Microsoft to side with HD DVD for Xbox 360

WITH MICROSOFT and Toshiba having jumped into bed together it has come as no great surprise that Bill Gates announced that the Xbox 360 is to incorporate HD-DVD, one of two formats vying for the position of the successor to DVD. This will heat up the war for the succession of the throne as Sony have sided with the other contender, Blu-ray, and so if one format loses the war in no doubt magnanimous fashion then it could spell trouble for the console that has sided with it. Of course the same is true vice versa, and so both companies are taking calculated risks in making their decisions.

Microsoft's choice to go with HD-DVD has come a little late in the game for the Xbox 360 though, and so they plan to include "old fashioned" DVD drives on the first batches of 360's when the console launches for Christmas.

How Microsoft plans on handling upgrading everyone to HD-DVD afterwards we can't wait to hear about. µ