Finance
French Consumer Group Sues Ubisoft Over Shutdown of Online Game 'The Crew'
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 31, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 31, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleQuick Summary
UFC‑Que Choisir has sued Ubisoft in a French court over the 2024 shutdown of online racing game The Crew, which delisted in December 2023 and became permanently unplayable as of March 31, 2024, sparking debate over digital ownership and consumer rights.
French consumer group sues Ubisoft over shutdown of online game 'The Crew'
Legal Action and Consumer Rights in the Ubisoft 'The Crew' Case
By Leo Marchandon
March 31 (Reuters) - France's leading consumer association, UFC-Que Choisir, said on Tuesday it had filed a lawsuit against Ubisoft over the video game maker's shutdown of online racing game "The Crew".
Background of 'The Crew' Shutdown
The company delisted the title from digital marketplaces in December 2023 and shut down its servers on March 31, 2024, rendering the game permanently unplayable for all who had bought it.
Implications for Players and Digital Ownership
The case could have sweeping implications for millions of players worldwide: can a video game company simply "erase" a product consumers paid for by shutting down its servers?
Ubisoft did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment.
About 'The Crew' and Ubisoft's Actions
"The Crew", launched in 2014, was an open-world racing game allowing players to explore a scaled-down representation of the U.S. while engaging in multiplayer races and challenges. The game required an upfront purchase and offered in-game transactions for additional content.
License Revocation and Consumer Backlash
In April 2024, shortly after the servers were closed, Ubisoft began revoking licenses from customers without issuing refunds, sparking backlash over the precedent such actions could set for ownership of video games.
Ubisoft's Position on Game Ownership
The company has said customers only bought a limited access to the game, not full ownership.
Consumer Group Allegations and European Response
UFC-Que Choisir alleges that Ubisoft misled consumers about the permanence of their purchase and imposed abusive contractual clauses stripping players of ownership rights.
The lawsuit is backed by European consumer movement "Stop Killing Games", which was launched in response to "The Crew" controversy.
EU Review and Potential Outcomes
The citizens' initiative, aimed at bringing the issue in front of the European Union, was launched in 2024 and presented to the European Commission last month with more than 1.3 million signatures.
That surpassed the threshold mandating a review by the EU executive, which is expected to present its findings by the end of July.
(Reporting by Leo Marchandon in Gdansk, editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak)
Key Takeaways
- •The lawsuit follows Ubisoft’s delisting of The Crew and shutdown of its always‑online servers—leaving the game unusable even for buyers of physical or digital copies—as of March 31, 2024 (en.wikipedia.org).
- •UFC‑Que Choisir argues that consumers weren’t adequately informed that they were purchasing a license tied to live‑server access rather than owning a standalone product, violating consumer expectations and rights (en.wikipedia.org).
- •The case adds to broader legal battles—like a similar U.S. class‑action suit—and fuelled the 'Stop Killing Games' campaign, prompting Ubisoft to offer offline modes for sequels and highlighting growing scrutiny on digital game preservation (pcgamer.com)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about French consumer group sues Ubisoft over shutdown of online game 'The Crew'
1Why did UFC-Que Choisir sue Ubisoft?
UFC-Que Choisir sued Ubisoft after the company shut down its online racing game 'The Crew', rendering the game permanently unplayable for buyers.
2When did Ubisoft shut down 'The Crew' servers?
Ubisoft shut down 'The Crew' servers on March 31, 2024.
3What happened to 'The Crew' on digital marketplaces?
'The Crew' was delisted from digital marketplaces in December 2023.
4What is the role of UFC-Que Choisir in this case?
UFC-Que Choisir, France's leading consumer association, filed the lawsuit before a French tribunal on behalf of affected consumers.
5Did Ubisoft respond to the lawsuit?
Ubisoft did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment regarding the lawsuit.
