Gamers Group Reports Activision to UK Fair Trade Office

Independent British consumer group Gamers' Voice is preparing to submit a formal complaint to the UK's Office of Fair Trading over alleged performance issues in the PS3 and PC versions of Activision's Call of Duty: Black Ops.

The move comes after the publisher failed to respond to an open letter from the group, sent one month ago, which alleged persistent problems with freezing and online multiplayer log-in, to the extent that the game did not function as intended or advertised.

The letter asked for an explanation for how these problems came about and sought information on how Activision planned "to recompense [its] customer base."

By taking the matter to the Office of Fair Trading, Gamers' Voice Head of Industry Relations Chris O'Regan tells IncGamers he hopes to "test the might of government agencies against Activision. ... These agencies do exist to protect our rights as consumers, let us see if they can fullfill their remit on this pressing issue."

While a formal investigation could take months, O'Regan said any litigation would set a precedent and help "ensure [future] games are not released in an unfinished state.”

Established in 1973, the non-ministerial UK Office of Fair Trading is dedicated to "mak[ing] markets work well for consumers" by ensuring "businesses are in open, fair and vigorous competition with each other for the consumer's custom," according to its web site.

The office has the power to impose severe financial penalties if it finds companies guilty of such breaches as breaking competition law, perpetrating scams or operating cartels.