Maybe they just get tired of the console biz and opt to stake their Seattle/Richmond neighbor Nintendo (well NOA) in the future in exchange for Nintendo using Windows OS or something. Microsoft Studios/Rare could operate like a 2nd party providing games like Halo and Killer Instinct (yes please) for Nintendo.
Lets be honest MS is like the rich guy who just starts hitting on the girl you're in love with even though he could have any other girl.
C'mon MS. Sony and Nintendo *need* the game industry, you don't. The profits MS makes from the game business are just gravy for them, they don't give a crap about that.
Contrary to popular belief I actually don't think more competetion is neccessarily better if the end result is that companies like Nintendo and Sega are basically pushed out of the market (or gulp forced into doing things like making products for senior citizens/soccer moms), and consoles are turned into faceless black boxes tied to tons of DLC charges and firmware updates.
