Warner goes Blu-ray exclusive
By Darren Murph 
posted Jan 4th 2008 3:47PM
posted Jan 4th 2008 3:47PM
[Via Deadline Hollywood Daily, thanks Todd]
(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."
Does this mean I don't have to hear crazy arguments from Nfinity again?
I would love to see Nfinity come and try to Baghdad Bob this announcement!!! LOL
I would love to see how Nfinity will spin this as a good thing for HD DVD. :-)
Oh, and Toshiba has already responded: http://www.tivolovers.com/2008/01/04/toshiba-comments-on-warners-blu-ray-move/
He is just a toshiba paid fanboy and so was Xyzy or whatever his name was :D
Where is your source other than some other blog? I'm still a little skeptical considering WB's speaking engagements next week.
That said, this stinks. I didn't buy a player until they hit 100 bucks. I don't intend to do so for blu ray either. Looks like I'm in quite the HD movie drought for the next decade or so.
http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews/idUSN0432340820080104
Straight from the horses mouth.
http://www.timewarner.com/corp/newsroom/pr/0,20812,1700383,00.html
I think Warner's speaking engagements schedule just changed :-) Hey Nfinity, is that Warner-Toshiba party still on ya think? LOL
Well, this is the best news of the entire year. I am sure glad I did not waste my money on hd-dvd, which after May is completely dead! I am so thrilled, my entire collection so far will never be out of date now! Warner made a very wise decision, they decided to end this format war, period!
Until Holywood decides that movies are crap without at least 2160p and 14.1 Surround Sound with HD-DTS-THX-ZOMG certification.
Or until the studios re-release all of their current movies with the 1.1 profile...
I posted this in response to another short-sighted statement, so I'll have to post it here, too.
Anyone who acts like they now have to throw away their HD DVD players or that buying into HD DVd was a waste is a fool.
All HD DVD players are still going to be high-def players and DVD upconverters until the day that they break. And this also means that should HD DVD completely die (need I remind you that Paramount and Universal are still alive and kicking for now), the discs will be sold at rock bottom prices.
HD DVD is not going to go away for a hell of a long time. It *might* be leaving store shelves (and that still not a guarantee), but it isn't going away.
Let me guess. All of those people who own laserdiscs need to regret that they still have a laserdisc player, right?
oh snap!
I'm fairly certain this is not what I want, as I don't own a Blu-Ray player. Guess they want to force us to get one though, which I kinda resent.
Well, I won't be buying Warner titles anymore
yea im in the same boat...the reason i went hd dvd because the players were cheaper...now i am screwed as i will have little choice of movies to buy in hd unless i fork over the cash for a blu ray player....damnit this sucks as i dont have 299 for a blu ray player
Well thats it... Warner won't be getting my money like they have been. I refuse to buy a next gen format that is region locked and will never buy anything Blu-ray.
"I refuse to buy a next gen format that is region locked and will never buy anything Blu-ray."
Wow. I bet you're not buying DVD still huh? Guess no next gen movies for you. Statements like this don't hold for too long.
All I can see happening is this hurting the consumer in the short run. I can see the rapidly falling prices of both HD DVD and Blu-ray players that we saw in 2007 will go to almost 0%. You can get a Blu-ray player for $299 now, I say that buy the end of the year, they might be down to about $250.
Back in the day of DVD (with one format), it took about 4 years for DVD players to go from about $500 to $300. The same thing will begin to happen here.
My fear is that with prices remaining above $200 for a couple of years will turn high def video a niche format. Actually, I have thought this since it was released....now it looks like it may really be true.
If this is true, then wow! I guess I have no reason to hold off on expanding my blu ray collection now that they will definitely be around for awhile. I actually held off buying harry potter since I wasn't sure if the last 2 films would be released on blu ray too.
I just have to add this for Truth and Nfinity.
Say What now? :)
Now, can we PLEASE put all this behind us, end this war fast, and start enjoying ALL our movies on ONE format?
THANK YOU WARNER!
So is Truth Teller's infamous secret "big announcement" coming at CES?
I don't wish ill of HD DVD owners, but Truth Teller's idiocy and general arrogance deserves to be thrown right back in his face.
PWNED!!
Wow, time to sell off those hd dvds!
Yeah, because we all know that they're going to STOP WORKING ENTIRELY come May. Oh, and Paramount is going to void their exclusivity contract as well. Yeah, that's right. Might as well sell those discs.
{rolls eyes}
1st ever 1,000 post thread.
It has begun...
As expected.
R.I.P. HD-DVD
2006-2007
Uuuuh, what time zone are you in? Is it not yet 2008 there?
@The Pepto Pimp
"Uuuuh, what time zone are you in? Is it not yet 2008 there?"
Warner's decision to go BLU was obviously made last year, and now only announcing it. Warner's smart - they know which format is the best and has longevity.
Obviously.
yes OBVIOUSLY, why else would WB continue to release HD-DVD titles until May '08?
I'm pretty sure they decided to be Blu exclusive back in '04
It'd be really easy to find out, just check the dat on the fatty check they were given.
Hopefully this means worthless trolls like you will go away.
i would probably consider it 2006-2007 myself as well...i can't think of a single company that would consider 4 days into a year a significant part of the year, let alone the month...
I hope whoever writes my obituary is a little less cavalier.
See, easier just to say "whoops, my bad"... Ah well, dead is dead.
"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."
Um, why do I not see this one happening...ever?
I just wet myself lol.
Poor Paramount/Dreamworks.
I wonder if they get charged to come back to Blu.
This is almost too good to believe.It's not really sinking in lol.
Actually, they will make out like bandits, they got paid big bucks to be HDDVD exclusive and now they can come back and release blu-ray and make even more money...Toshiba on the other hand is probably walking little funny....
Thank goodness I didn't start going crazy with those HD-DVD BOGO's. No remorse from me though, I paid $99 and it's great at upscaling my DVD collection. With only 10 HD-DVD's purchased, I don't feel bad, and I will certainly be getting a PS3 soon. Overall, ONE format makes everyone a winner. Confusion ends, mass adoption = economies of scale = cheaper hardware (that make profits, not fire-sales) and software.
I, for one, welcome our overpriced, blue-lasered overlords.
I, for one, welcome the day when people will realize that these damned "overlord" clichs are no longer funny nor original and will therefore stop using them.
how about
Attack hd dvd's weakpoint for MASSIVE DAMAGE
All your high def movie are belong to us!
@ psychtron
hahahahahha...all your base are belong to us is so classic, i have it on my mp3 collection, every once in a while it comes on when i'm driving...too much
I, for one, never seem to get tired of the "overlord" jokes. Long live Blu!
As someone said at the Engadget Classic:
"fanboy meltdown, imminent..."
HAHHAHAHHAHAHAHHAH HAHA HA!
PS - Nfinity - you could always become a Xbot fanboi - itll be at least another year or two until the PS3 beats it.
Well this means a few things
1. Format war over, check mate for blu-ray
2. Class action lawsuit against warner from the 100,000 or so people who purchased HD-DVD players after warner announced that they would continue to produce that format.
3. HDM never goes anywhere, blu-ray confuses J6P too much and players will stay too expensive without competition