Mark Gilbert’s Blog

As we all know, Blu-Ray has fairly well won the HD DVD wars. It was included in the PS3 console which massivly increased it’s user base. I think it would be interesting to see figures breaking down Blu_ray player sales into PS3 sales and standalone player sales. This would give a clearer insight into how much of a part the PS3 has played in this battle.

The other question that goes round my head is this, “would the outcome of this battle been different if Microsoft had included HD-DVD players in the Xbox 360?” Perhaps not the basic versions, but the Elite versions only. I feel this should have happened and it may have been an oversight on Microsoft’s part not to. I understand the logic behind not oncluding HD-DVD drives in the 360, MS did not want to be seen as having a dead weight round it’ neck if HD-DVD lost, but that may have become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Cheers

Reuters is reporting that Toshiba is giving up on the HD-DVD format and admitting defeat to Blu-Ray. Toshiba’s share price rose 5% on the enws with investors happy that Toshiba have decided to cut it’s losses after a last ditch price cut was unable to prevent Wal-Mart putting all it’s eggs in the Blu-Ray basket.

A Toshiba source who asked not to be named said

We have entered the final stage of planning to make our exit from the next generation DVD business,

Cheers