HD-DVD Confirmed Dead ??

[pande_monium]

http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/02/18/hd-dvd-confirmed-dead

FOLLOWING REPORTS that it is set to dump HD DVD, Toshiba has pretty much confirmed its tactical retreat from the HD-DVD battleground.

The Blu-ray camp, led by Sony, may finally get this market their own way.

Company sources at Toshiba said it is mulling three main options.

Option One: Stop selling recorders and specialise in players.
Option two: withdraw from the Japanese and US markets and march on Europe, where sales are stronger.
Option Three: retreat completely from the next-generation DVD business. Expect a final decision before March.

It won’t be easy for Toshiba to pull out. US movie studios like Paramount Pictures, not to mention Microsoft, are loyal to the HD-DVD format. So they’ll have to be consulted. Toshiba executives can expect some stormy, table thumping meetings in the next couple of weeks. (Note to Toshiba execs: might be a good idea to do those meetings by video conferencing if you can get away with it)
In all likelihood, Toshiba will continue to sell HD-DVD machines on a limited basis for now. Their public failure to create a global standard, when knowledge gets out, will excacerbate the sales crisis, which will force them to pull the plug eventually.

The pull-out follows a decision by some major US. film studios – like Warner Brothers - and retail giants like Walmart to get behind the rival Blu-ray standard. Toshiba tried slashing prices of HD-DVD players as recently as January, but sales didn’t pick up. In March they’re expected to post losses on this format running into billions of yen.

My Take: This will mean more sales of the PS3. More sales will mean a developers' focus shift towards the PS3. This in turn means developing for the PS3 will get a higher priority and hence quicker releases of games for the PS3. Eventually... more games for the PS3.