"Pro666 makes a good point. No competition for EA would probably mean they could slack even more."
Not if they want their name dragged through the mud even more than it is now.
I didn't say it would happen immediately, it probably wouldn't happen for another year and a half to two if it were. No matter what though, I can see this whole deal being really nasty for sports fans who liked the 2k series of games, especially football and basketball fans. They're probably more willing to acquire Take Two for 2k games' Bioshock and stuff than anything else. Would they incorporate 2k ideas into Madden and Live? A couple maybe, but don't expect too much.
If EA did make a console though, I'm quite sure that their whole NFL license deal would have to be completely dropped. Now this actually doesn't sound all that bad until you consider this, who else besides EA and 2K made sports games worth a damn? Sony has MLB, but what else? Microsoft's games didn't stand up to them either. Nintendo doesn't even have a realistic sports lineup. No other consoles would have the Sims, Burnout series, Need For Speed series, Skate series, Rockband series, Black, Metal of Honor, Command and Conquer, the list goes on and that's without considering the Take Two stuff if they acquire them or any new franchise they make to attempt to broaden their game library.