[quote name='Wshakspear'][quote name='epobirs']I would be willing to bet that the console manuafacturers are not recluded from hiring an outside development house to produce an MLB game. In which case EA can easily pimp out their baseball dev team. It would be little different than Nintendo's relationship with Namco on Starfox Assault and othe recent GameCube titles.[/quote]
"In addition, Take-Two and MLB have put all other third-party publishers on notice that no wiggle room exists for their entry into the MLB-licensed space. The deal allows only the major console manufacturers, Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft, the "right to enter into development agreements for MLB games specific to their particular platforms."
Earlier, many industry observers saw an opportunity for publishers, such as Electronic Arts, to collaborate with the manufacturers, possibly to cobrand MLB-licensed games. The agreement effectively closes that opening.
"All other third-party publishers and developers are precluded from publishing officially licensed MLB simulation, arcade, and manager-style games, either directly or in affiliation with a hardware manufacturer, during the length of the exclusives," the groups said. "
With that, im pretty sure EA woulsnt do anything that is devoid of thier logo.[/quote]
Ya see, there's this thing about licensing agreements called a non-performance clause. If Take Two's baseball games fail to do enough business there is almost certainly an option for one or the other party to end the agreement. EA's baseball developers are facing pink slips as it is. Packaging them as a devlopment contractor would allow EA to retain their services and potential screw Take Two. Microsoft already owns the High Heat brand from the auction of 3DO's IP but haven't any personnel inhouse to produce a new game. Most of their former sports staff are now at Take Two, by no small coincidence.
It's all comes down to whether EA wants to be vindictive, what Microsoft is willing to do to stay on EA's good side, and the exact wording and cause for abatemnt clauses within the contract. They already have a gaping loophole with the console makers. It's just a matter of high far it can be stretched.
Or you could have read the press release from last week 
