Also, EA costs 6 billion dollars.

To put it i perspective, for that money Microsoft could as well give away 30 million xbox 360 Arcades for FREE. Microsoft is clearly not prepared to lose that much money in the gaming division, it would totally ruin their chances of making it even at the end of the generation.

I am not sure how you derived that from my statement.  I think that third parties would limit their support for the xbox if this happened.  Got it?

I now get that that's what you're saying. I withhold further comment.

Yeah...not happening. Just because they can afford EA doesn't mean they WANT EA, that EA wants to be a part of them, or that they would ever get their money back.

Nah, i don't think this will happen. It is possible but i think it EA producing games for 1 console would cripple its business plan.

What you people fail to see is that if Microsoft buys Electronic Arts than it would no lnger be EA's business plan. It would be Microsoft's

Honestly, it would be epic. Will it happen? Not sure. This financial crisis could change EA stockholders' minds about being acquired. If EA is struggling, MS dangles a couple carrots, I think they'd bite.

What would this mean for Sony? Rough waters ahead, especially without the Madden franchise. I guess they'd go back to NFL Gameday - and no FIFA. No Tiger Woods. No Need for Speed. Definitely no Mass Effect.

MS would make money off EA with PC ports and Wii games - and, of course, 360 games.

The more I think about it, the more I think it's likely to happen.

I'm gonna sit back and see how this unfolds.

I hope it will happen.

Apparently MS responded to the rumor sort of...

"We don't comment on rumors or speculation." -Microsoft

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/23/rumor-microsoft-looking-to-take-over-ea/#comments

Their agreement with the NFL will not allow them to make Madden exclusive