Consumer Rights
Ongoing coverage on Consumer Rights.
Latest coverage
Major French consumer group sue Ubisoft over always-online game shutdowns
French 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.
Major French consumer group sue Ubisoft over always-online game shutdowns
A major French consumer group has filed a lawsuit against Ubisoft concerning the company's practice of shutting down servers for older games. This action highlights growing concerns among players about the preservation of digital games and the implications of always-online requirements.
French consumer group sues Ubisoft over shutdown of The Crew
French 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.
Stop Killing Games Campaign Reaches EU Parliament in Historic Push
The 'Stop Killing Games' campaign has reached the EU Parliament, initiating policy discussions on game shutdowns and digital art preservation. The movement advocates for legislation to prevent publishers from making older games unplayable by shutting down servers, arguing it destroys cultural heritage. While facing industry pushback regarding costs and technical challenges, the campaign leverages the EU's strong stance on consumer rights and digital regulation.
France's leading consumer association has filed a lawsuit against Ubisoft over The Crew's online shutdown
France'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.
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.
Morning Legal Briefs
A 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 Games
A 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.
Stop Killing Games organizers say EU commission meeting ‘went fine’ but admit to uphill battles
Organizers 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.
Switch 2 With Replaceable Batteries to Appear in Europe
Nintendo will release a Nintendo Switch 2 model in Europe featuring replaceable batteries for both the console and Joy-Cons to comply with EU regulations by 2027. This change allows consumers to replace batteries themselves, a departure from Nintendo's current policy requiring official repairs. The company may consider releasing this model in other regions if consumer demand arises.
Issues and Activism
Players who made in-game purchases in Highguard are reportedly receiving automatic refunds from PlayStation. This action follows issues with the game's monetization or content, leading to consumer dissatisfaction.
Steam Gamer With 3,000 Games Sparks Debate Over Digital Library Inheritance
A discussion has emerged within the gaming community regarding the inheritance of digital game libraries, particularly on platforms like Steam. Users are questioning what happens to their purchased games upon death, as current terms of service generally treat game purchases as licenses rather than outright ownership, preventing library transfer.
One Australian gamer was denied a replacement for DRAM kit bought just two years prior and was only offered a refund of original price, four times less than its cost today
An Australian gamer was denied a replacement for a faulty DDR5 DRAM kit purchased two years prior, with the retailer Umart offering only a refund of the original purchase price. The customer argued this constituted a major failure under Australian consumer law, as the current market price for a comparable kit is significantly higher. Umart and Corsair have provided differing accounts of the situation, with Corsair stating all its DRAM kits come with a lifetime warranty and are investigating the case.
PlayStation users in the UK could be collectively awarded billions in compensation for 'excessive and unfair' PlayStation Store charges in class-action lawsuit against Sony
A class-action lawsuit has been filed against Sony in the UK, accusing the company of unfair charges on the PlayStation Store. Consumer campaigner Alex Neill alleges Sony exploited UK customers by overcharging for digital games and add-on content, potentially amounting to £2 billion in compensation for 12.2 million users. Sony denies the claims, citing security and privacy risks with third-party stores.
Valve argues mystery boxes are 'widely used' in the tangible world
Valve is arguing against the New York Attorney General's lawsuit that claims its games promote illegal gambling through loot boxes. The company asserts that these mystery boxes are widely used in both video games and the physical world, comparing them to baseball card packs and blind boxes. Valve also stated that it does not cooperate with gambling sites and has locked over one million Steam accounts involved in such activities.
Developer sues publisher after leaving Kickstarter backers waiting over two years for promised physical editions
Valve has responded to a lawsuit filed by the New York Attorney General, disputing claims that loot boxes in Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, and Team Fortress 2 constitute illegal gambling. The company stated it has been educating the NYAG about its virtual items since early 2023 and believes the transferability of digital items is a consumer right. Valve also addressed separate legal proceedings initiated by the Performing Right Society over alleged unlicensed use of music on Steam.
Valve argues loot boxes "widely used, not just in video games but in the tangible world" as it expresses 'disappointment' over New York state lawsuit
Valve has responded to a lawsuit filed by New York State, which alleges that its loot box system constitutes illegal gambling. The company expressed disappointment, arguing that the transferability of digital items is beneficial to consumers and that their "mystery boxes" are comparable to tangible collectibles like baseball cards. Valve also highlighted its efforts to combat the misuse of game items on gambling sites and its concerns about the invasive data collection proposed by the state.
Valve posted a statement on the New York lootbox lawsuit
Valve has issued a statement addressing the New York Attorney General's lawsuit concerning lootboxes in Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, and Team Fortress 2. The company argues that these mystery boxes do not violate gambling laws and compares them to tangible collectible items like baseball or Pokemon cards. Valve also expressed concerns about the Attorney General's demands for increased personal data collection for age verification and the proposed removal of item transferability.
