In a newly uncovered court filing, Ubisoft has stated that players never actually owned their copies of The Crew, but instead received a “limited license to access the game.” The declaration comes as part of an ongoing Ubisoft Game Ownership Lawsuit, filed in California after the company shut down the game’s servers in March 2024, making it completely unplayable.
The class-action lawsuit, originally filed in November 2024, claims that Ubisoft failed to clearly disclose the nature of the transaction, selling a full-priced product while retaining the right to revoke access at any time. In February 2025, Ubisoft filed a motion to dismiss the case.
A screenshot from The Crew Motorfest (2023), Ubisoft Ivory Tower
According to court documents reviewed by Polygon, Ubisoft’s legal team stated: “The reality is that consumers received the benefit of their bargain and were explicitly notified, at the time of purchase, that they were purchasing a license.”
The filing further claims that Ubisoft “allegedly misled purchasers of its video game The Crew into believing they were purchasing unfettered ownership rights in the game, rather than a limited license to access the game.”
Ubisoft also argued that no actual harm occurred, dismissing the plaintiffs’ claims of “false advertising” and “unfair competition” by stating there was no “cognisable injury.”
Full Price, But No Ownership
When The Crew launched in 2014, it was marketed and sold like any standard video game, priced at $59.99 USD in both physical and digital formats. However, the game required a persistent internet connection to function—even for single-player content. When Ubisoft ended support and shut down the servers, the game became completely inaccessible.
Yves Guillemot via Ubisoft North America YouTube
In their amended complaint filed in March 2025, plaintiffs submitted images of the physical packaging. The activation code listed an expiration date of 2099, which the plaintiffs argue misled consumers into believing they were buying a product with long-term viability.
Gift Certificate Allegations
A new claim introduced in the amended filing concerns in-game currency. The plaintiffs argue that purchases of currency within The Crew fall under California’s gift certificate laws, which prohibit expiration. Because the game was made unplayable, any remaining currency effectively expired, prompting an additional legal complaint on that basis.
A screenshot from The Crew Motorfest (2023), Ubisoft Ivory Tower
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This element of the Ubisoft Game Ownership Lawsuit raises broader questions about digital economies, DLC, and microtransactions—especially in games where publisher-controlled servers determine functionality.
Timeline and Modder Response
Ubisoft has until April 29, 2025, to file its next response to the amended complaint. Meanwhile, some players have managed to revive The Crew through unofficial means. A group of modders has recreated the necessary server-side infrastructure, allowing limited functionality despite the official shutdown.
Ubisoft has not commented publicly beyond the filing itself.
A screenshot from The Crew Motorfest (2023), Ubisoft Ivory Tower
As debates over digital ownership and consumer rights continue, the outcome of this lawsuit may have a lasting impact on how companies handle server-dependent titles—and how consumers understand what they’re really paying for.
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