New York Times writer Ken Belson has the latest on
Blu-ray and HD DVD developments, while recognizing next gen game machines as the critical factor in tipping the scales
one way or the other in the format war.Both Blu-ray and HD DVD stand-alone players will be hitting the market in the coming months with an entry price in the neighborhood of $1,800. The Xbox 360's add-on HD DVD drive (announced at CES last week) is expected to retail for much less, and Sony has said the PS3 will have Blu-ray capability out of the box.
As a result of these "lower priced" players in the gaming sector, marketing analysts and movie studios will be keeping an eye on the movie purchase habits of gamers. While most studios have backed Sony's Blu-ray, Microsoft's commitment to Toshiba's format and the head start of the 360 might give Hollywood cause to reconsider if enough 360 users begin purchasing movies in HD DVD.
But the question remains, how many of you will use your next gen gaming consoles to watch movies?
[via Cnet News]
