While it’s somewhat humorous to joke around with HD-DVD and their insistence that they haven’t yet lost the next generation format war to Blu-ray despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, it’s just kind of sad that they are going to spend nearly $3 million dollars for a 30-second ad during the Super Bowl. Despite their denials and spin, that is likely to be HD-DVDs true last stand.

But more so than the HD-DVD group, I feel really bad for the consumers out there who will see the advertisement promoting crazy low prices for HD-DVD players and think that the time is finally right to buy one. Having no idea about any of the recent Blu-ray news, quite a few will likely go to the store and come home with a new HD-DVD player and a multitude of discs – all of which will be obsolete in a few months time.

Just how bad are things for HD-DVD at this point? It’s even being reported now that Microsoft held talks with the Blu-ray camp about creating a drive for the Xbox 360. Mirsosoft was of course one of the leading partners in the HD-DVD format. At least it seems they’re being realistic.

I hope this $3 million dollar swan song by HD-DVD will at least be funny.

More thoughts:

• HD-DVD Takes Baghdad Bob Route, Claims Blu-ray Sales Are a Fluke
  
• If HD-DVD Discs Don’t Exist On Shelves, Do They Still Exist?
• Sony Prepares Cheaper, Smaller Blu-ray Laser, Padded Room Prepared For HD-DVD
• As Blu-ray Start Dominating, Sony Readies New PS3?
• Paramount to Support HD-DVD…Until Those Paramount Blu-ray Discs Are Ready to Sell
• War Over? Warner Brothers Sides With Blu-ray
• HD-DVD and Blu-ray to Co-Exist Peacefully By 2012? I Say No Way.
  
• Bill Gates All But Gives HD-DVD a Vote of No Confidence