QuoteMicrosoft said it has benefited from the release of the much anticipated Halo 2 game on the X-box.

That helped give its home and entertainment division its first profitable quarter. Operating profit was $84m, compared with a loss of $397m in the same period a year earlier.

Chief Financial Officer John Connors said that the division would be unprofitable in the first six months of 2005, and probably will not post a steady profit until the second half of 2006.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4214273.stm

Take out profits from PC games and they arent making anything from Xbox

yes but that is completely irrelevant - if they got significantly more of the market they would make more money wont they - yes they will - simple!!!!!!

There are only really two players Sony & MS - they wont have an equal share of the market - one will be bigger than the other (personally I think the PS3 will but that is for another thread) - point is does one having a larger share mean the other cant exist - um no!

so we can establish that it doesnt matter with games consoles - given that it is even easier for a movie distributor to release a movie on two formats than it is for a games distributor (remembering that the games industry is getting to be pretty much like the movie industry) - why does there actually have to be only one format?

There will be only films coming out for only one format, to push that format, especially in the case of sony pictures as they will only release for blu-ray as they know this is a war for people and if people will buy their format because they want a film that is only on that format.

and again, this has nothing to do with xbox360 sales and playstation sales, as x360 doenst have native hd-dvd playback. this is to do with having the ability as standard playable in more homes, which will happen with the ps3 having native support

The point Im making with the PS XBOX comparison two formats can both exist in the same market.

i.e. some films will only come out on blue ray? - some games only come out on PS or Xbox - doesnt mean they cant both exist

Also unlike the 1980s there is no reason why lots of people cant afford to have say a PS3 & a HD DVD player - there is also the chance that a manufacturer might release a player than can play both blue ray and HD DVD.

Sony pictures may only release films in the blue ray format - some other distributor might release films in only HD - DVD format - others may just release in both formats (it is a lot easier to release a film in two formats than a game & games manufacturers dont have a problem releasing titles for both PS3 & Xbox).

It isnt financially viable for two formats for the makers of the players with consoles they use the higher price of games to keep profits higher, hardware players cant and people will go with 1 over the other, it is the nature of people

Quote from: SweensterIt isnt financially viable for two formats for the makers of the players with consoles they use the higher price of games to keep profits higher, hardware players cant and people will go with 1 over the other, it is the nature of people

sorry but that is complete rubbish

there are tonnes of DVD player manufacturers & they dont make money from the titles released so there is no reason for it to not be financially viable

as for the nature of people - petrol cars/diesel cars? Play station/Xbox MP3 player/ Minidisk player

no real reason why people will all want the one particular format over the other

yes, DVD, one format, and dvd components are cheap as anything, same with the licenses to make dvd equipment, ie the specs

unlike these new formats, which require new non-standard equipment, expensive rights, and new plants to be built

hence the price at the start

same with DVD at the start - expensive equipment etc...

doesnt meant it isnt financially viable to have 2 types of player

Paramount have said they will release on both formats - others will probably follow suit

both sides have big backers & both will be sold in large numbers eventually - hopefully the compatition will also drive down prices

The just need to hurry up and release a HD-DVD and Blu-Ray player, like the DVD+/-RW drive... if possible.

I sick of Hollywood and music business trying to limit how i watch or listen to stuff i bought.. maybe if they brought the prices down people would buy them rather than buy a pirated copy!

Anyhow back the the rant! CHOOSE A STANDARD PEOPLE!!! A GIVE IT TO US! AND STICK TO IT FOR A WHILE SO WE DONT END UP PAYING A FORTUNE FOR SOMETHING FOR IT TO BE OUTDATED IN 6 MONTH!

PC drives will be more likely to come out first before the actual players afaik.