What’s behind the latest moves in the format war being fought between Blu-ray and HD-DVD? The web is awash with speculation.

Paramount and DreamWorks Animation, the film studios, last night dumped Blu-ray, the next-generation DVD format being championed by Sony. Each will now offer films exclusively on Toshiba’s rival HD-DVD – much to the consternation of the Blu-ray camp.

Despite protestations from Paramount executives who claim they have simply backed the cheaper technology, betting that price considerations will win out in the format war, the move has the industry aflutter, with the Blu-ray camp making unsubtle suggestions that some sort of hidden shenanigans lie behind it.

"The decision seems oddly timed,” said Andy Parsons, the chairman of the Blu-ray Disc Association US Promotions Committee, “given Blu-ray's tremendous momentum both with consumers and with retail."

Blu-ray title sales continue to outpace HD-DVD sales by nearly a 2 to 1 margin, he claimed. “Moreover, the price delta between HD-DVD and Blu-ray players has been greatly reduced in the past few months, a trend that is on its way to eliminating any perceived cost advantage the HD-DVD format has claimed to have.

“Under these circumstances, we can only imagine what could have enticed them to walk away from a format that is clearly selling significantly more software than the ailing HD-DVD format."

The Deadlinehollywooddaily site claimed that a $150 million exclusivity deal was to answer.

“The HD-DVD side is paying through the nose,” it said. “I'm told $50 million to Paramount, and $100 million to DreamWorks Animation - to try to show the strength of what we all know is a dying format. Sources are telling me these moves are ‘really out of desperation’ and ‘a callous cash grab’."

Those allegations – now widely doing the rounds online – will hit a nerve among HD-DVD supporters. Not least because Blu-ray has itself faced a probe over exclusivity deals from the European Commission.

Others have focused on what the development means for the film-loving public.

“The move will inevitably lengthen a format war which should never have been,” said Blu-ray.com.

Times Online readers are similarly unimpressed.

“I am tired with being the cheese in there bologna sandwich,” said Nancy Galeassi.

“I have invested heavily in the Blu-Ray format equipment and they have once again left most of us hanging in the wind. But what do they care, right. All I can do is to keep them from making any more money off of me.”

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