Microsoft Slashes Xbox 360 HD DVD Add-On to $130

It was fun while it lasted, HD-DVD, but that mournful dirge you can almost hear accompanying the Xbox 360 HD DVD player's price plummeting from $180 to $130 isn't played at parties for a reason. Call it a fire sale? With five free HD DVDs in the blender, I can't see why not. Dare I suggest it's now just a matter of time before Microsoft completes the circle (more of spiral, really) by announcing an external Xbox 360 Blu-ray part?



Hold your breath, because I think we could see it happen this year, especially if the PlayStation 3 makes inroads with videophiles who purchase the system as a Blu-ray player first. Watch that happen in an even bigger hurry if Sony drops the price of the PlayStation 3 by another $50 or $100 in time for the holidays.

The Xbox 360 HD DVD drive launched in November 2006 for $200, dropped to $180 by last summer, and saw online resellers independently cut the price to $130 a month ago. Today's announcement is simply Microsoft clearing its inventory catching up.

What would it take to save HD DVD at this point? No less than...

...PlayStation 3 sales spiraling into the toilet. Whatever Sony's faults, that's simply not going to happen. Some analysts and publishers in fact see 2008 as the year Sony gets its mojo back.

...Sony, Fox, Disney, and Liongate issuing a press release that reads "About that exclusive to Blu-ray thing? Kidding!"

...Massive unrepentant international brainwashing. Hey, have you checked what's in your drinking water lately?