I still think it's funny how so many people were hoping BluRay would win when it was the format the favoured the studios. HDDVD was less restrictive for consumers than BluRay, yet Sony fans were blinded by the slightly bigger storage space and the fact that they are just Sony Whores.

Microsoft weren't focusing on DD from the beginning. Why do you think they released an HD-DVD drive? I think DD was a coverup for losing a format war.

Does anybody here really believe that the NextBox will NOT have a Blu-ray drive?

HDDVD is over, so it means nothing now, but false information kills me. I was a day one adopter for both formats, and I followed both very very closely. You can look up stats all you want, but many of things you said are totally false. WB never supported HDDVD?? They supported it from the day it came out. I can take pictures of all the discs I have.   Do know that WB released a load of titles on HDDVD before they did on Blu-Ray?. They released Day and Date on HDDVD first, and their catalog titles like Batman Begins, V for Vendetta, the Matrix, etc were on HDDVD first. Some titles they released didn't come out on BR until they went BR exclusive. As for the stats about player market share. HDDVD stand alone players sold more then BR stand alone players. The thing that bumped the % up was PS3. Around the time of the end of HDDVD, paramount went exclusive, strong rumors lionsgate were going to announce titles for HDDVD at the Consumer Electronic show, and Universal/WB were going to have a big showing. Then the night before, WB shocked the HDDVD association by announcing it's switch to BR exclusive. In return Toshiba and Co had to cancel its presentation the morning of the show. Saying it was not a shock to anyone is another false statement.

As for the Dl games. Frankly on the 360 it dosn't matter to many to DL full retail games, since you can now install your entire games on the HD

MS could have helped Toshiba and themselves GREATLY if HD-DVD was the standard drive in the 360 from the beginning.

CaptD...i think your misunderstanding the WB never supporting part...they may have made HDDVD...but they never supported HDDVD in its development for the next gen...yes in a sense if they make movies onto HDDVD it is supporting them...but that's simply all they did...make movies onto HDDVD...where as they were somewhat involved in with development BD...

and if you really did follow closely enough...the only shock was WHEN WB annouced the BD exclusive....the night before their "big showing"...the annoucement itself wasnt all that shocking...I for one already foresaw WB going BD if you have really did follow very closely...but just didn't know when it was coming..that's why i said it shouldn't have been too much of a shock...and WB having loads of title before they did on BD...BD did come out later so of course HDDVD will have titles out first...and titles that came out before BD launched...most of those titles never remade it to BD for the reason being unknown...

if you were following even closer...WB giving exclusive was a couple months after Transformer DVD and HDDVD was released....and about a month after Transformers producer in charge was given and interview...he gave an interview about HDDVD having not enough space...because they wanted to release in one disc...they had to sacrifice alot of the bonus features they wanted to add...and specifically said they wanted the next transformers to be released on BD

WB was the only major studio to be realeasing on BOTH HDDVD and BD before their annoucement...now take a look back at the list...BD still has more studio support..is it still shocking??...i mean honestly.....support of 4 studio vs 10+?...how much more shocking can you get before they finally realize BD is the way to go...

and did you read the stats correctly...those are for BD and HDDVD...not for the players...you can sell as many players as you want...but if you dont sell titles...you're pretty much doomed...the only real factor HDDVD had to rely on to actually stay in the format war was the $100 players....if you looked at all the other factors...you already foresaw BD winning...

and as for HDDVD standalone players...that is true...there are more standalone players...but i was never talking about those...

before you go on saying false statement...you should have read carefully to what i was talking about rather than what you thought i was talking about...

Wow officialy one of the worst articles I've ever read. First off Blu-Ray IS awesome for tech people like us but for your average consumer its not that huge of a need and SECOND um since when has microsoft not had downloadable games? Last I checked there Portal, Braid, Super Street Fighter II HD Turbo, and a ton of other stuff. Either way this is just biased propaganda and the author does very little to educate the reader and tries instead to simply sway opinion.

@ Kantor

I can pretty much 100% guarantee there will be no blu-ray in the next 360 Microsoft has said they have no desire to put something in a product not everyone needs and thus keep costs low. Thus why you see no built in Wireless or hard drive on the arcade among other things. They may release a blu-ray add on like they did with HDVD but no it won't be in all the stock models. I think next-gen Microsoft is really going to push a Steam like service on the next box. In other words I think MOST games will be able to be downloaded not just a select few.

AND it would have delayed the 360. With the 360 delayed AND RROD, the PS3 would be in second place at this point. MS was always pushing DD. The add-on was an experiment at best. They were *so* committed to HD-DVD that they didn't release a single game playable on the drive, and stuck to that. It was an experiment - plan and simple.

i like my disks :) i just like having a physical copy