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[sonycowboy]

This would be pretty big...

Warner Bros to back Blu-ray exclusively: sources

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Time Warner's Warner Bros studio plans to announce it will release next generation DVDs on Sony Corp's Blu-ray format exclusively, two sources familiar with the plans said on Friday, dealing a big blow to Toshiba Corp'sHD DVD format.

Warner Bros, Hollywood's biggest seller of DVDs representing about 18 to 20 percent of sales in the United States, had been one of the few studios that backed both formats.

News Corp's 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Co, and Lions Gate Entertainment Corp are among studios backing the Blu-ray format. Viacom Inc's Paramount studios and General Electric Co's NBC Universal, owned by General Electric Co and France's Vivendi, release movies in HD DVD format.

An announcement is expected shortly, the sources said.

(Reporting by Kenneth Li in New York and Bob Tourtellotte in Los Angeles, editing by Gerald E. McCormick)

 

[Kabuki Waq]

why o why did i just buy the HD DVD add on !!!


this like buying the SAturn all over again!

 

[BotoxAgent]

I get the feeling Snah is going to party tonight like it's 1999

 

[theBishop]

Wow... Highdefdigest is gonna be mass suicides after this...

 

[Chiggs]

:lol :lol :lol

This is awesome! After all the teasing and nay-saying blue-ball predictions for CES. :lol

 

[OokieSpookie]

At 3:28 PM Eastern standard time CNBC flashed that Warner Brothers studio will exclusively release High definition discs on Blu-ray

 

[captscience]

Woo hoo!!!

Almost sounds too good to be true....

 

[borghe]

This is outstanding news. Hey, where are all the combo-player arguments now?

umm... if they are affordable to make and sell, why would they be a bad thing????

Obviously this drastically decimates HD-DVD. There is no recovery from this and it is no longer a question of IF the format will eventually die. But I still hope for combo players, if for no other reason than Paramount still having over a year left on it's exclusivity, Universal still being exclusive, and having about 15 or so HD-DVDs that I really don't want to rebuy. I don't see why this would be a bad thing.

 

[Chiggs]

umm... if they are affordable to make and sell, why would they be a bad thing????

It's just not gonna happen, that's all I'm saying.

 

[SRG01]

Oh, and from Digital Bits, BD standalones outselling HDDVD.

 

[Kastro]

what does this mean for people who are dual format supporters now?

Are you still gonna buy HD-DVD exclusive movies knowing that they might all be on one format?

Paramounts deal doesn't end for like another year, which still sucks. Then theres Universal..

 

[indie85]

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHA
Stooge :suicide
Opus :suicide

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

Does anyone know the actual terms of the Universal and Paramount agreements?

 

[Brimstone]

HD-DVD is dead. Get over it.

 

[Opus Angelorum]

Fuck.

 

[VanMardigan]

I'm trying to get it straight from the horse's mouth (time warner newsroom), but this is easily the biggest news in this war. Ps3 purchase=validated.

 

[OokieSpookie]

WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT TO RELEASE ITS HIGH-DEFINITION DVD TITLES
EXCLUSIVELY IN THE BLU-RAY DISC FORMAT BEGINNING LATER THIS YEAR

Decision Made in Response to Strong Consumer Preference for Format

(January 4, 2008 - Burbank, CA) - In response to consumer demand, Warner Bros.
Entertainment will release its high-definition DVD titles exclusively in the
Blu-ray disc format beginning later this year, it was announced today by Barry
Meyer, Chairman & CEO, Warner Bros. and Kevin Tsujihara, President, Warner
Bros. Home Entertainment Group.

"Warner Bros.' move to exclusively release in the Blu-ray disc format is a
strategic decision focused on the long term and the most direct way to give
consumers what they want," said Meyer. "The window of opportunity for high-
definition DVD could be missed if format confusion continues to linger. We
believe that exclusively distributing in Blu-ray will further the potential for
mass market success and ultimately benefit retailers, producers, and most
importantly, consumers."

Warner Home Video will continue to release its titles in standard DVD format
and Blu-ray. After a short window following their standard DVD and Blu-ray
releases, all new titles will continue to be released in HD DVD until the end
of May 2008.

"Warner Bros. has produced in both high-definition formats in an effort to
provide consumer choice, foster mainstream adoption and drive down hardware
prices," said Jeff Bewkes, President and Chief Executive Officer, Time Warner
Inc., the parent company of Warner Bros. Entertainment. "Today's decision by
Warner Bros. to distribute in a single format comes at the right time and is
the best decision both for consumers and Time Warner."

"A two-format landscape has led to consumer confusion and indifference toward
high definition, which has kept the technology from reaching mass adoption and
becoming the important revenue stream that it can be for the industry," said
Tsujihara. "Consumers have clearly chosen Blu-ray, and we believe that
recognizing this preference is the right step in making this great home
entertainment experience accessible to the widest possible audience. Warner
Bros. has worked very closely with the Toshiba Corporation in promoting high
definition media and we have enormous respect for their efforts. We look
forward to working with them on other projects in the future.

 

[Chiggs]

Does anyone know the actual terms of the Universal and Paramount agreements?

Paramount is locked in until early next year. Universal will cave in. They have to...at some point.

 

[yacobod]

what does this mean for people who are dual format supporters now?

Are you still gonna buy HD-DVD exclusive movies knowing that they might all be on one format?

zodiac on tuesday will be the last movie i purchase for hd-dvd, i guess i could probably cancel the preorder from amazon, but i'm gonna keep it, since the movie is so good

bluray from here on in, and honestly i havent been buying HD-DVDs all that much

i think the last 3 hd-dvds i've bought were Transformers, bourne ultimatum, and eastern promises, i've been pretty much buying bluray since i got a ps3 in july or so

 

[Chiggs]

I'm trying to get it straight from the horse's mouth (time warner newsroom), but this is easily the biggest news in this war. Ps3 purchase=validated.

Definitely. What are you gonna do with your HD-DVD's now? I would sell them as quickly as possible.

Has Ken K been vindicated?

 

[SRG01]

what does this mean for people who are dual format supporters now?

Are you still gonna buy HD-DVD exclusive movies knowing that they might all be on one format?

It means the end is approaching, but it doesn't mean their collections suddenly collapse. Dual format supporters already have a BD player, so they're well set for future titles. Moreover, they don't need to buy any re-released formerly HD-DVD BD titles since they probably have them already.

HD-DVD owners will now be hard pressed to upgrade to a BD player in the near future.

 

[theBishop]

zodiac on tuesday will be the last movie i purchase for hd-dvd, i guess i could probably cancel the preorder from amazon, but i'm gonna keep it, since the movie is so good

Maybe it'll be collectible.

 

[Mmmkay]

It's times like these where we need to appreciate the important things like making sure Deadmeat has the necessary medical care and attention he will need, before starting any celebrations.

 

[borghe]

what does this mean for people who are dual format supporters now?

Are you still gonna buy HD-DVD exclusive movies knowing that they might all be on one format?

Paramounts deal doesn't end for like another year, which still sucks. Then theres Universal..

well, obviously my 360 is going NOWHERE, as it is still the vastly better supported gaming machine. I would LOVE to have one player for all movies, hence why I am still hoping for affordable combo players. but given those two statements, if a great movie comes out from Uni or Paramount, of course I'm going to buy it. I'll be able to play it for as long as my 360 is in service.

 

[OokieSpookie]

 

[Dante]

WOW!

Over before it began really.

 

[Blablurn]

great news!

 

[sakuragi]

HD DVD had a good run :lol

 

[VanMardigan]

Definitely. What are you gonna do with your HD-DVD's now? I would sell them as quickly as possible.

I'm gonna sell the WB ones and re-buy them on Blu. The Uni and Paramount ones I'll wait until those studios at least go neutral. I already have the movies, it makes no sense to sell them if I can't get them back on Blu yet.

 

[SRG01]

So... after the initial euphoria, here's the question: a lot of people were speculating that they would not announce until after CES or the conference call in February. Why so early?

 

[B-Ri]

this is so perfectly fitting hahahaha

So... after the initial euphoria, here's the question: a lot of people were speculating that they would not announce until after CES or the conference call in February. Why so early?

for a big surge in last minute sales of all their HD-DVDs on shelves, just like paramount got a big blu-ray surge after they went hd-dvd exclusive

 

[djkimothy]

Can't wait for Dark Knight!

 

[drohne]

great. now get universal and paramount on board, and we can forget that this format war ever happened.

 

[ConsumerSquare]

I was thiiiiis close to going to Best Buy for the B3G2 deal yesterday, but I held off because of CES. I'll still buy Bourne Ultimatum when the retailer discounting begins, but that might be it.

 

[Midas]

OMG?!

 

[borghe]

So... after the initial euphoria, here's the question: a lot of people were speculating that they would not announce until after CES or the conference call in February. Why so early?

honestly, my guess is it started leaking. better to issue your own press statement before the leak becomes to widespread.

and you guys who have HD-DVD drives and are stopping now from buying new movies... are you kidding me??? "Oh noes I'm not going to buy a movie that I already have the setup to play because it might be inconvenient to play years down the line." This war only existed because of dumb ass logic like this.

 

[YYZ]

I haven't bought any Blu-Ray stuff in well over a month (mostly due to money and building a new PC), but FINALLY, I can sleep comfortably now.

 

[Chiggs]

So if Warner Bros. still gonna speak at the HD-DVD keynote?

 

[yacobod]

I'm gonna sell the WB ones and re-buy them on Blu. The Uni and Paramount ones I'll wait until those studios at least go neutral. I already have the movies, it makes no sense to sell them if I can't get them back on Blu yet.

why sell your hd-dvd ones at a loss, and then buy them on Bluray again, seems kinda stupid

 

[SupahBlah]

So... after the initial euphoria, here's the question: a lot of people were speculating that they would not announce until after CES or the conference call in February. Why so early?

Probably because it leaked.

 

[SRG01]

honestly, my guess is it started leaking. better to issue your own press statement before the leak becomes to widespread.

That might've pissed off some in the HD-DVD camp. They're still scheduled to show at their show at CES. :lol

Spoiler

Not like it matters anymore. :lol

 

[scitek]

Wow, I've owned HD DVD since September of '06 and was a huge advocate of it over Blu-ray for a long time, but now that Blu-ray's caught up in features with profile 1.1, I really couldn't care less which wins. This is...news, but it has no effect on me since I'm format neutral. Since Warner's going Blu, the same goes for New Line, I assume?

 

[DJ_Tet]

Hmm, great news even coming from an All Red guy right now.

The main thing I wonder is if I can convince my dad to buy a PS3 as his Blu Ray machine. I still think that's a hard sale. Hopefully some stand-alones will drop in price to provide a better alternative for people who don't game.

 

[Stench]

 

[fnmore1]

Bluray get....when PS3 hits 299.00

 

[Battlezone]

Hopefully some stand-alones will drop in price to provide a better alternative for people who don't game.

I would love a standalone that had the PS3's media functionality, as I don't really have a need for a PS3 as a gaming machine. But for obvious reasons, that'll probably never happen.

 

[Chiggs]

Well, I'm going to buy the rest of the Harry Potter movies using that Best Buy coupon. To Warner Bros, thanks for not being wimpy.

 

[VanMardigan]

why sell your hd-dvd ones at a loss, and then buy them on Bluray again, seems kinda stupid

Well, the plan is to eventually get rid of the add-on when all the movies I own on HD DVD are out on Blu. It'll be a loss per movie, yes, but it's ok since I did get use out of them already. I don't want to buy an HD DVD standalone now and depending on the 360 is, you know, not optimal.

I'm keeping my 360, of course.

 

[Danne-Danger]

:lol
Been saving that one eh?

 

[Phoenix]

Sell your HD-DVD players, its REALLY all over.