Microsoft released a firmware update for its now discontinued HD DVD add-on drive in what could be one of the final, if not the final, firmware update for any HD DVD drives.

The move to release this firmware update comes as a bit of a surprise as Microsoft has officially discontinued the drive. The firmware update for the Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on drive will download automatically the next time that the Xbox 360 owners watch any HD DVD movie.

According to a post in the Major Nelson Xbox Live blog, the firmware update for the HD DVD drive includes a variety of compatibility updates for a variety of HD DVD titles and improvements to the support required by HD DVD for titles that offer Internet-enabled content.

Since Microsoft had officially abandoned the format it is quite a surprise to see them release the update, but nagging issues with a few specific HD DVD titles needed addressed, with some of these issues ongoing for some time. Speculation suggests that the update was already in the pipeline and Microsoft figured that it would just go ahead and finish it and push it out the door.

Microsoft hopes to also make the firmware update available as a separate download for the Xbox 360 later this week, as well.

Read the post in the Major Nelson blog here.