TBH I still struggle to believe MS would pay for 4 to 6 weeks timed for this title.  It just doesn't make sense, I honestly can't see any value in it.  Of course, the comments from UBI could be out of context or referring to something else such as additional financial investment on their side - or even from Sony - to cover getting Move/3D in place.

I think a 4-6 weeks delay makes perfect sense for Microsoft. Not because of sales though!

Thing is: Child of Eden is currently the most anticipated Kinect title. The first Kinect game that's not strictly casual, but attracts core gamers as well.

The problem is: There will be a PS Move version as well, and although hardly anyone talks about that version, it will actually be superior. Remember that this is not a title developed for Kinect from the ground up - it was invented to be played with a controller; Kinect support was added later and in fact it uses Kinect pretty much only as a 2D pointer. PS Move can do this too, and is in fact much better at it. I'm not trashtalking Kinect, it's simply not a title where Kinect can shine. Futhermore, the PS3 version has 3D.

So Microsoft probably realized that this could make Kinect appear in a bad light. Kinect is already in trouble - the Kinect hype lasted only 60 days, Kinect attach rates are very low and more and more people are complaining that there are just no good games for Kinect. With that in mind, imagine the 360 and PS3 version coming out at the same time, and every single review saying that the most anticipated Kinect title, the Kinect game people have been talking about since E3 2009, is actually much better on PS3 and PS Move...

In such a situation, what would you do if you were Microsoft? First of all, you'd try to give the game developers every possible support to improve the 360 version. This support will for example probably lead to the 360 graphics being slightly better. But since the PS3 version will still be considered superior by most reviewers, they did a simple trick: Simply avoid the competetion by giving the developers money for timed exclusivity! With the PS Move version coming out several weeks later, reviews of Child of Eden will not compare the Kinect version to the PS Move version, because by the time of the review that version isn't out.

I reckon the value of timed must be zero here.  I'm surprised that MS would pay for it as hinted in the comment unless they meant something else.

I don't see this selling systems which means owners will go with the platform they already have whatever the launch date.  I suppose it might sway some multi-console owners but in my experience most multi-console owners already have a preference for one reason or another and again a short delay won't change that.

Given the relatively late notification of Move I wonder if the delay is simply that 360/Kinect will be ready 4 to 6 weeks ahead of PS3/Move version.  Although the comment does mention a financial reason.

If MS thinks this is how to hang on to US lead I think they've lost the plot a bit.  I can understand them paying to get 30 days CoD map packs first - not that I condone it, I don't - but this seems pointless if it is a bought timed period.