Activision Going Houser Shopping?

Based on the company's other offerings, it would seem to me that EA's protracted, yet ultimately failed, courtship with Take-Two Interactive was largely so they could get at those Rockstar goodies, particularly Grand Theft Auto. Take-Two obviously isn't going to let go of the GTA brand any time soon, but its contracts with two of Rockstar's brightest stars, Dan and Sam Houser, are up for renegotiation come February. While they don't speak publicly as often as, say, Ken Levine or Denis Dyack, the Housers are a key part of the GTA franchise, so it's unsurprising that anyone who can afford to are doing a little courtship dance right now.

As reported by Silicon Alley Insider, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick basically said "no comment" when asked about Activision's interest in the Housers during a recent financial conference call, though he then went on to state that Activision had "definitely become the destination location for independently minded entrepreneurial talent." That kind of makes Kotick's "no comment" sound more like a "we're still trying to find a big enough novelty check."

I'm not trying to impugn the talents of the Housers here, but I have to wonder how much of Grand Theft Auto's success Activision Blizzard might actually get out of what would surely be a very high-priced bidding war. There's a firmly held belief 'round these parts that the vast majority of the game-buying public doesn't know or care who's making their games, but what about you guys? If the Housers leave Grand Theft Auto, do you think you'll follow in kind?