Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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It's true that the physical media wars left their mark, and we sometimes tend to forget that! However, to be completely accurate about history (and give credit where credit is due), the balance of power at the time was slightly different.
In reality, it was Sony that imposed its new format, Blu-ray, while Toshiba (closely supported by Microsoft with the Xbox 360) championed HD DVD.
Looking back to that era (mid-2000s), the pattern was more or less as follows:
Sony's bold move (the PS3): Sony took a huge and extremely risky gamble by integrating a Blu-ray player into the PlayStation 3 as standard in 2006. At the time, the console cost a fortune to produce (the infamous €599 that caused so much outrage), but it allowed millions of Blu-ray players to be installed directly in living rooms.
Microsoft/Toshiba's response: Toshiba led the way with HD DVD, which was cheaper to produce. Microsoft seized the opportunity to offer an external HD DVD player for the Xbox 360.
The knockout victory: By establishing Blu-ray via the PS3 and signing massive exclusive deals with major film studios (notably Warner Bros., which tipped the scales), Sony literally killed Toshiba's HD DVD in early 2008.
Where you're absolutely right is that manufacturers impose their formats and rules to lock down the market. Yesterday it was the disc wars to control home video royalties; today it's the aggressive transition to 100% digital, the cloud, and the end of physical media (with rising subscription prices and consoles without a built-in disc drive).
It's cyclical: once a manufacturer has a monopoly or an advantage, it dictates its terms, and the consumer follows, often forgetting previous battles.
Are you thinking of a particular recent decision or announcement from PlayStation that made you say that?
Made with Restream. Livestream on 30+ platforms at once via restream.io
It's true that the physical media wars left their mark, and we sometimes tend to forget that! However, to be completely accurate about history (and give credit where credit is due), the balance of power at the time was slightly different.
In reality, it was Sony that imposed its new format, Blu-ray, while Toshiba (closely supported by Microsoft with the Xbox 360) championed HD DVD.
Looking back to that era (mid-2000s), the pattern was more or less as follows:
Sony's bold move (the PS3): Sony took a huge and extremely risky gamble by integrating a Blu-ray player into the PlayStation 3 as standard in 2006. At the time, the console cost a fortune to produce (the infamous €599 that caused so much outrage), but it allowed millions of Blu-ray players to be installed directly in living rooms.
Microsoft/Toshiba's response: Toshiba led the way with HD DVD, which was cheaper to produce. Microsoft seized the opportunity to offer an external HD DVD player for the Xbox 360.
The knockout victory: By establishing Blu-ray via the PS3 and signing massive exclusive deals with major film studios (notably Warner Bros., which tipped the scales), Sony literally killed Toshiba's HD DVD in early 2008.
Where you're absolutely right is that manufacturers impose their formats and rules to lock down the market. Yesterday it was the disc wars to control home video royalties; today it's the aggressive transition to 100% digital, the cloud, and the end of physical media (with rising subscription prices and consoles without a built-in disc drive).
It's cyclical: once a manufacturer has a monopoly or an advantage, it dictates its terms, and the consumer follows, often forgetting previous battles.
Are you thinking of a particular recent decision or announcement from PlayStation that made you say that?
