Ubisoft spies from: ‘secret data acquisition’ without permission
Ubisoft is criticized for arbitrary data collection. Because even with single player games without multiplayer functions, massive data is probably recorded via online forced without explicit consent. The player giant threatens a million dollar penalty.
Online forced in single players
Players of Ubisoft titles like Assassin’s Creed or Far Cry know the problem: Even if you want to play alone, the game demands an internet connection and a login. During the game session, Ubisoft also obviously collects extensive user data without having obtained approval beforehand.
The Austrian data protection organization NOYB (None of your Business) therefore has one with the Austrian data protection authority Formal complaint (PDF) submitted against the French game giant. The complaint is based on a specific case. A technically experienced player found that Far Cry Primal built 150 connections to external servers within just ten minutes – including Google, Amazon and the US analysis service Datadog.
Data such as seasons, usage IDs and possibly even details about the game behavior were transmitted. The data was encrypted, so that the user was not understandable which information was collected. Ubisoft evaded with a standard response on request.
Millions of penalty could threaten
The consumer advocates of NOYB argue that Ubisoft thus violates the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). “Imagine the monopoly man at your table and would take notes every time you want to play a board game,” explains Joakim Söderberg, data protection lawyer on the Website from NOYB. This is exactly what happens in video games.
The data would be collected and analyzed. In the event of success, the complaint could have far -reaching consequences. Ubisoft threatens a fine of up to 92 million euros. This corresponds to four percent of the annual turnover of around 2.3 billion euros. The organization also demands that Ubisoft have to delete all illegally collected data and set the practice.
Industry -wide problem
The problem does not only affect Ubisoft. Other large publishers such as Microsoft, Activision Blizzard and Electronic Arts also request an online connection for many of their games, even if they actually do not offer online functions.
Ubisoft was selected as the first destination, according to NOYB, because the company is one of the worst teafelters and, as a European company, is easier to concern than US companies. Should the data protection authority give the complaint, this could create a precedent for the entire game industry. Players may then no longer be forced to go online for pure single player experiences.
Ubisoft in the crisis
For the French game developer, the complaint comes at an unfavorable time. After financial difficulties and a loss of value of more than 50 percent in 2024, the company could be high. In order to secure itself financially, the company has just outsourced its top brands to its own company, in which the Chinese group Tencent also holds a large part. In addition, Ubisoft is at the same time with another lawsuit that deals with the shutdown of the server of the racing game The Crew.
