We all know the notorious reputation that Activision Blizzard and Electronic Arts both have regarding multi-platform releases, but just how far does the marketing reach of both publishers stretch? According to a report from Screen Digest, both companies will collectively publish 40 percent by the holidays and as much as 75 percent of console releases in the western region from July to September.

While, somebody, somewhere, has to ask all the tough questions, somebody else has to answer them. In this case, it's video game industry analysts Nick Williams, Jesse Divnich and Ed Barton. What were they asked and how did they respond? Find out in the full article, right after the jump.

With Toshiba leaving the HD DVD format, we see the first signs of its effects on the console wars. Analysts agree that with HD DVD format out of the way, PlayStation 3 consoles will get a great boost in sales. Analyst Michael Pachter also gives his take on what's in store for Microsoft with the loss of HD DVD. Details in the full article.

New information from analysts at Screen Digest today says that only a small amount of next generation console titles will be profitable due to an "increasingly difficult environment" for developers.

This increasingly difficult environment comes from the increasing complexity in games development, and although from the gamers point of view, great next-gen titles such as Gears of War and Call of Duty 3 only come with million dollar investments, it is estimated that investments in next-gen game projects is not likely to make a return on profit before 2008.

To cost cut, developers have been forced to release games on many different platforms and producing games based on popular movies amongst others. This could mean poor quality games in the future, because as true gamers will know, there's nothing worse than a game which has been badly ported to another system.

The big guns, Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony have tried to circumvent a developer shortage by expanding their own personal game studios, with Sony 2,200 development staff across 14 studios; with all but one of these studios working on PS3 titles. On the subject of the next gen console war, Screen Digest report author Ed Barton said:

While the previous generation was quickly dominated by Sony's PlayStation 2 across all major territories, this time we anticipate a more competitive situation where market share is likely to be split on a territorial basis.

Hopefully the investment of the big three console manufacturers in development teams should enhance next-gen gaming, but as for the independent publishers and studios, it's going to be a bit of a struggle to stay afloat during the following years which will be critical to their survival.

I'll go out on a limb and say that the painful truth right now is that it is very fashionable at the moment to not favor the PS3. Such is the situation that even some PS3 zealots, choose to share the sentiment albeit with a few modifications, to be specific, choosing to focus the hate on the company behind the console and not the PlayStation 3 itself.

But what is this? An entity that actually credibly decries the Wii and foresees the PS3 dominating by 2010 and the Wii being a left at third place?

Get the rest of the story after the Jump.