Sony had 'no choice' but to include Blu-ray in PS3

[moondeep]

@ grand 17,

Joeorc is correct, that each machine has its advantages, but from my perspective the difference between the two HD consoles is negligible. The Wii has a VASTLY different catalogue of types of games than the others, but the X360 and PS3 have eerily similar games, just like the last generation. The X360 probably has more exclusives than the PS3, so if I had to pick a better catalogue btw those two only I would go with MS.

Also, I take exception to your comment about poor folks. First off, if you talk to any self-made millionaire or billionaire, they'll tell you that they were always frugal, even with small purchases (like movies). Are you saying that rich people won't buy DVD's anymore, simply because a newer (albeit not better) format exists? That's ridiculous. Many things still aren't available on Bluray, and if they are then they're not just slightly more expensive, but sometimes twice the price. Why would you fork out more money for a High-def version of say Family Guy? You won't notice the higher resolution.

Also, keep in mind that there are MANY drawbacks of Bluray, not the least of which is the dominant position of DVDs players. If you want to buy a new SUV, there's a good chance it has an option to have built-in DVD players in the backs of the seats, for the rear passengers (aka, kids) to watch movies on. There's no option for BR players. If you have kids, you would've realized how naive your statement is concerning DVDs. They are simply cheaper, easier, standardized, and meet the needs of most people, and will for the foreseeable future. HD-DVD didn't fail because of Bluray, it failed because the entire High-def disk market failed as a whole. People didn't want to pay for upgrading in 2006, and they still largely don't. Sony only stayed in the market with their BR because they leveraged their entire future on BR (including the PS3). Since Toshiba didn't have nearly as much to lose by pulling out of the HD market as Sony did/does, it was an no-brainer for them to cut their loses.