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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Technology
Alex Hern UK technology editor

Activision Blizzard calls UK ‘closed for business’ after Microsoft takeover veto

A scene from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, developed by Activision Blizzard
A scene from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, developed by Activision Blizzard. Photograph: Activision

The Call of Duty developer Activision Blizzard has accused the UK of being “closed for business” after the competition regulator blocked its attempted takeover by Microsoft, which would have been the largest acquisition in gaming history.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) prevented the $68.7bn (£55bn) cash purchase because of concerns it would squash the cloud gaming market, sparking furious pushback from both sides of the deal. Microsoft said it would “discourage technology innovation and investment in the UK”, while Activision Blizzard vowed to “reassess our growth plans for the UK”.

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