Microsoft says EU more attractive after UK blocks deal / Photo: Josep LAGO - AFP/File
-
Maswanganyi Clarifies Pirates Allegiance Amidst Career Transition
-
Search Underway for 'Dooars Rani' Tigress After Second Escape from Buxa Tiger Reserve
-
Teatro Mayor Unveils 152-Performance 2027 Season Highlighting Beethoven and García Márquez
-
The Dilemma of Recording Live Music: Preserving Memories vs. Being Present
-
Rutgers Defeats NJIT 101-64 Behind Francis and Mark Scores
-
TAMKO and Kansas City Chiefs Announce 2026 Operation Rooftop Recipient
-
5E Advanced Materials to Host Fiscal First Quarter 2027 Earnings Conference Call on November 17, 2026
-
Patriot Software Adds Performance Reviews to Patriot HR
-
Protagenic Therapeutics Announces Private Placement of Up to $5 Million to Advance PT00114 into Its First U.S. Clinical Trial in Generalized Anxiety Disorder
-
Healixa's FrostPulse(TM) Technology Solves a Major Roadblock to Data Center Growth: Cooling Without the Water Burden
-
Route1 Announces 2026 Annual Meeting Results
-
NuRAN Wireless Board Approves Growth Strategy to Scale Recurring Revenue from 5,000+ Contracted Towers
-
Ethur Takes On Hiring Fraud With Facial Biometrics Identity Checks and Connected Payroll and Bank Data
-
PPX Mining Reports Callanquitas Operating Results for the First Nine Months of 2026
-
Green Leaf Innovations (OTC: GRLF) Meets OTCID Disclosure Requirements Following Profitable Q2 2026 Results
-
Valion Bio Reinforces Commitment to American Troops; Discusses Entolimod with Attendees at RW Baird's National Security Conference
-
XCF Global Hosts USDA at New Rise Renewables Reno as Facility Surpasses 4.4 Million Gallons Since Restart
-
Amarc Extends 2026 Exploration Program at the Duke District: Initiates Drilling Program at Established Porphyry Copper-Gold Targets
-
AmeriLife Welcomes Finance Veteran Richard Dziadzio as Chief Financial Officer; Names Jim Quinn President & Chief Transformation Officer
-
Trifecta Gold Reports 2026 Exploration Results from the Liam and Lois Projects, Tombstone Gold Belt, Yukon
-
Irving Resources Reports on Drilling in Yamagano Mining Right at the Yamagano Joint Venture, Kyushu, Japan
-
NiobiumX Mining Reports Results of Ground Radiometric Survey at Shipshaw, Maps Two Distinct Radiometric Signatures Across the Core Claims, and Moves to a High-Resolution Airborne Survey of the Full 2,686-Hectare Package
-
BlackBerry to Participate in Upcoming Investor Conferences
-
Christmas Day Shifts More than Double as Americans Return to In-Person Holiday Celebrations
-
THIEAUDIO Introduces Clairvoyance MKII: The Evolution of a Signature Sound
-
Fulcrum Metals PLC Announces Publication of Updated Investor Presentation
-
Guardian Metal Resources PLC Announces Proposed Spin-Out of Non-Tungsten Projects
-
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC Announces Transaction in Own Shares - November 11
-
Fulcrum Metals PLC Announces New Critical Mineral Recoveries Expand Potential
-
6 Pieces of Furniture Worth Investing In
-
Healthcare Leaders Identify Priorities for Agentic AI Adoption in 2027-2028 - Black Book
-
LogoTags, America's Leading Name in Custom Challenge Coins, Showcased at Kentucky Officers Leadership Symposium
-
SMX Advances AI Technology to Bring Greater Precision to Industrial Material Development
-
TripGift Unlocks Millions of Travel and Live Event Experiences for Corporate Rewards and Incentives in 117 Currencies
-
Leiər Introduces Passport, a New Fragrance Collection Debuting With Alba Eau De Parfum
-
WhalesBot Emphasizes Child Safety and Responsible AI Design in the Development of Pubbo
-
SMX Bridges AI and Industrial Material Science With New Intelligence Platform
-
Moderna Announces JAMA Network Open Publication of Real-World Comparative Effectiveness Data for mNEXSPIKE (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) in Adults Aged 65 Years and Older
-
Sequoia Backs Microsoft Veterans' Edelbyte with $70M to Challenge Data Infrastructure Giants
-
Price Benowitz Earns 2027 Best Law Firm Recognition; 18 Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers
-
DaBella Honors More Than 200 Veteran Employees Nationwide This Veterans Day
-
ShelfieTech Announces Expansion Agreement for Its Next-Generation AI Retail Intelligence Platform
-
Resilient Energy Inc. (OTCID:RENI) Closes Acquisition of Mid River Midstream; Adds 12 Texas SWD Wells and $25M in Assets
-
SMX Expands Technology Portfolio With AI-Powered Scientific Intelligence Platform
-
LA Kush Cake Strain Guide Reviews Genetics and Historical Potency Data
-
Solid Aluminum, Deep Thock and 75% Compact Layout: Meet the Epomaker Galaxy75 Mechanical Keyboard
-
Who Is the Best Facial Feminization Surgeon?
-
CLS Health Advances Construction on New Webster Surgical Campus, Expanding Access to Care in Clear Lake Area
-
Cognitum One Launches Cognitum Spaces, the Governed System of Record for Physical Sites That Gives Enterprise AI Agents Trusted Real-World Context
-
OneMeta Provides Real-Time AI Translation for 2026 G20 Interfaith Forum Summit
Microsoft says EU more attractive after UK blocks deal
Microsoft on Thursday said the European Union was "more attractive" for businesses than post-Brexit Britain after the latter blocked its vast takeover of video game maker Activision Blizzard on competition fears.
Brad Smith, vice chair and president, made the remark one day after UK regulators prevented the $69-billion deal for the maker of "Call of Duty" on fears it would hit cloud gaming and curb consumer choice.
It comes also as the deal awaits approval from the EU and United States, with some analysts saying Britain's block could already signal "game over" for the proposed acquisition should Microsoft and Activision fail to win an appeal.
"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," Smith told BBC radio following the ruling by the UK Competition and Markets Authority.
The CMA decision was "probably the darkest day" in Microsoft's 40-year presence in Britain, he added.
Questioned about whether it would affect Microsoft's future UK investment decisions, Smith replied that "it certainly will not help".
Responding, spokesman for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak insisted "the UK has an extremely attractive tech sector and a growing games market".
"We will continue to engage proactively with Microsoft and other companies," he added.
The CMA said its decision showed Britain was supporting competition and was "absolutely open for business".
Activision and Microsoft also argue the decision contradicted the UK insistence that the country remains a hub for global tech following its exit from the European Union at the start of 2021.
"For all of us who had some hope that, post Brexit, the UK would construct a structure that would even be more flexible, that would be better for investment, better for technology, we are now finding the opposite appears to be true," Smith said.
He added Microsoft was "optimistic" that EU regulators "will regard the very promises that the CMA has rejected, as far more appropriate".
Xbox-owner Microsoft launched its bid for Activision in early 2022 to create the world's third biggest gaming firm after China's Tencent and Japan's PlayStation maker Sony.
Activision's hit titles also include "Candy Crush" and "World of Warcraft".
O.M.Souza--AMWN