Paramount and Dreamworks Drop Blu-Ray Support
Another blow to Sony’s PlayStation 3 strategy
Viacom Inc's Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc both announced this week that they will release their next-generation DVD titles exclusively on HD-DVD, claiming that the format offers better quality, lower-priced players and lower manufacturing costs than the rival Blu-ray format.
This news is clearly a major blow to Sony’s plans for the relatively inexpensive Blu-ray player that also plays a few videogames, otherwise known as the PlayStation 3. However, the fact that lowest-priced, stand-alone HD-DVD players currently sell for $299 (£150) is clearly a major factor in Paramount and DreamWork’s decision to back the HD-DVD horse.
Following yesterday's news on Microsoft's new Xbox 360 Elite - launching in the UK this coming Friday and aggressively priced at £299 - it seems that the Xbox strategy is shifting further and further towards affordable movie-rental downloads at the expense of disc-based HD-DVD movies.
"This has been the biggest summer on record for movies, it will be the biggest fourth quarter for popular movies for consumers. At the same time, we have HD-DVD players that are truly affordable,” said Kelley Avery, president of Paramount Home Entertainment.
Paramount's first releases under the exclusive HD-DVD program include Blades of Glory later this month, with Transformers and Shrek the Third due for release later this autumn.
DreamWorks Animation Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Katzenberg said of the HD-DVD format, "They have a high-quality consumer experience that is now being offered at a price point that we believe is going to connect with the consumer… This seems to us to be the right product at the right price at the right time.”
The exclusive agreement does not include movies directed by Steven Spielberg for DreamWorks SKG but it does include all other movies distributed by Paramount, DreamWorks, Paramount Vantage, Nickelodeon Movies and MTV Films.
To date an estimated 3.7 million high-definition discs have been sold, overall, including 2.2 million in Blu-Ray and 1.5 million in HD DVD through July, according to Home Media Research.
source: Reuters
This news is clearly a major blow to Sony’s plans for the relatively inexpensive Blu-ray player that also plays a few videogames, otherwise known as the PlayStation 3. However, the fact that lowest-priced, stand-alone HD-DVD players currently sell for $299 (£150) is clearly a major factor in Paramount and DreamWork’s decision to back the HD-DVD horse.
Following yesterday's news on Microsoft's new Xbox 360 Elite - launching in the UK this coming Friday and aggressively priced at £299 - it seems that the Xbox strategy is shifting further and further towards affordable movie-rental downloads at the expense of disc-based HD-DVD movies.
"This has been the biggest summer on record for movies, it will be the biggest fourth quarter for popular movies for consumers. At the same time, we have HD-DVD players that are truly affordable,” said Kelley Avery, president of Paramount Home Entertainment.
Paramount's first releases under the exclusive HD-DVD program include Blades of Glory later this month, with Transformers and Shrek the Third due for release later this autumn.
DreamWorks Animation Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Katzenberg said of the HD-DVD format, "They have a high-quality consumer experience that is now being offered at a price point that we believe is going to connect with the consumer… This seems to us to be the right product at the right price at the right time.”
The exclusive agreement does not include movies directed by Steven Spielberg for DreamWorks SKG but it does include all other movies distributed by Paramount, DreamWorks, Paramount Vantage, Nickelodeon Movies and MTV Films.
To date an estimated 3.7 million high-definition discs have been sold, overall, including 2.2 million in Blu-Ray and 1.5 million in HD DVD through July, according to Home Media Research.
source: Reuters
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Comments
Rutabaga 21 Aug 2007 09:34
1/4
"However, the fact that lowest-priced, stand-alone HD-DVD players currently sell for $299 (£150) is clearly a major factor in Paramount and DreamWork’s decision to back the HD-DVD horse."
That and the fact that they got a $150M sweetener from the HD-DVD foundation.
(Incidentally how come the article never mentioned this?)
That and the fact that they got a $150M sweetener from the HD-DVD foundation.
(Incidentally how come the article never mentioned this?)
ohms 21 Aug 2007 09:53
2/4
wow, blu-ray seemed to be leaning slightly towards winning this 'battle', now the inevitable stalemate looks even more likely.
$150m doesnt seem like a lot to drop the format they were selling more units on. could it be a timed exclusivity period?
$150m doesnt seem like a lot to drop the format they were selling more units on. could it be a timed exclusivity period?
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Rutabaga 21 Aug 2007 11:08
3/4
ohms wrote:
$150m doesnt seem like a lot to drop the format they were selling more units on.
It is if the total sales to date of High Def discs (BR and HD) is 3.7M.
Joji 21 Aug 2007 12:59
4/4
That's great but I'm cool with normal dvd. Transformers is really big coup, but it will be on normal dvd too.
PS3 isn't really selling so I guess Paramount and Dreamworks must be really worried. Many have been banking investment on PS3, and its not paying off.
PS3 isn't really selling so I guess Paramount and Dreamworks must be really worried. Many have been banking investment on PS3, and its not paying off.