Ubisoft has taken steps to clarify its user account deletion process, in the wake of a viral tweet. In mid-July 2023, an anti-DRM Twitter account (@PC_enjoyer) posted a screenshot of an email claiming Ubisoft was threatening to close their user account and delete all their games, due to inactivity over a 30 day period.
‘Ubisoft closes your account if you haven’t logged in for some time,’ PC_enjoyer claimed. ‘You will lose all your games purchased forever.’ This tweet kicked off a panic online, as reports spread about Ubisoft’s alleged ‘anti-consumer’ behaviour.
The issue was compounded by a tweet reply from Ubisoft Support that claimed users could avoid this fate by logging into an account within that 30 day period. ‘We certainly do not want you to lose access to your games or account,’ Ubisoft Support said. This kicked off another round of panic, as it seemed to legitimise PC_enjoyer’s claims that games would be deleted over inactivity.
Now, Ubisoft has issued multiple statements to media walking back this response, claiming any account with purchased games will never be deleted.
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‘Accounts that include purchased PC games are not eligible for deletion,’ Jessica Roache, senior corporate communication manager at Ubisoft recently told The Verge.
‘Account deletion follows a very strict process. As such, we take into consideration the four following criteria before an account is deleted: the gaming activity of the account since its creation, the account’s libraries, the duration of inactivity of the account, meaning the last login to our ecosystem (including from Ubisoft games on Steam and other platforms, and the existence of an active subscription tied to the account.’
Per Ubisoft, it has ‘never deleted accounts that have been inactive for less than four years’ in compliance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Prior to a deletion becoming permanent, Ubisoft will also send at least three emails to a user over a 30-day period.
While the email surfaced by PC_enjoyer briefly kicked off a fuss, it appears Ubisoft’s policy for deleting accounts is far more rigorous than it first appeared. Those worried about their account status can rest easy, for now.
