LOL You've seen Microsoft at E3. They want anything Sony owned or even closely resembles a PS3 exclusive (That isn't FPS) . Microsoft was so glad Tomb Raider ripped off Uncharted at E3 and just had to show it off like it was exclusive and the same happened for Tekken, Final Fantasy and MGR. Hell Microsoft dug deep and even got Insomniac to make an appearance at their E3 just to throw it in Sony's face.

A well made Tomb Raider and Deus Ex with Sony dollars and a Naughty Dog and SSM push behind it? LOL Sony could have even more of my money.

Sony cannot afford it...

Then if Sony could buy it, it would means that they would pay for something that will be worth less than half if they choose to only publish games on their own platform... sucidal move. Shareholders would NEVER allow that.(making a number but you see the idea). In the other hand, if Sony wants to buy Square Enix and continue to publish the games on other platform, then there is no value to do so...

It is like Microsoft buying Skype and not releasing any new version for other Platform than PC and Xbox... Shareholders would just rip off the head of Balmer for that especialy after paying 8B+ for it.

Does it matter? SE is a publisher, as a console maker I thought you needed to work with publishers, not own them. Doesn't Sony have enough work with handling it's own publishing business?

Sony will own Japan if this happens, very doubtful it will ever happen though. Although S-E has been doing pretty shitty lately...

ppl keep saying they cant afford it...but would a larger stake in SE b the most benificial investment for playstation like....period? sony doesnt need to own the company out right, just have a large enough stake to muscle in serious demands. wada owns the largest individual share in SE, if they could match his they could put an end to MS's incesent moneyhatting attempts. square was at it's best when they worked alongside sony. rumour has it it was the ps2 slim that changed that but the success they both had together is irrefutable.

like some have said already, let SE reveal their financials for the fiscal. watch them try to worm their way out of the shitter with investors, pounce on that fact and buy up a commanding portion before anyone notices.

The price is not that big as you might think, so buying about 40% of it is not very expensive. However, the stock would hit rock bottom because of the lost revenue that comes from multiplatform sales (or from exclusive games of rival platforms). Shareholders wouldn't allow that.