LMAO. Nice one.

OP: It is rather annoying, though. I don't doubt that this goes on, but it isn't as if Microsoft pioneered this practice or anything. The idea that they paid for FFXIII in particular is kind of ridiculous to me, especially since (at this point, at least) it's not coming out on the 360 in the one region in which it would help them most. Seems pretty clear Square-Enix isn't happy with the PS3 install base.

That's a really good point, in 2006-2007 (when many of the current releases were starting development) 360 was so far ahead of PS3 that it seemed appropriate.

Yeah. This is out of order. I mean, MS are the only company to ever have paid another company to sign an exclusivity contract. lol.

If I was a PS3 owner I'd be more pissed off with Sony's arrogance in not doing the same. Or perhaps they've spunked so much cash away on the PS3 that they can't afford to do it. It seems like their attitude may be changing though: -

http://news.spong.com/article/15482/Sonys_Hirai_We_Could_Pay_for_Exclusives_Again?cb=333

i like the idea of buying exclusives but not buy multiplatforms. They are more often first come, first serve so its much less about money at teh very beginning. getting exclusives early is usually less expensive, but also gives greater creative freedom because they get extra money and can dedicate more to one system. exclusives are good for all systems as this gen has proven.

buying games to be multiplatform sucks because it becomes a bidding war which is not what i want for the industry. the best machine shouldnt have all the games, but the most games that had the best concepts and execution.

and yes, i believe ms pays for a lot of games. i also believe that sony "helps" devs who give them exclusives. so it goes both ways.

It's business, one company pays the other all the time, it just so happens that MS has a lot of money and like getting a lot of exclusive content, and yes they paid "them".

MS is a highly successful company with a lot of financial resources and it will do whatever is necessary to compete in the gaming industry both PC and consoles.

Paying developers for game exclusives is legitimate and is within the law. Imagine if they spent no money and did nothing? They would soon go out of business. MS does help some struggling developers by offering incentives along with interest free loans to assist developers in need of cash flow.

LOL. What would happen to all the "M$ moneyhats devs!" talking points?

Also, that little word "again" is an interesting one!

Haters will always abound.

I think Sony's arrogance is what really made me wish someone would dethrone them. For me, it was either Ninny or MS. They said they'd sell 6 million PS3s without games. Dang - call the shot but don't be arrogant. Brand recognition is one thing - talking out of your butt is another.

 Microsoft didn't pay them, they had a large installed base with great sales percentages.  They exclusives of old went to MS because of the fact that the Sony fanbase couldn't cover their hot games they way the once did in the past. If MS pays for a game..they're publishing it. If they pay to put their version of their game over a competitors version, they pay for DLC.