Ubisoft is closing inactive accounts potentially causing players to lose access to games

Ubisoft has confirmed that those who do not log in to their accounts for an extended period may lose access to the account and everything associated with it.

The details:

• Twitter user @PC_enjoyer shared a screenshot of an email believed to be from Ubisoft in which they were informed that their account had been suspended and that if they did not access it via the link provided, it would be permanently closed, denying them access to all purchased content, progress, Connect unlocks, and more. It wasn't revealed how long had passed since the user logged into the account, but it was thought to be at least several years.
• In response to the post, Ubisoft's customer service team confirmed that the email was genuine, writing, “Hey there. We just wanted to chime in that you can avoid the account closure by logging into your account within the 30 days (since receiving the email pictured) and selecting the Cancel Account Closure link contained in the email. We certainly do not want you to lose access to your games or account so if you have any difficulties logging in then please create a support case with us.”
• Some players, however, pointed out that the policy has been in place for some time in its service Terms of Use, linking to an article on the company's support site that explains why. Ubisoft is required by the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to delete personal information from its database if it has reason to believe that the user will no longer use its services, resulting in a warning email to ensure this is the case. “As part of our Terms of Use, in rare instances, we may immediately close inactive accounts to comply with local data protection legislation.” the article reads. “This is only if we have strong reasons to believe that the account in question will remain unused.”
• Many players have spoken out against the decision, claiming that while it is required by EU law, it raises concerns about digital games. It's another case where it's clear that while people buy games through services like the Ubisoft Store, Steam, and Epic Games Store, they technically don't "own" them and are simply renting them indefinitely, as companies can pull games from sale or even close accounts at any time, locking you out of your purchases permanently.

More Ubisoft news:

• Ubisoft has revealed some new details regarding the main character and planets of Star Wars Outlaws. The game’s multiple planets will consist of two to three zones, which is the equivalent of two zones in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.
• Assassin's Creed Jade, the first open-world Assassin's Creed title outside of the mainline franchise, will enter its first closed beta test in August for both iOS and Android. The game is being developed in collaboration with Chinese publisher Tencent, with its studio, Level Infinite, handling development.