Will Microsoft Will Sell Off Its Entertainment Division? [Slashdot]

[DP ServBot]

An anonymous reader writes "Forbes analyst Adam Hartung has predicted that Microsoft will sell off its entertainment division, which includes Xbox, in the coming years. He even goes so far as to list Sony or Barnes & Noble as potential buyers. Lets forget how crazy this sounds for a moment and focus on the reasons why Hartung believes such a sale will happen. It basically comes down to Windows 8, and how poorly it is selling. Combine that with falling sales of PCs, the Surface RT tablet not doing so great, the era of more than one PC in the home disappearing, and Microsoft has a big problem. The problem not only stems from the PC market not growing, but because Microsoft relies so heavily on Windows and Office for revenue. With that in mind, Hartung believes Steve Ballmer will do anything and everything to save Windows, including ditching entertainment and therefore Xbox."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

[ColecoFan1981]

An anonymous reader writes "Forbes analyst Adam Hartung has predicted that Microsoft will sell off its entertainment division, which includes Xbox, in the coming years. He even goes so far as to list Sony or Barnes & Noble as potential buyers. Lets forget how crazy this sounds for a moment and focus on the reasons why Hartung believes such a sale will happen. It basically comes down to Windows 8, and how poorly it is selling. Combine that with falling sales of PCs, the Surface RT tablet not doing so great, the era of more than one PC in the home disappearing, and Microsoft has a big problem. The problem not only stems from the PC market not growing, but because Microsoft relies so heavily on Windows and Office for revenue. With that in mind, Hartung believes Steve Ballmer will do anything and everything to save Windows, including ditching entertainment and therefore Xbox."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

If all of this is true, then I hope Nintendo will acquire these MS Entertainment assets:
Conker
Perfect Dark
Banjo-Kazooie
R.C. Pro-Am
Battletoads
Snake, Rattle and Roll
Cobra Triangle
Slalom

~Ben

[Tokimemofan]

Forbes must be smoking something illegal again, Sony a potential buyer? Yeah right, Sony is about to drive off a cliff, this generation has been one of the most sluggish ever, with the PS3 and Xbox 360 taking years to get moving and the Wii running out of steam before it's time. I think the coming generation is probably the last for home consoles, the shovelware on the Wii has made people wary of gimmicky features and the gap between handhelds and home consoles which was once an order of magnitude is inching toward 0, the PS5 will probably be a tablet more than anything else. I think Microsoft would be more likely to cut Windows loose, not that I can see them ditching either of them.