Agreed, I just think it's better for QD to stay independent, as they get more freedoms then they would otherwise.

I would have to agree that of Sony and MS, Sony would probably do a better job of looking after QD. Though I must admit that i dont think that MS are as bad as some make out. I think the recent moves to multi-platform by Bungie and Bioware are more to do with the increased PS3 sales making them more attractive to future games rather than bad MS management.

I notice that noone has mentioned Nintendo. I understand they make most of their own games but I am sure they must have acquired companies sometime recently. Does anyone know how they treat companies they acquire?

Bungie made Halo. The franchise that showed what was possible on console for FPS. The thing is Bungie couldn't get away from Halo, because Microsoft didn't want them to leave Halo.

So through their profits, they bought themselves out of their contract with Microsoft and did the stupid thing of signing with Activision.

Enter cliche: frying pan and fire. WIll be interested in their next project  and how well it does.

You seem to believe that I seem to believe. I believe you don't know what I believe.

If Sony, or any other publisher acted in the manner and for the reasons you insinuate, then we would all be playing shovelware. No company works like that. You don't aquire anything in business whether it be video games or plungers, just to fill a gap in an established line up. You aquire a developer or studio or whatever it is you want, to help with your bottom line, which in pretty much all cases is profit. MS, Sony, and Nintendo would be aquiring every studio they could get their hands on so they could have a steady stream of games on store shelves. It's all about money in the end, not time slots.