Chances are, if you’ve been on the internet or watching the news at all in the last few days you’ve learned about the inevitable unfortunate demise of Toshiba’s HD-DVD high definition media format. While the news may come as a shock (or a relief) to many, it raises the question of just how the newly-presumed standard high definition media format (Blu-Ray) will effect our beloved gaming industry? We’ve already seen it effect the console side of things, with Microsoft investing in an HD-DVD add-on peripheral and Sony implementing a full Blu-Ray player into their Playstation 3, but is it possible that we could see Blu-Ray; or something similar, on our next-generation portables?

For the time being, it seems unlikely, but not by any means impossible. Sony has already made the step to discs using their own UMD format (which didn’t work out so well for them in the end, but that’s besides the point), and it’s only a matter of time before Nintendo realizes that they need to make the jump from cartridges to discs. But when the time comes for them to do so, are they going to pick a UMD-like format? It’s highly unlikely that Nintendo would make their own format like Sony has (but again, not impossible… Gamecube, anyone?), but a condensed form of Blu-Ray on a portable would sure sound lovely. Imagine your Nintendo DS or PlaystationPortable games in high definition? It makes your mouth (or eyes?) water, doesn’t it? The fact of the matter is, with high definition TV sales constantly rising and the popularity of Blu-Ray disc on the rise, patience is the only thing standing in the way from technology progressing to a point where we’ll see high definition and a high definition format on our portables.

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