Ubisoft, the gaming giant behind Assassin’s Creed, is in hot water again. Just as fans were raving about Assassin’s Creed Shadows and its stunning take on feudal Japan, a bombshell dropped: privacy watchdog Noyb has accused Ubisoft of illegally harvesting player data without consent.
The group is pushing for a £79 million ($104 million) fine and the deletion of unlawfully collected data, filed with Austria’s data protection authority on 24 April 2025.
With Far Cry and Rainbow Six also under scrutiny, this controversy could reshape how gaming companies handle your personal info. What’s really going on behind the scenes?
Expose Ubisoft’s Data Collection Tactics
The complaint centres on Ubisoft’s single-player games, like Far Cry Primal and Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which require an internet connection despite being offline experiences. Noyb alleges that Ubisoft uses this to siphon off players’ gaming habits—think every rooftop leap or sword swing—without clear permission.
One user of Far Cry Primal noticed the game pinged external servers, including those of Amazon and Google, 150 times in just 10 minutes. Data protection expert Max Schrems likened it to ‘the Monopoly Man sitting at your table, taking notes on your every move.’
Noyb, known for battling tech titans like Meta, argues this violates the EU’s GDPR laws, which demand transparency and consent. The encrypted nature of Ubisoft’s data transfers makes it impossible for players to know what’s being shared, raising red flags about privacy in gaming.
Amplify a Growing Privacy Backlash
This isn’t Ubisoft’s first privacy rodeo. In 2024, a class-action lawsuit accused the company of sharing Ubisoft Store user data with Meta via a tracking pixel without consent, though a California judge dismissed it in April 2025, citing sufficient user consent disclosures.
But the noyb complaint, backed by posts on X calling Ubisoft’s practices ‘enshittification,’ shows players aren’t letting this slide. Gamers on platforms like Reddit have vented frustration, with one user stating, ‘Forcing single-player games online to spy on us is a new low’.
The timing stings. Assassin’s Creed Shadows launched to critical acclaim, but Ubisoft’s financial woes—losing over half its market value in 2024—make this £79 million ($104 million) fine a potential gut punch.
With Tencent and Guillemot Brothers eyeing a buyout, this controversy could tank Ubisoft’s stock further, as it did after a 2023 data breach exposed 900GB of sensitive info.
Demand Accountability in Gaming
Noyb’s complaint could set a precedent for the gaming industry. If Austria’s data authority upholds the £79 million ($104 million) fine, Ubisoft may be forced to overhaul its data practices and scrap mandatory online connections for single-player titles.
This could ripple across publishers like EA and Activision, who also lean on online features. Noyb’s push to delete illegally collected data would give players back some control, but Ubisoft’s silence—offering no comment as of 25 April 2025—suggests a rocky road ahead.
The backlash is gaining steam. Privacy advocates urge gamers to scrutinise terms of service and opt out where possible. If upheld, this case could make companies think twice before treating player data like loot in an open-world game, ensuring your gaming sessions stay private.
