Microsoft: "This is the darkest day in our four decades in Britain"
Microsoft President Brad Smith has heavily criticised the UK regulator and says that the decision to block its Activision Blizzard acquisition will discourage innovation and investment in the country.
Speaking during the BBC's Wake Up To Money, Smith stopped short of saying Microsoft would cut investment in the UK, but admitted that the company's confidence is shaken. Microsoft is a major business that operates in the UK, and in terms of video games, it operates a number of UK studios, including Rare, Playground Games and Ninja Theory.
"I think it's bad for Britain," Smith said. "The business community, the investment community and the technology sector around the world have been following this case. And the strong message that the CMA has sent, is not just to surprise everyone who fully expected this acquisition to be approved, but to send a message that will discourage innovation and investment in the United Kingdom. And I think in that sense the impact of this decision is far broader than on Microsoft or this acquisition alone."
He added: "Microsoft has been in the United Kingdom for 40 years and we play a vital role, not just supporting businesses and non-profits but even defending the nation from cyber-security threats. But this decision, I have to say, is probably the darkest day in our four decades in Britain. It does more than shake our confidence in the future of the opportunity to grow a technology business in Britain than we've ever confronted before."
Smith reiterated that the decision, in his view, was based on a 'flawed understanding' of cloud streaming, and believed the firm's offer to allow other services to stream its games as a more than adequate solution to the regulator's concerns.
"It's all
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