Two Californian gamers have initiated a proposed class action lawsuit against Ubisoft after the company shut down its racing game The Crew. Initially launched in December 2014, The Crew was taken offline a decade later due to “server infrastructure and licensing constraints.” The shutdown rendered the game completely unplayable, lacking an offline or single-player mode. Although Ubisoft announced on December 14, 2023, that refunds would be available for recent game buyers, many longtime players could not benefit from this offer given its age.

The lawsuit, filed on November 4 in a California court and reviewed by Polygon, used a striking metaphor to describe the situation. “Imagine you buy a pinball machine, and years later, you enter your den to go play it, only to discover that all the paddles are missing, the pinball and bumpers are gone, and the monitor that proudly displayed your unassailable high score is removed,” the lawyers wrote. “Turns out the pinball manufacturer decided to come into your home, gut the insides of the pinball machine, and remove your ability to play the game that you bought and thought you owned.”

The lawsuit claims that this analogy encapsulates what happened when Ubisoft’s servers for The Crew went offline in 2024, abruptly leaving players without access to a product they believed they owned. The plaintiffs allege Ubisoft misled consumers by presenting the game as a purchase when, in reality, it was only licensed — even when sold as a physical disc. Additionally, they argue that Ubisoft “falsely represented” that the game’s files on physical disks were complete and accessible rather than merely serving as a key to unlock digital content. The complaint states that Ubisoft’s actions violate California’s consumer protection laws.

The two plaintiffs, who purchased the game in 2018 and 2020 on physical discs, assert they would have bought under different conditions if they had known the servers could be shut down, making the game unusable. The lawsuit points out that other games have included offline patches after server shutdowns, such as Knockout City and Ubisoft’s own Assassin’s Creed 2 and Assassin’s Creed 3. Although Ubisoft pledged to add offline options to its newer titles in The Crew franchise, like The Crew 2 and Motorfest, the lawsuit argues this does not remedy the situation for the original The Crew.

The plaintiffs are asking the court to approve the lawsuit as a class action so other Crew players can join. They seek monetary compensation and damages for those affected by the shutdown. This lawsuit comes amid a broader push by YouTube creator Ross Scott, who has urged companies to “stop killing games“ since The Crew’s closure was announced. The Stop Killing Games movement has even petitioned the European Union to enforce regulations requiring companies to keep their games playable, amassing more than 379,000 signatures.

The tension between owning and licensing games is magnified as digital media becomes increasingly dominant. Although some players attempt to preserve games themselves — as seen with the player-led creation of The Crew Unlimited — the responsibility primarily rests with game companies. A recent California law, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom and introduced by Assemblywoman Jacqui Irwin, mandates that online storefronts inform consumers they purchase licenses rather than the games themselves. Ubisoft’s handling of The Crew partly inspired this legislation. However, while it promotes transparency, it doesn’t prevent companies from making games unplayable once their servers are shut down.

Ubisoft has declined to comment on the lawsuit.