A Twitter user shared a message presumed to be from Ubisoft warning that if they don’t click a link in the email, their account stands the risk of suspension. Worse even was the fact that the user would lose all purchased games after a certain period.
“We just wanted to chime in that you can avoid the account closure by logging into your account within 30 days and selecting the Cancel Account Closure link contained in the email,” added a Ubisoft support on Twitter.
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Ubisoft blamed the move on compliance with GDPR regulations which required the company to “close inactive accounts to comply with local data protection legislation”. A message on Ubisoft website added that “This is only if we have strong reasons to believe that the account in question will remain unused”.
Some users were of the opinion that requiring gamers to always log into their accounts to avoid losing their digital game library was manipulative and can even fuel addiction.
A shared email from Ubisoft has renewed concerns about digital games
Ubisoft claims that they “have never deleted accounts that have been inactive for less than 4 years”. The Ubisoft account closure page also has details of the factors that may lead to the closure of the account. Most importantly, they stressed that in any case the user will be notified.
This explanation did not satisfy a lot of users who expressed concerns about losing access to their digital game library. Ubisoft account users who had lost access to their account in a similar manner seized the opportunity to air their grievances under the comment section of the shared tweet with the email screenshot.
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The shared email has renewed discussions around Digital Rights Management (DRM) and digital games. In a digital ecosystem, players don’t really have rights over their assets. A company can terminate an account at its discretion and delete all the games purchased by the player.
The Video Game History Foundation previously reported that about 87% of classic video games released in the U.S. are critically endangered. The publication of digital-only titles further exacerbates the situation because once a publisher pulls the plug on any title, they may be wiped off digital accounts too.
Are the benefits of digital game ownership higher than the risks?
The controversy surrounding digital game ownership has been a hot topic for many years. Digital ownership of games offers many perks including saving gamers the stress of walking down the retail stores to purchase their games. It also makes it easier for gamers to access games that may not be readily available in their physical location.
Also, game discs can easily pile up around the house and eat up valuable space over time. Game discs are also prone to accidents that may render them unplayable. A large collection can be lost in natural disasters like wildfires. Digital ownership is not prone to these limitations.
Console gamers usually prefer digital ownership because they can easily switch from one console to another and start from where they stopped and don’t have to carry discs around. Therefore, it is not surprising that console makers now have dedicated digital versions of their consoles.
While digital ownership of games seems like a safer option, the thought that a publisher can close an account and erase all the games in the user’s library has raised the question, “Do gamers really own the digital games they purchased with their hard-earned money?”
It is important to always review the terms of use of any platform to make sure that you won’t suddenly lose access to your games. Ubisoft seems kind enough to always notify their users before closure. Some other companies may not.
Do you prefer having digital or physical copies of your games? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.
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