From what I have read Sony dramatically inflated the licensing fees to use the Blu Ray technology for vendors like Samsung. This prevents them from undercutting Sony's own player, and in turn the PS3. Additionally Sony redirected all the laser diodes to the PS3 production line, again preventing 3rd party vendors from even being able to obtain the needed parts.

Top it all off with dual layer read problems (not working in the lab and requiring a firmware update on the players), substandard quality when compared to HD-DVD's VC1, and in the end we see a....LOSER format from Sony.

I have boycotted Sony for years due to their insistence upon proprietary media formats (Beta, MD, SACD, Memory Stick, and now Blu Ray).

With a name like Blu Ray, how do they ever expect to be successful? HORRID!

Devs would total disagree,Bluray is and will be used for games on the PS3.While you are loosing half your content and paying extra for it by download it on X360.PS3 will have it all included on 1 50Gb Bluray disc.PS3/Bluray are the Future.You must be a blind Xbot with his head stuck up Bill Gates arse not too seen that.

...come the release of the PS3, the BluRay numbers will jump drastically... and, of course, Sony will try to say that means the BluRay won. However, most people who buy a PS3 will not use it for movies... but for games... because, duh, it is a game console. Even if a majority of PS3 owners buy a few BluRay movies to watch, give it a year after PS3 releases and the format will die.

Who cares? We are gamers, why do so much of you care about HD-DVD and Blu-RAy

It doesn't get sadder than this. You have said nothing constructive in your comments. Just more jibber jabber at the 360 with every sentence..."I pitty the fool"

isn't this a gaming system after all? And as we know standalone players are way better then integrated ones in systems. Just as a video enthusiast. The PS3 is "watered down Koolaid" of a BR player. Since its already watered down and its stand alone counterpart doesn't look so well. What makes you think it will be better?

While reading the article did anybody else notice the 3 HD-DVD advertisements ON THE SAME PAGE. I swear it's so hard to find an unbiased opinion from anyone these days.

Most biased crap I've ever read. And some of the 360 fanatic responses are just pure gold. "The PS3 is 'watered down Koolaid' of a BR player." Interesting, KewlKat007. I didn't realize you actually used a PS3 and compared it's Blu-ray movie capabilities to standalone players. You're a lucky bastard for trying one out months before launch.

"They cant even get the damn thing working even after 10 years of development." They haven't finalized dual-layer Writable BD discs yet; you'd rather have faulty discs running on your computer or something?

TheMart:"You get a bad quality BR player in the PS3 then in high quality stand aloneplayers. It has to be cheapass remember because of the already too high priced PS3." I'm amazed that you got your hands on a retail unit as well. That's just crazy dude. You're totally up there with KewlKat. You two must have mad hookups. =)

And the number one quote still comes from tehMaRt -> "And don't forget. The PS2 sold like hot cakes because the DVD already was standard. BR is NOT."

Did you own a standalone DVD player before October 2000? Did your friends purchase DVD movies on a regular basis before then? The answer is probably NO. DVD was around years before the PS2 was even announced (my computer back in 1999 had a DVD drive, but it wasn't even as good as the one in my PS2). And you claim it's just pure coincidence that DVD movie sales skyrocketed at the exact time when PS2 was launched?

What a load of crap. Without the PS3, both HD-DVD and Blu-ray movies would be in the exact same position as when DVD started out. Small, incremental sales but nothing earthshattering.

Every PS3 that's sold is also a stand-alone blu-ray player. At CES they had PS3s running blu-ray movies already; it's not like they're behind. And with every PS3 that's sold, you get potential blu-ray movie sales.

With every 360 sold you get a potential...DVD consumer. Everyone has DVD players anyway so it doesn't really change anything. If you want HD-DVD playback you have to buy an add-on drive for an undisclosed amount. And if common knowledge serves me right, without being 'forced' most consumers aren't even going to bother with the drive.

DVD sales took off because the PS2 'forced' consumers to adopt an unproven format. And now it's the standard format. It made it OK for the Xbox and Gamecube to use DVD discs (gamecube uses mini-dvds).

Come next-next-generation when the Xbox 420 comes out, don't be surprised when MS announces that it has a blu-ray drive built in.

"For full coverage of HD-DVD and Blu-ray please visit our HD page HDDVD.org
That pretty much gave it away that they are intensely biased. In no way would I believe their studies/statistics when they promote one side like that, even if it is in my favor.
"

did you not realize that doth formats are versions of high definition DVD?

toshiba just got the better name first, the fact that it's hddvd.org, has nothing to do with "alliances" to either faction, they review both formats, and news updates for each format.

why don't you read it before judging the site?

or are you that angry that yet another site, among dozens that are given your oh so freaking precious blu-ray a bad review?

if you are so sure, why don't go over to best buy or some audio video store, have them hook up both players to the same tv, and play the same movie, and judge for yourself?

then you may acutally be able to come online and give your own opinion, instead of just assuming one is better based on which company you like more. I've seen them, and I know which looked better to me.

Blu-Ray is Bogus,Fugazy,Trash,Corn-Dollar s,Wacktackulous,Etc.

Now that Jim Ryan is gone just need to remove Herman Hulst from his position! And maybe give Shuhei the position he deserved.

This gen hasn't been the best for games, last gen consoles are still out there and now there's been talk of the PS6 and Xbox Two for a year or so. Many games this gen will be ported to next gen and the cycle will continue. The re-release of the Neo Geo AES+, games on cartridge for £70 ($95), gaming is going back in time. Gaming has gone pricing mad with the high cost of games, consoles and controllers. The men and women at the top are clueless.

It’s always interesting to hear behind-the-scenes stories like this, especially involving veterans like Shuhei Yoshida and leadership figures like Jim Ryan. That said, there are usually multiple sides to decisions at that level. It could be less about not “listening” and more about differences in long-term vision for PlayStation. Yoshida played a huge role in shaping the brand, so whatever the reason, his impact is undeniable.

If true, and I'm inclined to believe it is, it goes to show that Sony lost their way when they became more western/didn't respect the PlayStation origin story. Andrew House and Jack Tretton did great work, but they also didn't try to fundamentally change the PlayStation DNA. Ryan oversaw the death of Japan Studio and a live service direction.

I already figured this, good lord imagine if Shuhei took over instead, would've been a platinum era 😩

I miss the first three generations of PlayStation. The way they turned PS3 around, we knew they meant business. We were all worried for a bit there around launch. Eventually from 2008 they started shifting slowly. But since Yoshida was fired, it's never been the same. Still enjoy my PS5 daily. I got a backlog dating back to PS2 lol So I'm fine but new games aren't as appealing anymore.

It seems like we were thrown on to the worst timeline possible where everything is too expensive and the wrong people were put in positions that makes the world a shitty place. We could have had Shu as the head of PS but we got the shitty alternative. Same goes for everyone in power around the world. Doesn’t matter the company or country the majority of us got the shitty picks and the world is declining like never before. I do think PS can come out of this because of their studios, talent and IP but they need someone more in touch with gamers leading things like Shu was. They’re still the best place for console gaming imo but it could be much better than it is especially without the massive live service failures. The rest of the world I have a lot less hope for right now. Hopefully the pendulum swings back towards the good ole days but I’m preparing for the worst.

There goes illuminati distraction story

So now there's certifiable proof that Ryan was in fact "fired", as opposed to when it was first announced that he "retired", in order to save face.

There's another guy who recently "retired" as CEO of another large gaming company, after doing a dismantling job as lead for well over a decade.

seems legit, the business man, fires the one who has ideas to move the business forward.

Jim Ryan is the reason why we are entering year 6 since the PS5 launch and many of us don't feel like the PS5 has gotten started as yet.

I hope going forward, we will see a return to form.