Buy Xbox Series X Games –Microsoft Boss Furious Over UK Activision Deal Block

Microsoft’s President, Brad Smith, has criticized the UK after it blocked the acquisition of US gaming firm Activision. He says that the European Union (EU) would be a more attractive place to start a business. The move is the “darkest day” in the company’s four decades of working in the UK. Could this response have an impact on people looking to buy Xbox Series X games in the UK?

Buy Xbox Series X Games – Response From the CMA

The UK regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) defended its decision. They say that it had to prioritize the interests of people over merging firms with commercial interests.

If approved, the $68.7bn deal would have been the gaming industry’s biggest-ever takeover. So, it would give Microsoft control of popular game titles such as Call of Duty. Both Microsoft and Activision are appealing against the CMA’s decision.

The EU is a Better Place to Start a Business than the UK

In an interview with the BBC’s Wake Up to Money program, Smith expressed disappointment with the CMA’s decision. However, more than that, he stated that it’s “bad for Britain.”

He further stated that it does more than shake the confidence of the opportunity to grow technology businesses in Britain. He added that people’s confidence in technology in the UK has been severely shaken.

So, there’s a clear message that the EU is a more attractive place to do business than the United Kingdom.

UK’s Games Sector Doubled in Size Over the Last 10 Years

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s spokesperson refutes Mr. Smith’s claims, stating that the UK games sector has doubled in size over the past decade. The spokesperson also emphasized that the government would maintain communication with Microsoft.

However, he also reminded that the CMA operates independently. The regulators in the UK, US, and EU must approve the deal for it to proceed. Although the UK announced its decision first, the US Federal Trade Commission has also challenged the takeover.

Additionally, EU regulators postponed their decision in March following Microsoft’s proposal to offer concessions to secure approval.

The UK is Open for Business

CMA’s Chief Executive, Sarah Cardell, told the Today program that she disagrees with Smith’s comments. She said this decision shows how important it is to support competition and that the UK is open for business.

The ruling on Wednesday stated that the CMA was concerned the deal would hit innovation. So, gamers would have fewer choices in the fast cloud gaming market.

The Activision deal would also give Microsoft some very popular game titles. So, it would be able to compete more effectively with rivals such as Sony.

Buy Xbox Series X Games – CMA Adamant on Its Decision

The CMA said that Microsoft already had a 60-70% share of the cloud gaming market. So, combining with Activision would really reinforce its strong position. So, it might be a while before Game Pass will get to share Activision games as well. Of course, you can always buy Xbox Series X games as well, especially new titles like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. This title truly deserves its place in your game collection.