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Universal: HD DVD Plans in Flux

Fri Feb 22, 2008 at 11:00 AM ET
Tags: Industry Forecasts, Universal (all tags)

With Universal having thrown its weight behind Blu-ray earlier this week, the studio says the fate of its remaining HD DVD releases is currently TBD.

Though the studio has yet to make any formal announcements, when asked to confirm recent retail reports that it was planning a March 18 HD DVD debut for the Oscar nominee 'Atonement,' a Universal rep told us that the studio's entire HD DVD slate is currently in flux -- leaving open the possibility that it may not issue any more titles in the format.

As for which titles might be affected by such a move, prior to Tuesday's announcement, Universal had only confirmed two upcoming HD DVD releases: the Chevy Chase comedy 'Fletch' (due March 11), and the Tom Hanks-Julia Roberts starrer, 'Charlie Wilson's War' (which had been planned for sometime in the April-May timeframe).

At press time, the majority of titles on the HD DVD release schedule were split between Warner and Paramount/DreamWorks. As we've previously reported, Warner recently reiterated their intention to continue supporting the format until the end of May, while Paramount has yet to set a timetable for its own move to Blu-ray (just this week, the studio issued fresh details for two upcoming HD DVD releases, 'Sweeney Todd' and 'There Will Be Blood.')

We'll keep you posted on any changes to the HD DVD release schedule as soon as official information comes to us.

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
HD DVD Release Schedule [High-Def Digest]
Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Fletch (HD DVD)
Dirty Harry (Blu-ray)
Beetlejuice (Blu-ray)
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
Universal Studios Goes Blu (Feb 19, 2008)
Warner: HD DVD Plans Unchanged (Feb 20, 2008)
Universal Reveals Early 'Charlie Wilson's War' HD DVD Plans (Feb 05, 2008)
Paramount Goes Blu (Feb 21, 2008)

Sony CEO Downplays Format War; Sees "Stalemate"

Fri Nov 09, 2007 at 01:07 PM ET
Tags: Sony, Industry Forecasts (all tags)

An apparently candid assessment of the high-def format war from Sony CEO Howard Stringer shot across the web Friday morning.

Following months of posturing from execs on both sides of the format battle, Stringer's remarks were surprisingly frank, with the CEO describing a current "stalemate" between the Sony-backed Blu-ray format and its rival HD DVD, even pondering a possible loss.

"We were trying to win on the merits, which we were doing for a while, until Paramount changed sides," Stringer said during an appearance at the 92nd Street Y cultural center in Manhattan.

According to published reports, the exec went on to describe a win for either side as mostly a matter of prestige, saying that if HD DVD ultimately won out, it wouldn't have much effect on Sony other than having to change the harddrive for its PlayStation.

"It doesn't mean as much as all that," Stringer is quoted as saying.

The CEO went on to indicate that there was an opportunity of uniting the two camps under one format before he became CEO, and that "I wish I could go back in time, because I heard it was all about saving face."

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
Stringer: Content drives digitization [Hollywood Reporter]
Sony CEO Sees 'Stalemate' in Disc Fight [Associated Press]

Report: HD DVD Standalone Player Sales Nearing 500,000 Milestone

Thu Nov 08, 2007 at 01:16 PM ET
Tags: Hardware, Industry Forecasts (all tags)

Format backers say the total number of standalone HD DVD players sold is poised to hit the 500,000 mark by late November.

That's according to a report published late Thursday by Home Media Magazine, which places the current total household penetration for HD DVD standalones at about 420,000 units.

This news comes on the heels of reports earlier this week that roughly 90,000 HD DVD standalones were sold last weekend alone, following highly-publicized price drops for Toshiba's HD-A2 HD DVD player.

While passing the 500,000 unit mark would certainly seem to cement the HD DVD camp's overall lead in standalone player sales, it still pales in comparison to the installed base of Sony's PlayStation 3 game console, which comes with a built-in Blu-ray player. (According to the website vgchartz.com, over 2.2 million PS3s have been sold in the US to date).

Of course, as HD DVD backers will be quick to point out, the majority of PS3 owners are said to not use the console as a Blu-ray player.

What effect all of this may (or may not) have on next-gen disc sales remains to seen. As we've previously reported, year-to-date figures from Home Media Research gave Blu-ray a 1.85:1 disc sales advantage for the first nine months of 2007.

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
HD DVD Camp Crows About Player Penetration [Home Media Magazine]
Game Console Sales Charts [vgchartz.com]
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
Report: Weekend Toshiba HD DVD Player Sales Top 90,000
Blu-ray Disc Sales Lead HD DVD by Nearly 2:1 YTD; Q4 Crucial For HD DVD

Report: HD DVD Standalone Player Sales Nearing 500,000 Milestone

Thu Nov 08, 2007 at 01:16 PM ET
Tags: Hardware, Industry Forecasts (all tags)

Format backers say the total number of standalone HD DVD players sold is poised to hit the 500,000 mark by late November.

That's according to a report published late Thursday by Home Media Magazine, which places the current total household penetration for HD DVD standalones at about 420,000 units.

This news comes on the heels of reports earlier this week that roughly 90,000 HD DVD standalones were sold last weekend alone, following highly-publicized price drops for Toshiba's HD-A2 HD DVD player.

While passing the 500,000 unit mark would certainly seem to cement the HD DVD camp's overall lead in standalone player sales, it still pales in comparison to the installed base of Sony's PlayStation 3 game console, which comes with a built-in Blu-ray player. (According to the website vgchartz.com, over 2.2 million PS3s have been sold in the US to date).

Of course, as HD DVD backers will be quick to point out, the majority of PS3 owners are said to not use the console as a Blu-ray player.

What effect all of this may (or may not) have on next-gen disc sales remains to seen. As we've previously reported, year-to-date figures from Home Media Research gave Blu-ray a 1.85:1 disc sales advantage for the first nine months of 2007.

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
HD DVD Camp Crows About Player Penetration [Home Media Magazine]
Game Console Sales Charts [vgchartz.com]
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
Report: Weekend Toshiba HD DVD Player Sales Top 90,000
Blu-ray Disc Sales Lead HD DVD by Nearly 2:1 YTD; Q4 Crucial For HD DVD

Blu-ray Disc Sales Lead HD DVD by Nearly 2:1 YTD; Q4 Crucial For HD DVD

Wed Oct 24, 2007 at 01:35 PM ET
Tags: Disc Sales, Industry Forecasts (all tags)

Blu-ray disc sales exceeded those of HD DVD by a wide margin for the third quarter in a row, setting the stage for a crucial Q4 sales showdown.

According to recently released numbers from Home Media Research, sales of Blu-ray discs totaled 2.6 million units from January 1 through Sept 30, versus 1.4 million HD DVD discs sold over the same period. That's a 1.85:1 sales lead for Blu-ray for the first nine months of this year.

A month into the fourth quarter, however, there are some encouraging signs for HD DVD, with analysts predicting a much tighter disc sales race for the crucial holiday shopping season.

First off, there's last week's record-breaking HD DVD-exclusive release of 'Transformers' (which reportedly sold 190,000 units in its first seven days), followed by several upcoming high-profile releases exclusive to the HD DVD format, including 'Shrek the Third' and the newly remastered 'Star Trek: The Original Series - Season One' (an HD DVD/DVD combo disc release that will not be made available as a standalone standard-def DVD).

Of course, the Blu-ray camp has its own high-profile exclusive releases scheduled, sales of which which could very well exceed those of the above-listed HD DVD titles. Among the highly anticipated titles headed to Blu-ray this quarter are 'Spider-Man 3,' 'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End' and 'The Simpsons Movie.'

Add hardware to the equation, and it becomes an even muddier picture. With prices dropping for next-gen players on both side of the aisle, there's no telling how many new early adopters will be entering the fray over the next two months, or what effect their hardware purchases will have on overall disc sales.

As always, stay with us for continuing coverage.

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
Blu-ray outsells HD-DVD in U.S. for first 9 months [Reuters]
Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Transformers (2007) (HD DVD)
Shrek the Third (HD DVD)
Star Trek: The Original Series - Season One (HD DVD)
Spider-Man 3 (Blu-ray)
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (Blu-ray)
The Simpsons Movie (Blu-ray)
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
'Transformers' HD DVD Smashes First-Week Sales Records

Forrester: Format War is Blu-ray's to Lose

Tue Sep 25, 2007 at 11:05 AM ET
Tags: Industry Forecasts (all tags)

In its third annual report on the state of the next-gen format war, Forrester Research reiterated its long-held belief that Blu-ray will ultimately prevail over HD DVD, though more guardedly than in years past.

The market research firm has issued two previous reports on the high-format war, both predicting that Blu-ray would emerge victorious in its fight with HD DVD for next-gen supremacy.

This year, on the heels of Paramount's announcement that it would support HD DVD exclusively, Forrester now says that although Blu-ray remains in a better position than its rival, the format's backers will need to change strategy or risk losing their edge.

Specifically, Forrester analyst J.P. Gownder says that if Blu-ray fails to offer a viable hardware model at the $250 price point by Christmas 2007 and doesn't employ more aggressive promotional tactics to counter HD DVD's recent momentum, it could open itself to a possible upset defeat at the hands of HD DVD.

Gownder goes on to say that Blu-ray's failure to land a knock-out blow over the past year means that the format war will continue for at least 18 more months.

Established in 1983, independent research firm Forrester analyzes technology change and its impact on business, consumers, and society.

Related links:
The Next-Gen DVD Format War: Still Bloody [Forrester Research]

Report Predicts Blu-ray, HD DVD to Co-Exist

Mon Sep 17, 2007 at 02:11 PM ET
Tags: Industry Forecasts (all tags)

A new report examining the evolution of the high-def market predicts both next-gen disc formats are here to stay, and that most studios are likely to end up supporting both formats.

Released today by UK-based media analysts Screen Digest, the report includes detailed forecasts of consumer sales and revenues in the US and Europe for both new video formats through 2011, with each predicted to establish a viable installed base.

The report goes on to calculate that format-exclusive studios could be missing out on significant revenues, potentially eschewing over $270 million in consumer spending over 2008 alone. With so much at stake, Screen Digest expects several single-format studios to reassess their positions in 2008.

Although Paramount's recent decision to exclusively support HD DVD would seem to undermine the report's prediction, Screen Digest says that the move effectively secured HD DVD's immediate future, and cleared the way for the other studios that currently support one platform only to move to an agnostic position without being perceived as the studio solely responsible for prolonging a format war, or for killing off one of the formats.

"Christmas 2007 is going to be critical for the hi-def video business," said Richard Cooper, Screen Digest Video Analyst. "Both formats will be seeking to secure consumer buy-in to their proposition during the critical holiday season but with so much at stake on both sides we think it is highly unlikely that one format will emerge as the 'winner.'

"Once it becomes clear that both formats are gaining customer acceptance, studios that have chosen to support one format over the other will realize that they are missing out on potential sales and will have to decide how long they can afford to place principle over profit."

"We believe that eventually most will decide to offer their titles on both HD DVD and Blu-ray in order to maximize their returns."

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
Screen Digest High-Def Market Report [Press Release]

Exclusive: Spielberg "Big Supporter" of Blu-ray, But Future High-Def Releases Uncertain

Tue Aug 21, 2007 at 11:46 AM ET
Tags: Industry Forecasts, Steven Spielberg (all tags)

Confirming mounting speculation, we've got exclusive word this morning that Steven Spielberg is indeed "a big supporter" of Blu-ray, and that the one-sentence "Spielberg carve out" in yesterday's Paramount/DreamWorks HD DVD announcement was designed to allow the legendary director to release future titles on Blu-ray.

With many of his early blockbusters distributed by Universal Pictures ('E.T.,' 'Jurassic Park' and 'Jaws,' among them), it was once assumed that the combination of Steven Spielberg's classic titles and Universal's exclusive HD DVD support would be one of format's biggest weapons against rival Blu-ray, but a series of developments have led many to speculate that perhaps Spielberg himself has other ideas.

The first hint of trouble for HD DVD came back in February when the HD DVD promo group issued a public apology to Spielberg after listing several of his titles in a "Coming Soon" list that was apparently never approved by the director.

Then, just last month came news that the very first Spielberg high-def title -- a 30th anniversary edition of 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' -- would be released on Blu-ray, not HD DVD. (That release is due November 13, day and date with the standard-def DVD edition.)

Finally, yesterday's stunner of a Paramount/DreamWorks HD DVD exclusivity press release included a conspicuous one line carve-out, stating that Spielberg's DreamWorks films would be exempt from the terms of the HD DVD exclusivity arrangement, opening the door to the possible future release of more recent Spielberg blockbusters on Blu-ray.

So what's the deal? We put that question to the source for all things Spielberg -- his longtime spokesman and DreamWorks marketing exec Marvin Levy. Speaking exclusively with High-Def Digest, Levy confirmed Spielberg's active support of Blu-ray with the selection of 'Close Encounters' for his next-gen debut.

"It was important to Steven that if any of his films were to be released [first] on high-definition, that it would be a classic," said Levy. "Steven is big supporter of Blu-ray, and chose 'Close Encounters' to be the first of his films on either format."

Spielberg approved the new high-def transfer made for the film, and among the Blu-ray's supplements is a new introduction recorded by the director specifically for the release, as well as a storyboard comparison.

Levy further clarified the Paramount/DreamWorks press release, saying that "...his movies, like 'Saving Private Ryan' and 'War of the Worlds,' are not included in that deal. They are not exclusive to HD DVD, nor [are they] planned for that format at this time.'"

Levy went on emphasize that beyond 'Close Encounters,' Spielberg has no other films in the high-def pipeline on either format. "At this moment, there are no plans for something further [on either format]. Anything in the future will be decided on a title-by-title basis. There certainly won't be more titles in 2007."

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Blu-ray)
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
Spielberg to Hit High-Def With 'Close Encounters' (Jul 26, 2007)
HD DVD Promotions Group to Spielberg Fans: Whoops! (Feb 05, 2007)

Warner Delays Launch of Total HD Until 2008

Thu Jun 28, 2007 at 01:55 AM ET
Tags: Total HD, Industry Forecasts, High-Def Disc Packaging, Warner (all tags)

In a surprise announcement, Warner said Wednesday that it is pushing back the planned fall launch of its first Total HD dual Blu-ray/HD DVD combo releases until early 2008.

The hybrid format, which Warner first announced earlier this year at the Consumer Electronics Show, was originally planned to hit stores in time for the fourth-quarter holiday shopping season. As recently as this past March, all production and replication hurdles appeared to have been cleared for launch.

The sudden and unexpected news of the delay for Total HD came yesterday during the Entertainment Supply Chain Academy in Los Angeles, where confirmed the studio confirmed it would be delaying the debut of the hybrid Blu-ray/HD DVD format until early 2008.

"There is no expiration date on the viability of this concept, so we're not in a rush to do it," explained Warner VP Steve Nickerson..

Nickerson also stated that the studio intends to launch Total HD with between ten and twenty titles, allowing retailers to display them together in one section so they don't get lost amid the growing number of home video formats currently hogging store shelves.

Warner was also quick to point out that it is not planning to abandon either Blu-ray or HD DVD releases in the interim. Despite limited shelf space at retail, the studio believes there is a market for both high-def platforms, one that they will continue to satisfy with dual-format releases.

"Our research shows that there is demand for each of those products [Blu-ray and HD DVD]," said studio VP of sales planning and operations Dan Miron. "We are trying to evaluate [how to best treat] each one of these releases."

The timing of Warner's announcement, as well as the studio's apparent lack of urgency in bringing Total HD to market, may strike some as curious. With Blu-ray continuing to outpace HD DVD in overall disc sales since the start of the year, some industry observers have speculated that if such sales trends continue, the format war could be all but over by the end of fourth quarter 2007 -- long before Total HD has a chance to gain a foothold in the marketplace.

We'll certainly keep you posted on any further developments in this ongoing saga. Stay tuned!

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
Warner’s Total HD Delayed Until 2008 [Video Business]
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
CES: Warner Intros Total HD; First Titles Due Second Half 2007 (Jan 09, 2007)
First Total HD Combo Discs Could Be Ready by Early Summer (Mar 15, 2007)
Blu-ray Disc Sales Surpass One Million Milestone (Apr 23, 2007)

Blu-ray, HD DVD Hardware Sales Continue to Rise, But No Winner Likely in 2007?

Fri Mar 09, 2007 at 01:48 AM ET
Tags: Industry Forecasts, Hardware (all tags)

It was good news and bad news for high-def at this year's DisplaySearch Flat Panel Display Conference, with Blu-ray and HD DVD hardware sales continuing to rise but no winner likely to emerge in 2007.

Strong sales reported at the show found that stand-alone high-def DVD players on both formats in January this year represented eight percent of the conventional DVD player market -- almost twice high-def's share during the fourth quarter of 2006.

Also in January of this year, PlayStation 3 sales for the month on a dollar basis surpassed those of standard-definition DVD players.

The numbers were reported by Ross young, DisplaySearch founder and president.

However, the view was hardly clear for any quick end to the high-def war. Though it was widely reported last month that Blu-ray has been enjoying a more than 2-to-1 advantage over HD DVD in weekly disc sales since the beginning of January, even the recent Blu-ray surge left few in attendance willing to concede defeat for either format.

"Some studio chiefs have claimed to have won, but quite honestly the war continues," said conference speaker Vito Mandato, an executive consultant to Paramount Home Entertainment.

Mandato went on to forecast that the number of high-def hardware units in homes by the end of 2007 will be a draw between the two competing formats.

On the HD DVD side, estimates are for 1.2 million stand-alone players and 500,000 Xbox 360 add-on drives. And for Blu-ray, Mandato is counting only 1.2 million of the 5.5 million PS3 units projected to be sold during the year, plus 500,000 stand-alone players, because his analysis suggests that just 22 percent of PS3 households purchase movies regularly.

Mandato's comments come in the wake of highly-controversial pronouncements made by Sony and some other Blu-ray-backing studios that the format war is already "game over," with the successful PS3 launch and Blu-ray's current disc sales lead the final nail in HD DVD's coffin.

However, Mandato did sound an encouraging note for Blu-ray, indicating that the format's broader software support could finally tip the scales in its favor.

"For the Blu-ray opportunities with blockbuster movie releases over the next three or four months, the first of those will be 'Casino Royale,' and we have already begun to see the [marketing] campaign," said Mandato. "In the magazine ad, there is a separate fractional page that calls out specifically that it is available exclusively on Blu-ray. If that hard-hitting messaging starts to appear consistently in all of the exclusive hit titles exclusive to Blu-ray, that will start to move the needle."

The DisplaySearch 2007 Conference was held March 5-8 in San Diego, California.

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
Panelists: No End Yet to High-Def War [Video Business]
High Noon for HD DVD? [TV Predictions]
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
Sony's New Blu-ray Marketing Message: Format War is Over (Feb 10, 2007)
Finally: VideoScan Releases High-Def Disc Sales Numbers (Feb 01, 2007)


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