Today Universal announced that it will no longer produce only HD DVD. This comes at the heels of Paramount and Warner Bros announcing essentially the same thing, leaving HD DVD without a single exclusive studio.
HD DVD, we hardly knew you. You may have graced us for only 2 years, but you'll live on forever in our hearts.
It was inevitable, the moment Warner pulled out it was effectively over for HD-DVD. But honestly it's a relief to finally have the one standard HD format.
Sony hits.
yeah it'll stick around for a bit though with Microsoft's involvement
oh well I was hoping for Blu-Ray due to the size of the discs
Wait, Universal officially announced it? I have only been hearing rumors. I want a link.
I was hoping for Blu-ray. Size of discs, uncompressed sound (not 13.1, but w/e), and it is what I have already.
Daily Variety has confirmed that Universal's commitment to backing HD DVD exclusively has ended. And Paramount has an escape clause in its HD DVD contract allowing it to release pics on Blu-ray after Warner Bros.' decision to back that format exclusively.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117978760.html?categoryid=20&cs=1
yeah it'll stick around for a bit though with Microsoft's involvement
With no major studios backing it? It's done & dusted, it'll most likely be discontinued by years end.
Both are messes. Too expensive, too convoluted (the HDTV market has not yet stabilized sufficiently) and too much pointless DRM.
We need to let the COMPUTER people develop a format, then force Hollywood to suck it up.
Well with Toshiba's new announcement and Universal's plan to start releasing on Blu-ray, I can only ask this….
How many more nails does HD-DVD's coffin need?
@EvilGamerX:
Well with Toshiba's new announcement and Universal's plan to start releasing on Blu-ray, I can only ask this….
How many more nails does HD-DVD's coffin need?
None. It's gone, dead, and buried. My guess is by Christmas all their stock will be liquidated and that will be the end of that.
It's kind of fascinating when you realize that if Microsoft had chosen to use HD-DVDs with the 360 instead of regular DVDs, HD-DVD would probably have won the format war. Of course, that would have made the console about $100 more expensive, so that would have sucked. But that's all water under the bridge now.
As far as Microsoft goes, expect them to quietly discontinue their external player. They won't make a Blu-ray player, though. My guess is that they'll continue doing what they're doing until the end of the 360s lifespan. HD optical formats are so new, I doubt it will make much of an impact. Much has been made about how the PS3 will move tons of units because of it's BD player, but what matters is the GAMES. From what I've seen, all the greatest games are either for the 360 or are multi-platform. And even then, they somehow still look better on the 360.
