[wbassett]

I honestly feel this recent move by Paramount and Dream Works Animation is just the beginning.

In Europe HD DVD is bigger than Bluray, so I think they are looking at the big picture and not just the US market.

I'm not so sure that the PS3 should be removed from the total list of BD players though. From the people I talk to, it seems like 50% get it for a game console and the other 50% as a Bluray player. So to be fair, just talk half of whatever the PS3 sales are and add that to the total number of BD players.

Still, I think Bluray is now in a game of catch up. Even if they have a sale and slash their prices by 50% for a Black Friday sale, they still may not be lower than what the A2 is going for right now, and definitely won't be able to beat any Black Friday specials that are bound to be out. Plus we all know Sony won't be cutting price by 50%. So this is definitely a tough one for Sony at this point in time.

Add in people are waiting for 2.0 and it gives HD DVD even more time to pull ahead.

If one or two more studios make the move to HD DVD exclusive, and after the Thanksgiving weekend sales, this really could be over in six to eight months. BD players and movies will of course still be available, but if it unfolds like this we'll see few new releases and just remaining inventory will be left for purchase.

This is just something I heard so take this part totally with a grain of salt, but I heard Block Buster might be reconsidering their Bluray only rental plans and end up carrying both now that more studios are moving over. If that is true (again just hearsay at this point) that would also be a big change in the tides.