Think we can give up fanciful ideas of MS buying EA or Nintendo. Other than that it probably doesn't mean much since MS generate so much free cash flow. At least it stops teamxboxers waffling on about all that money Microsoft are going to spend to dominate the industry. 
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040720/ap_on_hi_te/microsoft_dividend
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040720/ap_on_hi_te/microsoft_dividend