Following the initial shutdown announcement, Ross Scott launched the Stop Killing Games campaign, which is “dedicated to real-world action on ending the practice of publishers destroying videogames they have sold to customers.”
The campaign aims to test the legality of Ubisoft’s actions regarding The Crew with its website noting, “It is our goal to have authorities examine this behavior and hopefully end it, as it is an assault on both consumer rights and preservation of media.”
A screenshot from The Crew (2016), Ivory Tower
Specifically, the campaign aims to target Ubisoft in France. It states, “Due to the game’s size and France’s strong consumer protection laws, this represents one of the best opportunities to hold a publisher accountable for this action. If we are successful in charges being pressed against Ubisoft, this can have a ripple effect on the videogames industry to prevent publishers from destroying more games.”
On top of taking direct legal action against Ubisoft for its actions regarding The Crew, the campaign also encourages participants to petition their various governments. It states, “Official government petitions have been introduced to prohibit the practice of intentionally rendering commercial videogames inoperable when support ends. Currently, petitions for the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia have been launched and will soon be open for signing. Plans are also underway for the European Union, but will unfortunately be delayed due to processing times.”
A screenshot from The Crew (2016), Ivory Tower
Of note, the most iteration of The Crew is currently part of the Sweet Baby Inc. detected boycott list. Brazilian gamer KabrutusRambo added The Crew Motorfest to the list. He said in a YouTube video announcing the game’s addition, “You know, guys, Ubisoft, the people that worked on The Crew Motorfest, it is nothing personal, but I got to do what I got to do. And let’s hope that you guys learn you should not get involved with DEI consultation companies again.”
What do you make of what Ubisoft is doing to The Crew?
