The HD-DVD Promotion Group has shelved its CES conference plans following Warner’s decision to drop HD-DVD support in favor of exclusive Blu-ray distribution.
"Based on the timing of the Warner Home Video announcement today, we have decided to postpone our CES 2008 press conference,” read a statement from the organization.
"We are currently discussing the potential impact of this announcement with the other HD-DVD partner companies and evaluating next steps. We believe the consumer continues to benefit from HD-DVD's commitment to quality and affordability – a bar that is critical for the mainstream success of any format."
Warner previously announced that its new focus on exclusive Blu-ray distribution "… will further the potential for mass market success and ultimately benefit retailers, producers, and most importantly, consumers," reports MCV.
"The window of opportunity for high-definition DVD could be missed if format confusion continues to linger,” chairman and CEO Barry Meyer reasoned.
British Telecom will be the first cable provider to allow you to buy an Xbox 360 that can be used as a set-top box for IPTV, Robbie Bach announced tonight during Bill Gates' CES keynote.
Gates first announced his plans to try and roll out the Xbox 360 as a set-top box at last year's CES. No word on what else might be inside this IPTV 360, like say a DVR. Sounds like the rumor was sort of half right.
To check out more of what Gates and Co are talking about during the keynote make sure to check out our liveblog from CES.
The other night, Lono and I had to make a late night run to Walmart to get some medicine for his daughter, and while he was searching for the right medicinal concoction, this caught my eye.
Can you guess what it is you are looking at? Here’s a closer shot of the hilarity, after the jump.
Obviously Microsoft is paying big money for these endcap displays, and I can’t help but feel they might have a problem with this. Alex and I have decided that at least one misguided parent or relative, is going to see the Xbox logo, and pick up a controller for the wrong system.
Given the sales numbers for the PS3, I can’t guess I blame Walmart for doing ANYTHING to unload all of those extra Sixaxis Controllers.
Seriously though, this is why I never ask a Walmart representative about a new game. It would be like asking a homeless person for their opinion on adjustable rate mortgages.
In any event, when we pointed out the problem with the display, a store representative told us that they came from Microsoft that way. Somehow…. I just really doubt that.
Yeah, I know, it sounds idiotic – didn't the 360 just come out? But one glance at a calendar suggests it won't be long before we start hearing all sorts of tidbits about the Xbox 720.
After all, the original Xbox came out in the fall of 2001.
The Xbox 360 was released in 2005.
Repeating that four-year lifespan, the 720 (or whatever it ends up being called) should come out, um, let's see, next year!
To be fair, Microsoft executives have said they envision a longer life for the 360 than the original Xbox enjoyed. And the 360 will easily break the sales totals of the original Xbox (at least outside of Japan), so it makes sense to keep the platform alive as long as possible. After all, the second half of a console's life cycle is its most profitable, because the cost of assembling what was once cutting-edge hardware has declined dramatically.
The Wii factor
But I don't think Microsoft counted on the exploding popularity of the Wii. After all, what spurred Microsoft to release the 360 so early was that the original Xbox was being trounced by the PS2. Launching the 360 early did blunt the impact of the PS3, but now the Wii looks set to humble the 360 in the same way the PS2 did the Xbox.
So does Microsoft respond as it did before, rushing out a successor console ahead of everyone else?
Maybe.
If the Wii continues on its rocket-propelled sales trajectory, with the 360 falling behind at an increasing rate as Nintendo eventually figures out how to make enough consoles to satisfy demand, Microsoft will have to do something.
That could be one of three things:
•Ignore the sales disparity and focus on making the 360 a profitable venture for Microsoft.
•Release a new console with more powerful graphics but with some sort of motion-sensitive control that steals some of the Wii's thunder.
•Stop making consoles.
I think option three, killing the Xbox, is about as likely as Bill Gates switching to Linux. The console industry has become too important to Microsoft's strategy of expanding its business into the living room for the Xbox to be euthanized now.
Nothing else that Microsoft has ever made has come close to the 360's popularity in that space, and the company clearly hopes to use that opening to sell downloadable movies and other digital entertainment to consumers before Apple does.
Combo deal
I think a combination of options one and two is pretty likely, though. And I think Microsoft will give the 360 one more year than it gave the original Xbox.
The 360 has turned into the most consistent hit-generator of any of the consoles (i.e. the ratio of good games to dreck is better on the 360 than on either the PS3 or Wii). Even the pointy-haired types at Microsoft know that taking an ax to the goose that lays golden eggs is a bad investment strategy.
At the same time, though, I just don't see Microsoft conceding the console market to Nintendo for too much longer if the Wii turns out to be a long-term hit.
So 2009 might be a little early for the Xbox 720, but come 2010, all bets are off.
Victor Godinez covers technology for The Dallas Morning News. Read more of his video game coverage at punchbutton.beloblog.com.
Microsoft now faces a lawsuit over recent problems with its Xbox Live online gaming service.
Three Texas residents filed a lawsuit Friday on behalf of themselves and others who have had trouble connecting to Xbox Live in recent weeks.
The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Houston, claims Microsoft's outages represent a breach of contract and negligent misrepresentation for which the software maker is liable. The suit doesn't claim specific damages, but notes the amount is in excess of $5 million.
In the suit, the plaintiffs allege that Microsoft should have known strong holiday sales would tax its servers. "Microsoft knew the increase in subscriptions would increase game-play on its servers, yet failed to provide adequate access and service to Xbox Live and its subscribers."
Microsoft has apologized for the outage and said it would allow Xbox live subscribers to download a free game.
A Microsoft representative was not immediately available for comment.
The Grand Theft Auto and Max Payne series, along with other Rockstar titles, are now available on Valve’s Steam content delivery platform.
GTA I, II, III, Vice City and San Andreas are all available on Steam starting today, along with Midnight Club II, Max Payne 1 and 2, Manhunt and Wild Metal Country.
Rockstar’s games will be discounted by 10 percent during launch week.
Steam, which recently introduced community features such as groups and chat, currently boasts 13 million accounts worldwide.
"We are continually looking for ways to give back to our fans and this collaboration will give people a chance to easily revisit some of our greatest titles,” said Rockstar head of finance Rowan Hajaj in a statement.
HQ Network: 9,826 | 
Guests: 5795 |
Members: 0
"We are currently discussing the potential impact of this announcement with the other HD-DVD partner companies and evaluating next steps. We believe the consumer continues to benefit from HD-DVD's commitment to quality and affordability – a bar that is critical for the mainstream success of any format."
After all, the original Xbox came out in the fall of 2001.
The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Houston, claims Microsoft's outages represent a breach of contract and negligent misrepresentation for which the software maker is liable. The suit doesn't claim specific damages, but notes the amount is in excess of $5 million.
Steam, which recently introduced community features such as groups and chat, currently boasts 13 million accounts worldwide.
