I never imagined that defending my Call of Duty account would turn into a courtroom drama worthy of Hollywood scripts. As a passionate gamer who spent thousands of hours across competitive titles like Counter-Strike 2, getting banned during the 2022 Modern Warfare 2 beta felt like a digital execution without trial. Activision's notification hit me like a gut punch: "permanently banned for using unauthorized software" – an accusation as baseless as it was devastating. 😩
What followed was Kafkaesque absurdity. Despite repeated attempts through support tickets, phone calls, and even LinkedIn pleas, Activision stonewalled me. Their representatives flatly refused to provide evidence, hiding behind vague "security concerns" – claiming cheat developers might reverse-engineer their detection systems. The irony? I'd never installed third-party software! My 36.2 hours of pure gameplay were erased by an algorithm's flawed judgment. 🤖
Phase 1: Small Claims Victory
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Filed via UK's Money Claim Online system
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Activision no-showed proceedings
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Awarded full refund + legal fees (£200~)
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BUT account remained banned ⚖️
The Legal Siege Intensifies
When polite requests failed, I deployed legal artillery. Filing a non-monetary claim demanding account restoration finally got their attention – sort of. Their law firm dangled a settlement: pay court costs + sign an NDA for reinstatement. Just as we neared agreement, Activision torpedoed the deal. Corporate hubris assumed I'd surrender. Big mistake. 💥
In court, I presented my meticulously compiled gaming dossier:
| Game Title | Play Hours | Ban History |
|---|---|---|
| CS2 | 1,800+ | 0 |
| Warzone | 740 | 0 |
| Apex Legends | 520 | 0 |
My argument was simple: Activision breached our contract by denying service without justification. Their response? Crickets. No evidence. No witnesses. Just empty accusations echoing in a silent courtroom. 🦗
The judge's ruling was glorious vindication: Activision violated contractual obligations and must lift all bans immediately. Final cost to them? £711 + two years of embarrassment. As I logged into MW3 post-victory, the sweetness of restored access outweighed any battle pass reward. ✨
2025 Reflections & Industry Realities
Automated bans remain dangerously unchecked:
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🤯 False positives still plague innocent players
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🔒 Publishers hide behind "proprietary detection" excuses
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⏳ Most gamers lack resources for legal fights
My advice? Document EVERY gaming session. Save receipts. Record gameplay. Corporations bank on our apathy – but as my case proves, justice prevails when you fight back. Never underestimate a determined gamer with clean hands and a righteous cause. 🎮⚖️