http://www.computerandvideogames.com/35 ... eneral-RSS

Devil's advocate, obviously. I can't imagine they'd neuter the multi-platform sales if they did buy the stake, but it would put them in a hell of a position overall.

If you assume they'd have to pay Acti as much as Acti would make profit on the other versions, I don't think it's practical. It would literally cost billions of dollars and even given they would sell a lot of Xboxes, given the profit margin on hardware is minimal they'd have to sell millions more even to make it a break even deal, let alone show significant profit.

Its easier and cheaper to part finance the making of a new AA franchise (for example the way they did with Gears of War partnering with Epic) than it is to buy an existing megabucks franchise that essentially already has a huge market value.

You can (and they do, although Sony do it more) buy up small development houses but a big publisher like Acti? I doubt they will. They just punted something like $4 billion down the drain on an ad business that made them nothing and have spent god knows how much buying Skype, for reasons nobody seems able to figure out. I can't imagine the board allowing Ballmer to make that kind of play again any time soon. Especially not when they're just about to launch two products (Windows 8 and Surface) that will probably either make or break the company in the long term.

Jon

TBH, I care not one jot. CoD is all but dead to me.

They used to be fun but now it's just more of the same, sold with a new number and some new MP maps, that do not justify the price.

Seriously, they could just release new map packs for MW2 to keep the MP community happy.

TBH there's a huge difference in graphics from MW2 to BLOPS/MW3. However, given the game engine is the same, all they do is create new maps, change some simple features and charge full whack for it.

I don't think I could jump to Xbox just for COD but it is the main reason I use my PS3.

Those ever present sources are saying the stake's going nowhere... It'll be interesting to see what comes AFTER the changes to the SP in BO2, or even if they're currently enough. MW3 sucked in every way, and after the initial launch the sales and it's price reflected that.