The most cringe-worthy headline in DVDReview.co.uk history comes to you in aid of the fourth face-screwingly nasty instalment in the Saw franchise...

The End Is Nigh. So says the Blu-ray Disc Association as crashing sales of HD DVD players apparently indicate that Toshiba’s format is about ready to capitulate in the HD war...

Sales of HD DVD players plummeted in the week after Warner Bros announced it was dropping its support for the high-definition disc format in favour of exclusively backing Blu-ray.

As reported by the New York Times, sales of Blu-ray players accounted for 90 per cent of the market share in the week ending 12 January, according to data from market analysts the NPD Group.

That market had been split 50/50 between Blu-ray and HD DVD in 2007.

Leading HD DVD manufacturer Toshiba was quick to claim that one week’s sales does not sound the death knell for the format, saying that it was the result of a Christmas discount period ending as well as Blu-ray players being given away free with flat-screen TVs in the US.

Still, on 13 January, Toshiba responded by slashing the prices of its HD DVD players, with the entry-level HD-A3 now down to $149.99 from $299.

“Consumers have gotten the message loud and clear,” said Andy Parsons, chairman of the Blu-ray Disc Association. “Lowering prices sends the message that Toshiba is having a fire sale. I don’t see market share going back to 50-50. That I will bet a lot of money on.”

Read the original story from the New York Times and as reported by The Times.

AND IN FURTHER NEWS…

As reported by our friends at What Video & HD TV mag, HD DVD has suffered another blow with DVD authorising house Sonic Solutions today announcing that it too has dropped the format. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear…