Don't lie. Microsoft moneyhats.

Sony makes use of strategic incentivised content acquisitions. 

I honestly don't understand this part. You seem to be contradicting yourself, while also writing a lot of nonsense in between.

MS has a lot invested this holiday? Really? They only have 1 (ONE) exclusive game, and that's Halo. One more than Sony, woohoo! Of course, you will count TR, which is neither exclusive (as it's a cross-gen title), and cost them nothing but a little "passion". 

And then, since they are investing sooooo much in their games this holiday, and poor Sony needs CoD to even be relevant, they go and invest into Fallout 4 marketing? Even though they don't need it and even though it comes out the same day as their "passion project". 

Yeah, you can repeat MS mantra all you want, but it doesn't make anything you say true. It just makes you seem silly when trying to repeat Spencer's spin as truth, when anybody with a smidge of common sense can see the full picture.

Actually, it is the sales advantage. Without it Sony wouldn't have all the support its getting. Phil Spencer is downplaying that, because he knows thats how Microsoft got the third party on their side causing RROD. Its all politics and money. Use your common sense. Sony cannot outbid Microsoft, but they can beat them out in popularity which is why they are getting the deals.

Sony would never had gained the AAA moneyhat advantage on Microsoft if they werent destroying everyone in sales with the PS2. Opportunities and endorsement happen when you're a winner. Same goes for athletes, singers and politicians. In the gaming industry, business partnerships are made just like Microsoft had last gen with COD.

Popularity is leverage and thats all there is to it.

I do get his thinking. He is not saying the deal is irrelevant. He is saying there is more value in making it for Sony than there is for Microsoft. Neither company has a major RPG launching this holiday, so as you pointed out Fallout marketing has value to both of them and Microsoft secured it.

I get it, I mean we could argue until the cows come home about what constitutes an exclusive.  But ultimately Microsoft will have on the shelves this holiday, Halo, Gears of War, Rare Replay, Tomb Raider and Forza - all just released. I get why you and others don't consider them all exclusive, but thats no reason to willfully ignore the impact it will have on some purchasers who walk into the store and see those games in the Xbox One section, and Bloodborne still there from February in the PS4 section.

More broadly at a number of the people in this thread. Sony might well win in NA this holiday. They will certainly win worldwide. Its really not necessary to try to diminish all the positive steps Microsoft is making (in some cases) and is trying to make (in other cases). Remember, all of these investments in games, new services through their console, new/improved technology in their UI, cloud enhancements and gaming innovations will serve you - the gamer - either through enjoying these features directly, or through pushing Sony to offer more next generation. If you truly have zero interest in them, thats totally cool. But 'zero interest' isn't typically demonstrated by running from thread to thread trying to poke holes in cool ideas at every turn because they are on the wrong platform.

doh, you're right, you got me there!

Sony wont win NA during the holiday. Microsoft has October, November and December under serious lockdown and the amount of people buying Halo will continue throughout the holiday season boosting XBox sales. Microsoft will be selling special edition Xboxes with Halo and people love those Halo special edition Xboxes.  Quite frankly, this years showing that Microsoft has is eclipsing the value they gave last years when they beat Sony. Also the fifty dollar differential  in price (like last year) also helps their cause when they have 90% the same games. In America...customers are less biased about things like this and when you break it down they tend to go after whatever gives them the better deal, which is why Microsoft has a shot.

Last year they won November and December which Sony took the rest of the year. Says a lot, but this year Microsoft is bringing a lot more to the table.

I just want cod to die... that is all.

Still rich coming from him. 

So do people think this matters? Or that this is a 'moneyhat'? I mean really?

If it's related to e-sports, then any money about consoles in use or anything is usually called 'sponsorship', or similar equivilent to Adidas giving Man United £75million a year to provide them with kits instead of Nike. this isn't buying it via moneyhat, it's normal in sports. You know Xbox sponsored Evo, so for Street Fighter 4 they used an Xbox? Not the better selling console version on the PS3. And Mad Catz sponsors it too so they offer their controllers as prizes?

Moneyhat would be Tomb Raider, as in keeping the game from other gamers.

Yeah sadly no matter what there are always going to be people like that in any fanbase. I have to say I find myself supporting the Xbox One more and more because of the fact that I don't like the way some people in the Playstation fanbase are acting this generation so far. I understand it's not exclusive to the Playstation Fanbase to act this way and all fanbases have those people that do it but it's being seen more apparent from PS fans this generation than anyone else because of the PS4 dominating so far. I'm sure it would also be the other way around if the Xbox One was dominating this generation as well.

I firmly believe that if the Tomb Raider timed exclusivity was for PS4 and not Xbox One that people would be praising Sony for "such a good business move" but won't because it's on Xbox and according to some people no matter what Xbox does it's for bad intention.