The Crew
News, coverage and analysis tracking The Crew across the outlets.- Stop Killing Games praises French lawsuit against Ubisoft, preps to speak at EU parliament April 16Consumer advocacy group Stop Killing Games, led by Ross Scott, is praising a lawsuit filed in France against Ubisoft over the sunsetting of The Crew. Scott is scheduled to speak at the EU parliament on April 16th regarding a citizens' initiative petition related to game preservation. The lawsuit's success in France could set a precedent for other European countries.
- French consumer advocacy group sues Ubisoft for taking The Crew offline, almost two years since Stop Killing Games first protested itFrench consumer advocacy group UFC-Que Choisir has filed a lawsuit against Ubisoft over the removal of The Crew, arguing that players were deprived of access to a purchased game. The lawsuit challenges Ubisoft's EULA clauses that limit player rights and seeks to establish property rights over game copies and prevent publishers from revoking access. This action is supported by the Stop Killing Games initiative, which protests the practice of shutting down online-only games.
French consumer group sues Ubisoft due to The Crew shutdownThe French consumer group UFC-Que Choisir has filed a lawsuit against Ubisoft regarding the shutdown of the game The Crew. The group alleges that Ubisoft misled consumers about the permanence of their purchase and that its terms of service clauses are abusive. This action is supported by Stop Killing Games and aims to stop the practice of delisting games and to ensure players have ownership rights.- Major French consumer group sue Ubisoft over always-online game shutdownsFrench consumer group UFC-Que Choisir is suing Ubisoft over the publisher's decision to shut down online servers for The Crew. This action will render the game unplayable for users who purchased it, raising concerns about game preservation and consumer rights.
French consumer group sues Ubisoft over shutdown of The CrewFrench consumer association UFC-Que Choisir has filed a lawsuit against Ubisoft over the shutdown of the online racing game The Crew. The association alleges that Ubisoft misled consumers about the permanence of their purchase and imposed abusive clauses, leading to player backlash and the formation of the 'Stop Killing Games' movement.- MMO Business Roundup: Nintendo’s US patent, The Crew lawsuit, Epic helps a terminally ill former devThis MMO business roundup covers several key industry events. Nintendo's attempt to patent a monster-summoning mechanic was rejected by the U.S. Patent Office, while Ubisoft faces a lawsuit in France over the shutdown of The Crew. Epic Games has committed to covering insurance costs for a terminally ill former employee laid off during recent company-wide reductions.
France's leading consumer association has filed a lawsuit against Ubisoft over The Crew's online shutdownFrance's leading consumer association, UFC-Que Choisir, has filed a lawsuit against Ubisoft concerning the shutdown of the online racing game The Crew. The lawsuit alleges that Ubisoft misled consumers about the permanence of their purchase and imposed abusive contractual clauses. This legal action could have significant implications for game preservation and consumer rights in the industry.
The Crew – Ubisoft Hit by a New Lawsuit in France Supported by Stop Killing GamesUbisoft is facing a new lawsuit in France from consumer association UFC-Que Choisir, supported by Stop Killing Games, over its decision to revoke licenses for The Crew. The lawsuit alleges deceptive business practices and abusive terms regarding the game's revocable license. CEO Yves Guillemot defended the company's actions, stating that game support cannot last forever and that this is an industry-wide issue.
France's 'leading consumer association,' backed by Stop Killing Games, sues Ubisoft over The Crew…French consumer group UFC-Que Choisir, supported by Stop Killing Games, has filed a lawsuit against Ubisoft over the shutdown of the racing game The Crew. The lawsuit alleges that Ubisoft violated consumer rights by closing the game and revoking licenses without adequate prior notification. The Crew, launched in 2014, became unplayable in April 2024 after its servers were shut down.
Ubisoft sued again over The Crew shutdown, this time by French consumer group backed by Stop Killing Games alleging…Ubisoft is facing a new lawsuit from French consumer group UFC-Que Choisir over the shutdown of its 2014 racing game, The Crew. The group alleges deceptive business practices and abusive contract clauses for making the game unplayable. This follows a previous class-action lawsuit and the formation of the Stop Killing Games initiative.
French consumer group UFC-Que Choisir sues Ubisoft over The Crew shutdownFrench consumer group UFC-Que Choisir is suing Ubisoft over the shutdown of its game, The Crew. Launched in 2014, the game was delisted in December 2023, and its servers were shut down in March 2024, rendering it unplayable. The lawsuit questions publishers' ability to revoke licenses for purchased games, impacting digital ownership and game preservation.- Morning Legal BriefsA French consumer group, J'Accuse!, has filed a lawsuit against Ubisoft over the company's decision to shut down the online servers for the game 'The Crew'. The lawsuit raises questions about consumer rights and game preservation when online services are discontinued.
Major French consumer group sue Ubisoft over always-online game shutdowns with the backing of Stop Killing GamesA major French consumer group, UFC-Que Choisir, backed by the Stop Killing Games movement, is suing Ubisoft over the shutdown of The Crew's servers. The lawsuit argues that Ubisoft infringed consumer rights by making the game unplayable and questions the practice of selling licenses for games that can later be revoked. This action aims to set a precedent for publishers discontinuing online support for games.
Screamer Review - Pedal to the Metal | TNSThe review for Screamer suggests the arcade racer lacks innovation, focusing on flash over substance with a weak story mode. While some players enjoy arcade racers, the article notes that the genre has declined, with many titles failing to capture lasting appeal or becoming niche.
Screamer Review - Old School Racing Vibes with a High Speed Twist | COGconnectedThe review for Screamer suggests it offers old-school arcade racing vibes with a high-speed twist, though some players feel the hype outpaces the actual gameplay. Discussions in the comments highlight a divide between realistic and arcade racing preferences, with many lamenting the perceived decline of the arcade racing genre.- Stop Killing Games organizers say EU commission meeting ‘went fine’ but admit to uphill battlesOrganizers from the Stop Killing Games movement reported a 'fine' but challenging meeting with the European Union commission regarding game preservation. While some officials were supportive, others raised legal concerns about limiting companies' ability to remove purchased games. The campaign emphasizes that this is a consumer rights issue, not just about playing old games, and highlights the importance of preserving digital art.
"It's all of us against apathy, entropy, and loss of art" - Stop Killing Games has reached the EU Parliament, but what happens now?The 'Stop Killing Games' initiative has presented its case to the European Parliament, advocating for end-of-life policies for video games to ensure their continued accessibility after server shutdowns. While initially met with a lack of understanding regarding modern gaming, the movement successfully framed the issue as a consumer rights problem, gaining bipartisan support. The initiative aims to preserve games as cultural artifacts, facing challenges in maintaining long-term political engagement against industry interests and the constant emergence of new game closures.
Ubisoft ends game development at Red Storm and lays off 105 workersUbisoft has ended active game development at its subsidiary Red Storm Entertainment, resulting in the layoff of 105 employees as part of a global cost-saving initiative. The studio will transition to a support role, focusing on IT and engine development. This move is part of broader restructuring efforts within Ubisoft, which has seen multiple studio closures and layoffs this year.
Ubisoft names new Creative House and Creative Network leadersUbisoft has announced new leadership appointments to support its Creative House operating model. Julien Bares will manage Creative Houses 3 and 5, overseeing live and casual game brands, while Thomas Andrén will lead the new Creative Network to provide cross-functional support. These changes come as Ubisoft undergoes a significant restructuring, including studio closures and cost-cutting measures.