An email was sent out today by Microsoft. Unlike most press releases it did not have some big, bold heading and it didn't go into details about the company or their profits. It was short, to the point, and, in a way, somber. Microsoft has now officially pulled its support for the dead platform, HD DVD. I would use the joke that Microsoft has "put the final nail in the coffin," but that isn't true. Toshiba did that last week, Microsoft is lowering the coffin into the earth and reading its requiem.  

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.  HD DVD is one of the several ways we offer a high definition experience to consumers and we will continue to give consumers the choice to enjoy digital distribution of high definition movies and TV shows directly to their living room, along with playback of the DVD movies they already own.

This news isn’t shocking, but it does add fuel to the “Microsoft just wants digital distribution to win” fire that has been burning for a few months now. The fact that they even need to announce this is interesting, as I would think that Toshiba throwing in the towel would be enough. Apparently I thought wrong.

On the bright side, I bet we will see fire sales of everything HD DVD in the near future. I might grab the first season of Heroes and an HD DVD drive if I can get it for cheapsies. Already there are some websites, like this one here, selling the player for only $90. It comes with a bunch of movies too, so you could keep it all in a box and take the whole thing out whenever you want to watch one. Inconvenient? Maybe. Nerdily awesome? Definitely.

Gamervision’s condolences go out to the friends and family of Toshiba and ask them to be strong in the hardest of times. We ask them to remember the better days. Hey, remember when everyone said you would win because of porn? That was great…

 

 

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