Ubisoft, the renowned gaming company behind titles like Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry, has recently come under fire due to its policy on inactive accounts, resulting in the potential deletion of users’ purchased games and entire libraries.
A Twitter user brought the issue to the forefront when they shared a screenshot of an email received from Ubisoft, notifying them of their “temporarily suspended” account due to inactivity. The email informed users of a 30-day window to prevent their account’s closure, after which access to their purchased games and the entire Ubisoft library would be lost.
Ubisoft Support responded to the concerns, emphasizing the 30-day notice period and advising affected users to follow the email’s link to avoid account closure. They asserted that the company did not intend for players to lose access to their games or accounts, but failure to respond or notice the email would result in the loss of access to purchased games.
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Players are expressing dissatisfaction with this policy, arguing that once a game is bought, it should be accessible indefinitely, regardless of whether it was purchased digitally or physically. However, digital purchases are often seen as a “license” rather than full ownership, providing companies with more control over access.
There is some speculation that data protection laws like the GDPR might require Ubisoft to close inactive accounts, but this raises concerns about the impact on purchased games. According to Ubisoft’s terms and conditions, accounts must remain inactive for six months before they are suspended and users are notified of the impending closure. This timeline seemingly contradicts a 2021 report where Ubisoft claimed not to delete accounts inactive for less than four years.
Ubisoft’s account deletion policy has triggered a widespread backlash, particularly amidst the growing concerns surrounding game preservation and the decline of physical media. Many players are now questioning the company’s approach to account management and the potential loss of their purchased games.
In light of this situation, users with Ubisoft accounts linked to purchased games are advised to log in and reset the inactivity counter to prevent any unforeseen consequences. The incident also sparks broader discussions about the responsibilities of gaming companies towards their customers and the need for more transparent policies on account management and digital ownership.