Microsoft Hits Back At UK Regulators

Microsoft hits back at UK after CMA blocked Activision acquisition

Microsoft's president Brad Smith said the UK regulator's decision to prevent its acquisition of Activision Blizzard "had shaken confidence" in Britain as a destination for tech businesses.

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The acquisition was blocked on Wednesday by The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which operates independently from the government.

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CMA claimed that Microsoft’s acquisition of Activism Blizzard could hit competition in the nascent cloud gaming market.

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It was "probably the darkest day in our four decades in Britain" and sent the wrong message to the global tech industry about the UK, as per Smith.

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He also urged UK’s government to look hard at the role of the CMA, the regulatory structure in the United Kingdom if they want to bring in investments and jobs.

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"There's a clear message here - the European Union is a more attractive place to start a business if you want some day to sell it than the United Kingdom," he added.

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Microsoft said yesterday it would appeal against CMA, with "aggressive" support from Activision.

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