What game developer said on UK block

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has blocked Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The regulator said that “the merger could make Microsoft even stronger in cloud gaming, stifling competition in this growing market.” Microsoft has already responded by saying that it will appeal the decision, and now, the video game company has issued a statement.

‘The UK is clearly closed for business’
According to Activision Blizzard, the CMA’s report’s conclusions are a disservice to UK citizens. It said that the company, along with Microsoft will work aggressively to reverse this on appeal.

“The CMA’s report contradicts the ambitions of the UK to become an attractive country to build technology businesses. We will work aggressively with Microsoft to reverse this on appeal. The report’s conclusions are a disservice to UK citizens, who face increasingly dire economic prospects,” the game company said.

“We will reassess our growth plans for the UK. Global innovators large and small will take note that – despite all its rhetoric – the UK is clearly closed for business,” Activision Blizzard added.

Blow to Microsoft
After CMA announced its decision to block the deal, Brad Smith, president, Microsoft said in a statement that the company will appeal the decision

“The CMA’s decision rejects a pragmatic path to address competition concerns and discourages technology innovation and investment in the United Kingdom,” said Smith. He also reiterated that the company has already signed contracts to provide access to Activision Blizzard games, especially Call of Duty, to more than 150 million devices.

CMA’s report
CMA said in its report that the deal would reinforce Microsoft’s advantage in the market by giving it control over important gaming content such as Call of Duty, Overwatch, and World of Warcraft.

“The evidence available to the CMA indicates that, absent the merger, Activision would start providing games via cloud platforms in the foreseeable future,” said the regulator in a press release.

Previously, the CMA ‘provisionally concluded’ that Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition “will not result in a substantial lessening of competition in console gaming services because the cost to Microsoft of withholding Call of Duty (COD) from PlayStation would outweigh any gains from taking such action.”

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The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has blocked Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The regulator said that “the merger could make Microsoft even stronger in cloud gaming, stifling competition in this growing market.” Microsoft has already responded by saying that it will appeal the decision, and now, the video game company has issued a statement.

‘The UK is clearly closed for business’
According to Activision Blizzard, the CMA’s report’s conclusions are a disservice to UK citizens. It said that the company, along with Microsoft will work aggressively to reverse this on appeal.

“The CMA’s report contradicts the ambitions of the UK to become an attractive country to build technology businesses. We will work aggressively with Microsoft to reverse this on appeal. The report’s conclusions are a disservice to UK citizens, who face increasingly dire economic prospects,” the game company said.

“We will reassess our growth plans for the UK. Global innovators large and small will take note that – despite all its rhetoric – the UK is clearly closed for business,” Activision Blizzard added.

Blow to Microsoft
After CMA announced its decision to block the deal, Brad Smith, president, Microsoft said in a statement that the company will appeal the decision

“The CMA’s decision rejects a pragmatic path to address competition concerns and discourages technology innovation and investment in the United Kingdom,” said Smith. He also reiterated that the company has already signed contracts to provide access to Activision Blizzard games, especially Call of Duty, to more than 150 million devices.

CMA’s report
CMA said in its report that the deal would reinforce Microsoft’s advantage in the market by giving it control over important gaming content such as Call of Duty, Overwatch, and World of Warcraft.

“The evidence available to the CMA indicates that, absent the merger, Activision would start providing games via cloud platforms in the foreseeable future,” said the regulator in a press release.

Previously, the CMA ‘provisionally concluded’ that Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition “will not result in a substantial lessening of competition in console gaming services because the cost to Microsoft of withholding Call of Duty (COD) from PlayStation would outweigh any gains from taking such action.”

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