When you buy a video game, how long do you expect to be able to enjoy it? Forever “have already signified nearly 220,000 European citizens by signing the petition “Stop Destroying Videogames » (“Stop the destruction of video games”), launched on July 31 as part of a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) – a little-known procedure of the European Union (EU) that can push the Commission to legislate. The trigger for this movement? The shutdown of the servers of The Crew by Ubisoft, in April.
The publisher based in Montreuil (Seine-Saint-Denis) has made this car racing game, released in 2014, unplayable for anyone who bought it, whether in physical or digital format. It is now impossible to launch the game, which requires an Internet connection to start. “They just destroyed what some people bought. That's not how property should work.”deplores the Slovak Daniel Ondruska, spokesman for ICE Stop Detroying Games.
Despite the complaints, the publisher is not committing any offence: the supposed purchase of a game, in the eyes of the law, is not really one. “The player does not own the title to a game, but rather holds its license to use it”explains Pierre-Xavier Chomiac De Sas, a lawyer specializing in new technologies. The publisher therefore has the right to revoke this license whenever it wishes, whether for dematerialized media or for boxed games.
“Even when you buy a disc or a cartridge, you are actually buying a physical medium and a license to use it.”specifies M.e Chomiac De Sas. The nature of the contract is generally specified to the player in the conditions of use, which must be accepted in order to launch the game for the first time.
“The snowflake that triggered an avalanche”
For The CrewUbisoft simply chose to stop the costs by considering that the servers are far too little frequented and that players could fall back on sequels. The situation is not unprecedented. Star Wars Galaxies (2003-2011), Marvel Heroes (2013-2017), Drawn to Death (2017-2019)… Online multiplayer games are often struck by a similar fate. The end of The Crew has, however, gone beyond the restricted circle of its followers to reach wider communities, revolted at the idea of being deprived of a video game that they have purchased, or sensitive to the question of the preservation of video game works.
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Source: Lemonde
