It certainly seems that the bell is tolling for HD DVD. Despite the positive spins that others try to put on the situation, the number of vendors offering HD DVD titles is dropping and the gap between the number of Blu-ray and HD DVD players in the world continues to widen. That gap will widen further, now, with recent news from one of the U.S. largest retail chains, Wal-Mart.

The superstore chain has decided to back the Blu-ray format, and going forward will only put Blu-ray players onto their shelves. This, coupled with recent rumors of Toshiba getting cold feet and big-name players like Warner ditching the format as well, it is becoming clear that it is over for HD DVD. Wal-Mart has a reputation, ill or otherwise, for making a lot of things available very cheap – and if they do that with Blu-ray media and players, there's really no stopping the influx of sales it will bring.

Ultimately, a single format is probably better for consumers, depending on how fair the companies behind it are. If Toshiba has a trump card, they should bring it out now. Then again, it is probably far too late for the doomed format now.