Now Microsoft boss praises CMA after Call of Duty tantrum
Takeover drive: Microsoft boss Brad Smith
Microsoft's boss has made a dramatic U-turn after previously claiming Britain was 'bad for business'.
Brad Smith launched a scathing attack in April last year after British regulators stopped the tech giant from buying Call of Duty maker Activision for £60 billion.
At the time, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) warned that the deal would result in Microsoft gaining a “stranglehold” on the fast-growing cloud gaming industry.
But after his tantrum, Microsoft and Activision Blizzard went away and revised the terms of the deal, which was subsequently approved by the CMA.
And during a humiliating climb yesterday, Smith described the regulator as 'tough but fair'.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'It forced Microsoft to change the acquisition we had proposed.
“I think the CMA has reaffirmed its position, yet created a pragmatic path forward for innovation and investment.”