Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsUbisoft argued that people who bought The Crew received a limited license to use the game, not unfettered ownership. That was the company’s defense in a lawsuit over the game’s shutdown—not a ruling that players do not own their games. The court-authorized settlement notice says Ubisoft denied the claims and that, when the parties proposed a settlement, the court had not ruled for either side.
Why players lost access to The Crew
Ubisoft announced in December 2023 that The Crew would be delisted and remain playable until March 31, 2024. It said that after that date its servers would shut down and “the game will not be accessible anymore on any platform.” Ubisoft’s shutdown announcement set out the company’s plan.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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The Crew Motorfest | $27.20 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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The Crew 2 (Xbox One) | $16.90 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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The Crew 2 (PS4) | $25.97 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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The Crew 2 - PlayStation 4 | $24.80 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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The Crew Ultimate Edition - Xbox One Ultimate Edition | $26.45 | Buy on Amazon |
The plaintiffs’ complaint alleges that the game required a permanent internet connection and offered no offline mode, including for people who bought a physical disc. It further alleges that the shutdown ended access to both single-player and multiplayer play. Those are claims in the complaint, not findings by a court. The filed complaint is the source for those allegations.
What the lawsuit alleges—and what Ubisoft said
The case is Cassell, et al. v. Ubisoft, Inc., Case No. 25CV014305, in Sacramento County Superior Court. The named plaintiffs are Matthew Cassell, Alan Liu, and Angel Cerrato. The court-authorized settlement notice describes the central dispute: plaintiffs allege consumers were led to believe they were “paying for ownership rights,” while Ubisoft says they received “a limited license to access The Crew.”
#1 Best Overall
- Welcome to Motorfest - the ultimate driving experience! Explore the versatile open game world in O'ahu Island in Hawaii and experience fast races, themed events and more!
- With hundreds of legendary vehicles for your collection you have plenty of opportunity to prove your skills and whizz through the streets of Honolulu
- The Motor Party is a constant favorite of automotive culture festivals, where you can test over 600 vehicles alone or with your crew and explore the new gaming world in Hawaii
- Discover the playlists and drive in theme-based promotions that take you to the most fascinating worlds of car culture, such as American muscle cars or Japanese street racing
- Compete in exciting competitions, develop your own style, participate in themed events, collect the most iconic cars, master all the challenges and expand your collection with the legendary vehicles
Ubisoft’s defense, as reported in coverage of the company’s position, was that purchasers were told they received a license rather than unrestricted ownership and were on notice of the relevant terms. That argument should not be confused with a judicial decision about what game buyers own in general.
Plaintiff Angel Cerrato also alleges that the shutdown caused purchased Crew Credits to expire in violation of the Electronic Funds Transfer Act. Ubisoft denied the claims. The settlement notice says the court had not ruled for either side; the proposed agreement was a compromise intended to avoid the expense and risk of continued litigation. It does not establish that either side’s legal theory prevailed.
Rank #2
- Online Connection Required
- Push boundaries and take on new experiences in iconic locations.
- Be the champion you want to be. Join four different motorsports families from around the country: street and pro racers, off-road experts, and freestylers.
- The newest iteration in the revolutionary franchise, The Crew 2 captures the thrill of the American motorsports spirit in one of the most exhilarating open worlds ever created.
- There are no menus or loading screens, Seamlessly shift from your favorite cars to boats or even planes with just a push of a button using the Fast Fav feature, and experience the full potential and thrill of Motornation.
How Ubisoft’s terms fit into the dispute
Ubisoft’s Terms of Use, version 5.0, describe Ubisoft software as licensed for use with its services and say the company generally does not guarantee that a service or content will remain available for a specified period. They also contain arbitration and class-action provisions for certain U.S. disputes.
Those terms provide context for Ubisoft’s license argument, but they do not resolve this case by themselves. The cited version is 5.0 and may not be the version that applied to every plaintiff’s purchase. The settlement notice’s statement that no merits ruling had been made is the key procedural distinction: contract language is part of the dispute, not a court’s answer to it.
Rank #3
- Be the Champion You Want to Be - Join four different motorsports families from around the country: street and pro racers, off-road experts, and freestylers. They'll hook you up with new rides, and they'll introduce you to their own unique motorsports culture and set of disciplines. Through competitions and chance encounters, find and hone your personal style, collect and customize your dream rides, show them off in your HQ, and make your mark on the entire US motorsports scene
What the proposed settlement offered
The 2026 court-authorized notice defines the proposed class as U.S. individuals who purchased The Crew on any platform and/or associated virtual content, including DLC, expansions, or Crew Credits. It excludes people who received the game free through a trial, game-sharing, or certain subscriptions. The notice proposed a $2,000,000 settlement fund and specified a choice of $7 cash or $15 in Ubisoft Store credit per eligible claimant, subject to the settlement’s claim and approval terms.
The claims deadline listed in the notice was June 11, 2026. The final approval hearing was scheduled for November 13, 2026. As of October 8, 2026, that hearing had not yet taken place; payment remained contingent on final approval and resolution of any appeals. The notice and its settlement FAQ provide the case-specific terms and status.
Rank #4
- Jump in the driver seat of exotic cars, bikes, planes, and boats as you dominate the land, air, and sea
- Go where your heart takes you and travel the USA like never before: with a massive open world and No limits
- Seamlessly Switch between vehicles with the fast fav feature, to go from boat to car to plane to motorcycle, without loading screens
- Team up or Ride solo as you enter the exciting motors ports realms of Street racing, pro-racing, off-roading, and Freestyle
- Stay connected as you compete for Street cred, create exhilarating challenges for others, and share your most memorable moments
What this case does—and does not—say about buying games
The dispute puts two different ideas side by side: what buyers may expect when they pay for a game, and what a publisher’s license terms say they receive. The plaintiffs’ allegations concern The Crew and its always-online design; Ubisoft’s response relies on a license-based account of the purchase. Neither the proposed settlement nor the cited terms amount to a court ruling that consumers either do or do not own games they buy.
A physical disc did not, according to the complaint’s allegations, provide an offline way to play The Crew. The game is inaccessible after the announced server shutdown, so owning a disc is not a way to restore access. The case’s legal outcome and the practical consequence of this particular game’s server shutdown are separate questions.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Buckle up for a new supercharged edition of the best-selling action-driving game, The Crew.
- Choose your side in a game of street racers vs. police enforcers in the brand-new The Crew Calling All Units expansion.
- Complete your collection with an all-in-one package that includes The Crew original game, The Crew Wild Run expansion, The Crew Calling All Units expansion, and Season Pass content.
- Stock your garage with more than 120 licensed vehicles, more than 220 missions, and over 220 tuning specs.
- Never drive alone as you join millions of drivers already online and freely roam the US from coast to coast.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
