So here are the numbers:
Nintendo is worth $67 billion.
Sony (as a whole) is worth around $40 billion.
And for reference:
Google - $148 billion
Microsoft - $239 billion
Microsoft probably has enough cash-on-hand to make a cash-only purchase of SCE... If they did a cash+stock purchase, they wouldn't have to break a sweat to buy it. Of course, they'd have to get regulatory approval, which shouldn't be a huge problem right now as Nintendo is owning both of them.
This is of course academic without the support of Sony's investors, which is probably one of the reasons why Sony is now very careful with their PS3 strategy. We don't need to assume something as dramatic as a Microsoft-buyout, their shareholders could simply force them to sell off some assets (some studios for example).
My Mario Kart Wii friend code: 2707-1866-0957
