Universal's HD DVD Exclusive Expires; May Add Blu-ray

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 10, 2008 - 9:25am.

Los Angeles - Universal Studios' commitment to exclusively back Toshiba's next-generation HD DVD format has expired, Daily Variety reports, in a development that gives Sony's (NYSE: SNE) Blu-ray, which gained exclusive support from Warner Bros. (NYSE: TWX) earlier this week, another leg up in the DVD format war.

Variety noted that Universal is still committed to a series of promotions for HD DVD, but the studio could decide to hedge its bets and begin releasing titles on Blu-ray now as well.

The only other studio that continues to exclusively back HD DVD is Viacom's (NYSE: VIA) Paramount Pictures, which earlier this week worked to quell reports that it would also be defecting to Blu-ray.

Paramount's deal to exclusively support HD DVD runs through this year.

Poll:

Has HDDVD Lost the High Def Format War?

Published in DMW Daily, January 10, 2008

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Comments

I've been an early adopter

Submitted by anonymous (not verified) on January 10, 2008 - 11:55am.

I've been an early adopter before, but I was worried about supporting a new format when standard DVD was still adequate for the needs of average consumers. I bought a PS3 last year, but it wasn't because I wanted to support one of the high definition formats - it was strictly a bonus. That being said, I did purchase Blu-Ray titles, and ended up becoming a supporter for the format because I already owned the hardware. A month after I bought my PS3, Paramout went HD DVD exclusive. I spent most of 2007 grappling over whether or not to buy an HD DVD player so I could watch movies from two of my favorite studios. After I did the research, I determined it wasn't worth spending the money since the market was still skewed toward blu-ray. A universal standard is essential for the success of any platform, and high definition as a platform needed one format to emerge victorious - and quickly. Maybe this will teach them a lesson, but I doubt it. Sony and Toshiba are both driven by greed, and I expect we'll see a repeat of this incident in another 10 years. Now, if only we could get a universal platform for console gaming - my wallet is getting pretty thin.

http://www.betanews.com/artic

Submitted by juggs (not verified) on January 10, 2008 - 12:30pm.

http://www.betanews.com/article/Universal_Were_staying_with_HD_DVD/11999... did you see there staying?