Ubisoft, the popular gaming company, caused a stir recently when it was revealed that they may delete user accounts after just six months of inactivity. However, the company has now clarified that this only applies to empty accounts and accounts without purchased PC games. An active subscription also prevents an account from being deleted.
The clarification came in response to media reports and a subsequent debate triggered by the initial news. Ubisoft stated that accounts containing purchased PC games are not eligible for deletion. They also emphasized that in practice, no account has ever been deleted for being inactive for less than four years.
While Ubisoft’s terms of use do state that accounts can be deleted after six months of inactivity, the company assured users that this only applies to empty accounts. The terms of use do not explicitly state this, but Ubisoft stands by its statement.
Ubisoft also justified the account deletion policy by citing compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). According to Article 5.1.e of the GDPR, personal data should only be stored for as long as necessary for its intended purposes. Deleting inactive accounts is meant to protect players from potential fraud.
The debate surrounding this policy started when the Twitter channel @PC_enjoyer shared a screenshot of an email from Ubisoft support, informing a user that their inactive account would be permanently closed in 30 days. The email included a link to prevent the deletion if the user wished to do so.
It is worth noting that US gaming providers such as Steam, Battle.net, and Epic Games do not have inactivity clauses in their terms of use. However, Epic Games does reserve the right to change a user’s display name if they have been inactive for more than a year.
Overall, Ubisoft’s clarification provides reassurance to users that their purchased games and active subscriptions will not be impacted by the account deletion policy. The company asserts that only empty accounts will be deleted, and this practice aligns with GDPR guidelines.
