Stick a fork in it – HD-DVD is totally, completely DONE. Microsoft made the following statement today:
As a result of recent decisions made by Toshiba, Hollywood studios, and retailers, Microsoft plans to withdraw from HD DVD. Xbox will no longer manufacture new HD DVD players for the Xbox 360, but we will continue to provide standard product and warranty support for all Xbox 360 HD DVD Players in the market. As we stated earlier, we do not believe this decision will have any material impact on the Xbox 360 platform or our position in the marketplace.
So what does this mean in terms of the video game platform war? Will the HDTV format war have any influence on it? My opinion is no; most people who bought a 360 did so for the games. The USB-based HD-DVD addon was unrefined and clunky, as the 360 generally is. Most of the people who are looking at consoles as “multimedia first, games second” were looking at the PS3 anyway. If they were smart.
Have you heard any news about Toshiba throwing ~$800 Million behind the PS3 after they withdrew support for HD-DVD?
Oh, good, just delete my comment, it’s no big deal. I guess some 360 fans around here are feeling a little vulnerable right now.
Nevermind, I’m an idiot.
I’m sad to see the end of HD-DVD. Sony is a shady company and nothing good will come from blu-ray winning the race.
Toshiba is utilizing the Cell processor for it’s next generation of laptops.
That’s why they threw eight hundred million dollars to Sony for a manufacturing plant.
Now they make Cell chips.
Sony’s shady?
So’s Marshall Mathers and people loved him.
Whoopdefuckindoo.
well after years and years of sony unsuccessfully trying to monopolize industry standards, they may have finally succeeded. normally i think the consumer would be worse off, but in this case, it sounds like the better product won? I have no experience with either format (i’m behind the times), but the key now will be to see how the industry reacts to sony and vise versa. Hopefully we don’t experience any adverse effects (a la price gouging, etc). Not likely any time soon as sony will want to flood the market, but long term?