London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 25, 2026

UK games sector wanted Microsoft deal, says Sir Ian Livingstone

UK games sector wanted Microsoft deal, says Sir Ian Livingstone

The UK games sector was in favour of Microsoft's bid for US firm Activision being approved, according to the man who led the company behind Tomb Raider.

Sir Ian Livingstone, also co-founder of Games Workshop, said it would be "odd" if the UK was the only place to object.

The blocking of the deal by the UK regulator provoked a furious response from Microsoft, with its president saying the move was "bad for Britain".

The UK's move means the multi-billion dollar deal cannot go ahead globally.

The planned $68.7bn (£55bn) deal would have been the gaming industry's biggest ever takeover, and Microsoft would have taken ownership of popular games titles such as Call of Duty, Candy Crush and World of Warcraft.

US and EU regulators have yet to decide on whether to approve the deal, but on Wednesday the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) blocked it, saying it was concerned the deal would offer reduced innovation and less choice for gamers in the fast-growing cloud gaming business.

Both Microsoft and Activision have said they will appeal against the CMA's decision.

On Thursday, Microsoft president Brad Smith launched a fierce attack on the judgement, telling the BBC that it marked Microsoft's "darkest day" in its four decades of working in the UK.

"People are shocked, people are disappointed, and people's confidence in technology in the UK has been severely shaken," he said, adding that the European Union was a better place to start a business.

A spokesman for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Mr Smith's claims were "not borne out by the facts", adding that the UK games sector had doubled in size over the past 10 years.

Sir Ian, who is now co-founding partner of gaming investment group Hiro Capita, told the BBC's Today programme: "I think the sentiment of the games industry itself in the UK is for it to go ahead.

Sir Ian said the UK's games industry was "a great British success story"


"It would be odd if the UK was the only region to object to this acquisition going forward," he added.

"I would hope that they can sit down and perhaps negotiate a settlement which might be in everybody's interest over time."

Sir Ian said the UK's games industry was "a great British success story", having developed some of the biggest franchises in the world including Tomb Raider and Grand Theft Auto.

"It's always been overdelivering in content but always underserved by capital and recognition," he added.

"This is a highly competitive market and any negative sentiment is not good for the industry or indeed the UK economy."

The CMA is the first regulator to announce its decision, but last year the US Federal Trade Commission began a legal challenge to block the takeover.

In March, EU regulators delayed their decision after Microsoft proposed concessions to get the deal over the line.

Sir Ian said "it's somewhat come as a surprise that they [the CMA] said no at this time".

However, Gareth Sutcliffe, senior games analyst at Enders Analysis, said the deal "has been in trouble for a while".

He added that Microsoft "simply didn't do the necessary regulator outreach to get this deal over the line".

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
War, Youth Revolt and the Global Struggle for Control
War, Power and the Rising Price of Political Decisions
High Street Sales Suffer Sharpest Summer Decline in Five Years
Wales Approves Higher Taxes on Second Homes and Long-Term Empty Properties
Environment Agency Imposes Record £150 Million Penalty on Water Companies
UK Competition Watchdog Blocks U.S. Takeover of Cambridge Chip Designer
Scotland Unveils Land Reform Bill to Expand Renewable Energy Projects
Northern Ireland Secures £500 Million Technology Investment for Belfast Cybersecurity Hub
NHS Rolls Out AI Triage System Across Major Hospitals in England
UK Strengthens North Sea Naval Cooperation With European Allies
UK Chancellor Commits £7 Billion to Accelerate Manchester-Leeds Rail Link
Bank of England Signals Interest Rate Cuts After Inflation Falls Below Target
Badenoch Rejects Grant Shapps' Bid to Return as Conservative Candidate
BAE Chief Warns Britain Has Underestimated the Risk of War
Burnham Rules Out New Scottish Independence Referendum in First Talks With Swinney
UK Government Strengthens Northern Economic Agenda Through Manchester Headquarters and Regional Partnerships
United Kingdom Opens New Furness Peninsula Coastal Route Under King Charles the Third England Coast Path
England Reduces Business Costs for Hospitality Sector Through New Relief Package
United Kingdom Allocates Seven Point Three Million Pounds for Zero-Emission Aviation Research
United Kingdom Begins Restoration Works on Portishead Railway Line After Six Decades Without Passenger Services
United States Tariff Measures Create New Trade Challenges for United Kingdom and European Union Businesses
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Meets Scottish and Welsh Leaders to Promote Regional Growth Cooperation
United Kingdom Government Announces Twenty Percent Business Rates Cut for Pubs, Clubs, and Music Venues
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Opens Manchester Government Headquarters to Shift Decision-Making Away From Westminster
United Kingdom Defence Ministry Says Armed Forces Ready After Iran Accuses London Over US Military Strikes
United Kingdom Inflation Falls to Two Point Six Percent as Prime Minister Andy Burnham Gains Economic Breathing Room
OpenAI Sued After ChatGPT Allegedly Discouraged Emergency Care Before Near-Fatal Embolism
Viral Video Raises Questions Over Twelve-Dollar Croissants at Manhattan Bakery
UK Balances Security Commitments With Economic Growth Priorities
Retail and Hospitality Sectors Navigate Consumer Caution and Tax Changes
Key Trends to Watch
British Land Appoints Joanne McNamara as New Chief Executive Officer
UK Government Names New Life Peers Including Former Military and Civil Service Leaders
Institute of Directors Urges Government Action on Employment Costs and Skills Shortages
IMF Raises UK 2026 Growth Forecast to One Percent
UK Retail Sales Growth Slows Sharply as Households Cut Discretionary Spending
UK Ten-Year Bond Yields Remain Above Five Percent as Government Faces Higher Debt Costs
UK Government Plans Earlier End to Low-Value Import Duty Exemption for Online Retail Parcels
Reform UK Leads Tight Westminster Voting Poll as Conservatives and Labour Remain Close
Royal Navy Carrier Strike Group Completes First Arctic and North Atlantic Mission Phase
Andy Burnham Government Cuts Business Rates for Pubs and Music Venues by Twenty Percent
UK Inflation Falls to Two Point Six Percent in June as Food and Fuel Prices Ease
Andy Burnham Becomes UK Prime Minister Facing Growth Challenges and Fiscal Pressure
UK Government Reviews Long-Term Balance Between Cost Relief, Industry Support, and Public Investment Priorities
BBC Could Receive Permanent Royal Charter Under Government Proposal
Northern Ireland Proposes End to Severe Weather Exemptions for Electricity Compensation Rules
Andy Burnham Holds Talks With UK Devolved Leaders on Regional Cooperation and Devolution
House of Lords Launches Inquiry Into Risks Facing UK Democratic Institutions
ScottishPower Renewables Plans Major Rebuild of Whitelee Wind Farm With Fewer Larger Turbines
UK and Italy Leaders Discuss Global Combat Air Programme and Future European Cooperation
×