While some are still speculating that the high-def format wars could continue, Variety is reporting that there could soon be two more nails coming for HD DVD’s coffin.
Apparently, Universal has ended its exclusivity with the flailing format, with rumors that Paramount has an escape clause contingent on which side Warner went with. We all know the outcome of that story…
Whether the death clock has started its countdown or not, both studios are hoping to keep the cash flow coming, at least for the time being. That could mean more titles, fire sales, etc. Variety also says that HD DVD players could start to disappear from shelves, with retailers nervous about devoting shelf space to a dying format.
Warner, Sony, Disney, Fox and Lionsgate are all currently backing Blu-ray. Toshiba recently announced that it plans to continue its HD DVD push through 2008.
Lot of statistics and feathers flying from the blu ray camp and lots of ‘supporters’ (salesmen?;-) trying to make the most of them - can’t help thinking somewhat over enthusiastically sometimes!
Warners may have taken Sony’s money - for now - but the truth is at least 95% of the worlds AV market hasn’t even tried the HD format! So I think all that crowing and counting eggs may be a bit premature! I can’t help feel that the eventual “winner” could be well be something new again!
So I wouldn’t get too cocky yet - as my grandaddy used also also say that ‘sometimes, the peacocks of today are the feather dusters of tomorrow’.
So DigitalBits is saying that the NPD numbers show quite an impact created by the Warner announcement. For Week 1 of January, the hardware sales ratio (not counting PS3 or XBox HD DVD Addons) was 51.17% Blu-Ray to 48.83% HD DVD. But in Week 2, after the Warner announcement, the ratio (they claim) was 92.53% Blu-Ray to 7.47% HD DVD.
Again, these are reported to be NPD Group hardware sales.
Can this be right? It seems, to say the least, a bit extreme… (and granted its only 1 week…could just be some kind of freaky anomaly).
Maybe all of Dimitri’s worried Sony salesmen ran out to buy a blu-ray player or something….
I wonder if some of the blu ray posts are from worried Sony salesmen as some are rather hysterical. The studio alliances are just part of the battles in a “war” that’s far from over - especially as cost and convenience is still on HD DVD’s side and for all the blu ray hoohah it WILL come done to money, especially to attract the mass markets around the world and not just the ps3 geeks. That’s when you’ll see the studios seeing and deciding where the money lies. Like my grandaddy used to say “When autumn comes you see who the evergreens are!”
VCM??? It’s VC-1, you ignorant ######.
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The one thing that ALOT of people overlook is the PS3 as a blu ray player. There have been many people who bought one for games and then started to buy movies. Yes PS3 sales are not up to expectations but they are selling and i plan to get another as soon as the price drops. As far as storage space goes, it is going to be more importatnt with the video game industry. As for those who do not know, blu ray dominates the rest of the globe.
But the PS3 is what is giving blu ray an upperhand. If the 360 was HD DVD based, I really think that HD DVD would be winning BIG time right now. Everyone criticized Sony for puting the blu ray player in the PS3 but it is what might put this all to an end.