The Crew Shutdown by Ubisoft
Ubisoft Shuts Down the Crew After 7 Years
Limited Support and Updates
In April 2023, Ubisoft announced that ongoing support for their open-world racing game The Crew would end in March 2024. After years of operations, Ubisoft stated that server costs and dwindling player numbers meant continued support was no longer viable. While disappointing for dedicated players, limiting support for older titles is standard practice across the video game industry.
Impact on Players
For players still actively enjoying The Crew, the shutdown means losing access to online features like multiplayer races, leaderboards, and live summit events. Players will still be able to access the single player campaign and any downloadable content they have purchased. However, many players argue that a large part of the game's appeal was the ability to cruise across a scaled recreation of the USA with friends.
Preservation Concerns
Some critics argue that Ubisoft's decision fails to account for video game preservation. By shutting down The Crew's servers, an entire multiplayer experience will be lost to history. Unlike books, movies or music, games that rely on online functionality can disappear completely. While Ubisoft does need to allocate resources efficiently, more could be done to make older games accessible to players and researchers in the future.
Screenshot of The Crew Gameplay
Looking Ahead
Going forward, developers and publishers must find a balance between supporting live games and enabling long term preservation. Solutions like private servers, LAN support and single player modes can help, but more efforts across the industry are still needed. For players, the harsh reality is that no game lasts forever. But with creativity and open communication, its memory can live on.
Planned Obsolescence in Video Games and the Impact on Gamers
Planned obsolescence refers to the intentional termination of online functionality for video games by developers, rendering the games unplayable. This controversial business practice raises serious concerns for gamers who invest significant time and money into these games.
However, companies defend planned obsolescence as a necessary step to drive sales of newer titles and cut costs associated with maintaining older online infrastructure.
If forced to keep all online services running indefinitely, resources would be spread too thin and innovation would suffer. They also point out that gamers do not technically own the software or servers powering these games.
This complex issue involves balancing consumer protections, business interests, and the practical realities of game development. Legislation may be needed to increase transparency for how long online support will last and enable preservation of abandoned game content. The video game industry must build trust through fair policies and compromise with their dedicated player communities. With open communication and good faith on both sides, a solution can be found.
The Legal Battle to Preserve Abandoned Games
As online games age and player bases dwindle, developers often make the decision to shut down servers and render the games unplayable. However, some gamers are fighting back against this practice in court, arguing that it violates consumer rights and destroys an important part of gaming history.
Consumer Rights Violations
When players purchase a game, especially one marketed as an “online experience,” there is an expectation that the game will be available to play for a reasonable amount of time. By shutting down servers after just a few years, developers are preventing players from accessing content they paid for. Gamers have argued that it violates consumer protection laws. Players have filed lawsuits against companies like Ubisoft, hoping to win rulings that would require developers to make offline versions of games available after shutdown.
Preservation of Gaming History
Online games represent an important part of gaming culture and history. When servers go dark, an entire multiplayer world, with its own stories and experiences, is lost forever. Gamers argue that there should be a concerted effort to preserve abandoned online games. However, developers cite cost and technical challenges to keeping old games running as reasons why preservation is difficult. The legal battles around this issue are ongoing and their outcomes could shape how the gaming industry and players think about game preservation for years to come. The outcome of this legal challenge will have far-reaching impacts that gamers and the industry will be following closely.
