In recent times, panic swept across the gaming community as rumors spread that Ubisoft might delete inactive accounts and the associated digital game libraries. However, Ubisoft has now cleared the air and confirmed that users’ digital game libraries are safe, even if the accounts are inactive for extended periods. The company emphasized that accounts that include purchased PC games are not eligible for deletion.
Origin of the Rumors
The rumors originated from a tweet that featured an email from Ubisoft, titled “Ubisoft Account Closure Due to Inactivity.” This led to concerns that the company planned to delete inactive accounts and all the games users had purchased on these accounts. The email turned out to be legitimate, but the panic was primarily driven by the context provided by the original poster, who claimed users would lose all their purchased games forever.
Ubisoft’s Official Response
In response, Ubisoft has clarified its stance on account deletions. The company has stated that they have been deleting inactive accounts for many years now, in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union. Ubisoft’s policies align with legal requirements and industry standards and are designed to protect players against fraud. The process of account deletion follows a strict process based on the following criteria:
- The gaming activity of the account since its creation
- The account’s libraries: accounts that include purchased PC games are not eligible for deletion
- The duration of inactivity of the account, i.e., the last login to Ubisoft’s ecosystem, including Ubisoft games on platforms like Steam
- The existence of an active subscription tied to the account
Ubisoft stressed that in practice, they have never deleted accounts that have been inactive for less than four years.
Pre-deletion Notifications
Before the deletion is finalized, Ubisoft sends three emails over a 30-day period, offering players an opportunity to restore their accounts. Furthermore, if a user attempts to log in during the 30-day window, they receive a warning and a link to reactivate their account automatically.
Clarifying the Disconnect with the Terms of Use
Interestingly, Ubisoft’s statement doesn’t completely align with its terms of use, which indicate that users will be notified their account is pending deletion after six months of inactivity. When queried about this discrepancy, Ubisoft didn’t provide a concrete explanation. Notably, there was a case where a gamer found his account deleted after two years of inactivity, and upon restoration, several games were missing. Ubisoft had pledged to resolve the situation, though it’s not known if the games were indeed restored.
Final Word
Ubisoft’s statement should come as a relief for gamers, particularly those who have invested significantly in their game libraries. Digital game ownership has become a dominant trend, especially with the increasing prominence of gaming platforms such as Ubisoft, Steam, and Epic Games Store, among others. These platforms provide easy access to a wide array of games, which can be purchased and downloaded instantly. However, convenience comes with potential issues, with the most concerning being the possible loss of access to purchased games.
So, in essence, if you haven’t logged into your Ubisoft account in years, you aren’t likely to lose your game library. The concerns about digital ownership of games persist in the gaming community, but at least for now, Ubisoft is not indiscriminately obliterating accounts. More about Ubisoft’s policy can be found on its official website.