I agree. Not only that, I wouldn't play a game like WarCraft or Diablo with a controller - if it's not a mouse, I'm not playing it.

Believe me, MS isn't paying for ports, they're paying for the franchises. You'll see some titles developed specifically for the XBox if this buyout actually happens.

They said it was impossible to play a FPS on a console controller too...

Jeremy

my friend was at a meeting between heads of MS and Vivendi... he said they didn't really discuss a buyout, but they did discuss a few exclusives deals.

Blizzard is huge in Korea... each blizzard title sells 1 - 2 million units. Not to mention how big Blizzard is in the US. Japan doesn't care about em though. :)

Sierra hasn't been a big player recently, but they're quite a dynasty and since they're a part of this Vivendi thing, this would certainly be a big deal.

My friend who attended that meeting said that this rumor is on everyone's lips inside MS, so it's not just an internet rumor. This would indeed be bigger than the purchase of Rare. What MS needs to do though is get better support from Japanese developers. Capcom might be a wiser choice for them.

Isn't capcom making a ton of exclusives for the gamecube though?

all the more reason MS would be wise to pick them up. However... it's pretty unlikely. If you're Nintendo - you're in good shape.

In Japan Capcom is the dealer for Blizzard titles.Thats what I saw on the original package box when my friend bought a copy of the new Warcraft.What's next ?CAPCOM?

that's just a distribution deal... That doesn't mean Capcom will be purchased... I just personally think Capcom would be a good target for MS. From what I understand, MS is really budget conscious.

The AP did a story earlier today on this based on anonymous sources that confirmed that Vivendi has indeed been talking to MS. However, both companies continue to refuse to comment publicly on the matter. Most analysts quoted in the stories so far seem to think that any outright sale will fetch a price of at least around $1B.

An alternative may be that MS could buy a minority stake in VU Games in exchange for for the right to cherry pick exclusive titles. This provides Vivendi with the cash they need and allows MS to get exactly what they want without laying out too much cash.

HOLY CRAP! Forget about blizzard for second. MS owning sierra and all properties!!? Quest for Glory, Space Quest, Leisure Suit Larry, King Quests, Phatasmagoria, Torins Passage, etc?
Get out of here! Talk about potential huge franchises.

I think you're forgetting about Half-Life 2.

Half-Life was a good game but come on, Kings Quest is the shizznit. :) I remember playing those games from the beginning. What a great series that was. Kings Quest 2 and 3 were my favorites. Though 4 was a great one too, The perils of rosella. That one was kind of eerie. Anyway, if they brought back Kings Quest I would swear allegence to M$ forever. I love those games. LSL was another great series, mostly because it was like playing a game that you would expect the man show to have designed.

that's why I called Sierra a dynasty... lsl and the quest games have been a huge part of PC gaming forever, but c'mon - Half-Life 2 would have to be the main focus. Valve could take a dump in a green box and write 'half-life 2' on the cover in crayon and everyone would buy it.