French gaming giant Ubisoft, the company behind popular video games like Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Prince of Persia, is facing a major complaint over user privacy violations. The complaint has been filed by noyb, a well-known European privacy advocacy group.
Why Is Ubisoft Being Accused?
According to noyb (short for None of Your Business), Ubisoft forces players to connect to the internet and log into a Ubisoft account, even when playing offline single-player games. This means players who just want to enjoy a solo game are still being tracked online. Joakim Söderberg, a data protection lawyer at noyb said,
“Imagine if the Monopoly man sat at your table and took notes every time you wanted to play a board game with your family or friends. Well, that’s the reality of video games.”
What Kind of Data Is Being Collected?
Ubisoft claims it only collects simple data—like when the game is launched, how long it’s played, and when it’s closed. But the truth appears to be much more alarming. According to noyb, a user who checked what was being sent to Ubisoft found that the game connected to external servers 150 times, sharing data with companies like Google and Amazon. This included login details, browsing data, and other personal information.
The bigger concern? Ubisoft did not ask for consent before collecting and sharing this data—something that’s a clear violation of Europe’s strict GDPR rules.
What Does noyb Want to Happen?
The complaint, filed in Austria, asks the Austrian Data Protection Authority (DSB) to:
- Declare Ubisoft’s data collection without a valid purpose as illegal.
- Order Ubisoft to delete all personal data collected without permission.
- Impose a €92 million ($105 million) fine on the company.
Söderberg further added,
“Video games are expensive – but that doesn’t stop companies like Ubisoft from forcing their customers to play offline games online unnecessarily, just so they can make more money by tracking their behaviour.”
What’s Next for Ubisoft?
Ubisoft, which employs nearly 20,000 people across five continents and earns more than $2.5 billion a year, has not yet responded to the allegations. Noyb, however, has a strong track record—having previously taken on tech giants like Apple, Google, and Meta.
The gaming community and privacy advocates are now waiting to see how the Austrian authority responds. Meanwhile, concerns about data collection in gaming—especially in single-player modes—continue to grow.
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