After a flurry of HD-DVD news at CES 2008, with Warner Bros. deciding to support only the Blu-ray Disc format and the HD-DVD consortium subsequently canceling its CES press event, Toshiba today slammed the proverbial nail in the coffin for HD-DVD by announcing it will cease manufacturing HD-DVD players entirely.
In a press release issued this morning, Toshiba — the only manufacturer of HD-DVD players and a key driver of the format’s business — said it will “no longer develop, manufacture and market HD DVD players and recorders. This decision has been made following recent major changes in the market.”
Toshiba will continue to ship HD-DVD players through March 2008 as production ramps down. Support and service will continue to be offered to the more than 1 million HD-DVD player owners (DailyGame included).
Toshiba’s announcement that it will stop making HD-DVD players comes after Best Buy, Netflix and Walmart all threw their considerable retail weight behind Blu-ray within a one-week span.