Microsoft chairman Brad Smith has softened his stance on the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) following the completion of Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
in a new interview with BBC’s Today programSmith described the CMA as “tough and fair” before going on to say that they “created a pragmatic path for innovation and investment.”
This is a dramatic change in tone compared to some of Smith’s previous comments when news broke of the CMA’s initial move to block the takeover last year.
In a previous interview with the BBC In April 2023, he criticized the decision as “bad for Britain” and argued that the government should “take a hard look at the role of the CMA and the regulatory structure” to avoid potential negative impacts on UK tech growth. sector.
Much of the CMA’s concern around the deal related to Microsoft’s apparent market-leading position in the cloud gaming space, which it said could harm competition and hamper innovation and gaming options. long-term consumers.
This has since been fixed, with Microsoft transferring cloud streaming rights for Activion titles to Ubisoft. This, in addition to some additional minor remedies, ultimately allowed the deal to close on October 13, 2023.
Despite the initial disagreement, it’s not all that surprising to see Smith adopt a more positive attitude given that Microsoft has managed to reach an acceptable compromise with the CMA.
The completion of the deal was, of course, great news for Microsoft, but it could also benefit you if you’re an avid Xbox gamer. The broader impact of the deal has yet to be seen due to its relative recency, but consumers can expect to see some Activision Blizzard titles start appearing on Xbox Game Pass (Microsoft’s popular Netflix-like gaming subscription service). during this year.
For all things Xbox, check out our guides for The best Xbox Series X racing games. or the best Xbox Game Pass games.
