Ubisoft Cancelling “Unused” Accounts, Disabling Access to Purchased Games
Ubisoft is taking action by cancelling “unused” Ubisoft Accounts, which will result in users losing access to their purchased games.
Account Suspension Warning
A Twitter user reported receiving an email from Ubisoft, stating that failure to click a specific link within the email would result in their account being suspended. This would mean that all purchased games associated with the account would become inaccessible after a certain period of time.
How to Avoid Account Closure
In response to the concerns raised, Ubisoft support on Twitter clarified that users can prevent account closure by logging into their account within 30 days of receiving the email and selecting the “Cancel Account Closure” link provided.
GDPR Compliance and Account Deactivation
Ubisoft explained that they are bound by GDPR regulations and are therefore required to close inactive accounts in order to comply with local data protection legislation. However, this action is only taken if there are strong reasons to believe that the account will remain unused, as stated on the Ubisoft website.
Potential Conflict with Account Deletion Policy
While Ubisoft claims that accounts with purchases attached to them will not be deleted for four years, the email sent to the user contradicts this statement.
Concerns with DRM and Digital Games
This situation highlights the issues surrounding Digital Rights Management (DRM) and the preservation of digital games. In a digital ecosystem, companies have the discretion to terminate accounts at any time, with little recourse for the users.
Account Closure and Preservation of Games
Even if you have purchased digital games in your account, it is not a foolproof way to preserve them, as demonstrated by Ubisoft’s ability to quickly close accounts. This puts the fate of digital-only titles, published by companies like Ubisoft, in question.
Endangered Classic Video Games
The Video Game History Foundation, in partnership with the Software Preservation Network, recently reported that 87% of classic video games released in the United States are considered “critically endangered.”
