Warner Bros. announces Blu-ray exclusivity
What’s the big gossip at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) here in Las Vegas? So far, without a doubt it’s the fact Warner Bros. just announced it would drop support for HD DVD and embrace Blu-ray Disc in this heated high-definition format war.
What’s the big gossip at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) here in Las Vegas? So far, without a doubt it’s the fact Warner Bros. just announced it would drop support for HD DVD and embrace Blu-ray Disc in this heated high-definition format war.
Warner Bros. now joins the likes of Disney, Fox, Sony Pictures and MGM in support of this high-def disc format, leaving Paramount and DreamWorks as the last HD DVD holdouts.
How is the HD DVD gang taking it? Let’s just say the Toshiba-backed group cancelled their CES press conference in the wake of the last-minute news. Yikes.
According to a company statement, Warner said it decided to go with Blu-ray because movie fans have shown a stringer preference to the format than HD DVD. "The window of opportunity for high-definition DVD could be missed if format confusion continues to linger," said Warner Bros. chairman and Chief Executive Barry Meyer.
"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 said Blu-ray Discs generates $169 million in 2007 in the U.S., compared to $103 million for its rival format, HD DVD.
Is this Warner decision a nail in the coffin for HD DVD? Will this affect your decision on buying one type of HD player over another?