Ubisoft maintains that purchasing a game doesn't grant players "absolute ownership rights," but rather a "restricted license to access the content."

The company's statement follows its attempt to challenge a lawsuit filed by two dissatisfied The Crew players who sued after Ubisoft discontinued the original racing title last year.

The 2014 version of The Crew became completely inaccessible. Neither physical nor digital copies can be purchased or played in any form, as servers were permanently shut down by March 2024.

Ubisoft implemented offline modes for The Crew 2 and its sequel The Crew: Motorfest, but took no such action for the original game.

Late last year, two players sued Ubisoft, claiming they believed they were "paying for permanent ownership of The Crew rather than temporary access rights."

"It's like buying a pinball machine only to later find its critical components removed - paddles missing, bumpers gone, score display vanished," stated the original complaint.

As Polygon reported, plaintiffs accused Ubisoft of violating California's consumer protection laws regarding false advertising, unfair competition, plus allegations of "fraud and breach of warranty." They also cited California's gift card regulations prohibiting expiration dates.

The plaintiffs presented evidence showing the game's activation code had a validity period extending to 2099, which they interpreted as guaranteeing playability "through that date and beyond."

Unsurprisingly, Ubisoft disputes these claims.

"Plaintiffs allege they purchased physical copies expecting perpetual access. They further criticize Ubisoft for not providing an offline solution when servers closed," Ubisoft's legal team responded.

"The core allegation—that Ubisoft misrepresented license terms as ownership rights—contradicts the explicit purchase agreements clearly stating consumers were acquiring access licenses."

The response notes that Xbox and PlayStation packaging included "prominent capitalized warnings" about possible online feature discontinuations with 30-day notice.

Ubisoft has moved to dismiss the case. Should it proceed, plaintiffs request a jury trial.

Digital platforms like Steam now display clearer warnings about license purchases rather than ownership, following California legislation mandating such disclosures.

While this law improves transparency, it doesn't prevent companies from revoking access—only ensures consumers better understand purchase terms beforehand.