After Toshiba announced that they are ready to launch HD-DVD discs, Sony Computer Entertainment's president, Ken Kutaragi, confirmed that the chances of a unified DVD format being developed are close to zero.

Kutaragi stated in a press conference that he was one of the backers of the adoption of Blu-Ray discs in Play Station 3.

Both companies are determined to create and promote their own replacement technologies for the next generation of DVDs.

Sony, who is trying to promote Blu-Ray as the main format, has the argument of capacity (a Blu-Ray disc can hold 50 GB of data) and Toshiba thinks that HD-DVD requires lower production costs.

It seems that the two companies are doomed to repeat history. In the early 80's the VHS-versus-Betamax war was won by the first format, at that time Sony being the owner of Betamax.

Bye-bye unified format! Welcome Blu-Ray!? Or HD-DVD!? You choose!