Microsoft says goodbye to HD DVD

So where's the Blu-ray add on? - Today Microsoft sent out the following press release:

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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.

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Short, snappy and to the point. I'm just glad I traded in my HD DVD player when it was still worth something. With everybody jumping off the HD DVD ship like the Titanic this announcement is no surprise, Microsoft was bound to pack it in. But what about all those people who believed in the format and bought movies for it? Hold onto it. You may now have a format more extinct than Jessica Simpson's career but at this point who cares? Instead of selling or trading it for 35 cents on the dollar, enjoy the HD DVD movies you own and keep it. Twenty years from now it'll be a collectors item and you can sell it on ebay. You can also use it as a DVD player to keep your 360 fresh and pretty soon you'll be able to get some sweet looking movies on the cheap. I highly recommend The Bourne Ultimatum, The Last Starfighter and Serenity.

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What if you were smarter than me and all the other jokers who guessed wrong and waited it out? Don't stress, you won't need to go out and buy a PS3 or a stand alone Blu-ray player. I guarantee that sometime this year Microsoft makes an announcement that they'll be making an add-on Blu-ray player and eventually a Blu-ray 360. I guarantee it. There's no way Microsoft - who has invested so much energy, effort, time and most importantly money into its gaming platform - will let Sony keep such an obvious selling point exclusive to the PS3. They have the better gaming machine, why would they give up their advantage now all because they bet on the wrong horse? Nobody at Microsoft is sweating this, they've probably seen it coming for the last 2 years. They took a calculated risk and lost, no biggie because this is Microsoft we're talking about. Bill Gates lights his cigars with $100K bills.

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Even if Microsoft has to pay Sony a cut of their sales, which they probably will, they'll do it. If they're willing to take a $1billion hit for its RRD issues, they'll pay royalties to Sony because its what their customers will demand and in the long run it'll be profitable for them. Whether your a fan of Microsoft or not, in one aspect they're just like every other successful corporation - they'll eventually give you want you want so they get what they want, your money.

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