The Universal Blu myth

[The Don]

Just read something for the 15th time on these forums...

"Universal isn't going neutral/Blu anytime soon"

pretty much like "Sony isn't cutting the price for the 60GB PS3" ?

you can't say what any company is going to do for sure as this format war has shown to be almost day-to-day with the positive news that Blu-ray has been getting lately...

now I know I have blue shades and all...but it's what it is...

...and at it's current pace, how does it not look like blu-ray will have this wrapped up by 2008?....

now we have our 1st week of 3:1 and with the recent news of stores going exclusive to blu-ray....it seems that every other day is another milestone..

so saying Universal will not go Blu anytime soon is ridiculous as they are the only big studio that is exclusive to HD DVD....so of course they are going to have to step forward and address where their loyalties are...

do you think anyone else would even consider an HD DVD player if they heard that Universal considered going Blu?...

..c'mon now..

[BStecke]

I agree . . . Universal is a business, whose end goal is to make money, despite what Graffeo says about "meeting the customer's demands." If things keep going the way they have been, Universal, from a business standpoint, would really have no choice but to back Blu, unless they want to continue to hemorrhage money for the sake of principle . . . which, I don't think corporations are really too stuck on their principles. It's a money game, and soon enough the financial advantage will be (and really already is) with Blu. Corporate game plans are subject to change at any time, so Uni could decide to go Blu tomorrow . . . I think the assumption that they're going to remain loyal to HD DVD until the end is a pretty poor assumption.

[monkyman]

Originally Posted by The Don

...and at it's current pace, how does it not look like blu-ray will have this wrapped up by 2008?....

I don't think it will be possible this year, if so I don't think we would see HD-DVD getting some of the releases they are getting.

300 will keep them going, Harry Potter is slated to be released on both formats around Christmas, not to mention they (HD-DVD) actually have more releases scheduled for the remainder of 2007 than bluray.

Universal does not need HD sales to keep them in business, yet. SD is doing fine for them.

I'm not taking their side, but they could hold out as long as they want, or until all retailers go blu.

[halon]

they better decide soon. i can't wait for the MATRIX.

[Blu-dock Saint]

Originally Posted by monkyman

I don't think it will be possible this year, if so I don't think we would see HD-DVD getting some of the releases they are getting.

300 will keep them going, Harry Potter is slated to be released on both formats around Christmas, not to mention they (HD-DVD) actually have more releases scheduled for the remainder of 2007 than bluray.

Universal does not need HD sales to keep them in business, yet. SD is doing fine for them.

I'm not taking their side, but they could hold out as long as they want, or until all retailers go blu.

Agreed, but I do want to add, if disc sales were 85/15 or 90/10, Universal would definetely have to go neutral it would be crazy of them not to. But until we see that happen or a majore decrease in SD DVD sales I dont think we'll see them on Blu anytime soon.

[RUR]

Originally Posted by den4blu

they better decide soon. i can't wait for the MATRIX.

Matrix is a Warner title and not Universal. Warner is officially neutral and has promised a BD release at some point.

[Blu-dock Saint]

Originally Posted by RUR

Matrix is a Warner title and not Universal. Warner is officially neutral and has promised a BD release at some point.

Now if only they would change the at some point to an actual date.

[halon]

thanks for the correction. i wonder why they are taking so long to bring it out on BD?

[BStecke]

They're waiting for the interactivity features to be available on Blu-ray.

[Blu-dock Saint]

Originally Posted by BStecke

They're waiting for the interactivity features to be available on Blu-ray.

What's their next excuse going to be?

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by The Don

Just read something for the 15th time on these forums...

"Universal isn't going neutral/Blu anytime soon"
so saying Universal will not go Blu anytime soon is ridiculous as they are the only big studio that is exclusive to HD DVD....so of course they are going to have to step forward and address where their loyalties are...

And after reading the same "It's all Universal's fault!" whine for Bill Hunt's 25th time on the Digital Bits site, I'm convinced I'm the only person on planet Earth who knows why Universal is still the "loyal" HD holdout:

Three words that seem to have occurred to no one: MICROSOFT...OWNS...UNIVERSAL.

I don't know exactly what portion of the corporation they "own", or how much quotation marks to use, but we do know that MS has been tied to the parent company of NBC ever since the formation of MSNBC (duh ), and a few ties may have even been forged back when Dreamworks was still producing "Shrek" for the Globe.
WHICH MEANS: That Universal is now on Bill Gates's "evangelism" short leash to be the face-man studio to promote HD-DVD as Not Dead Yet...And even when it is dead later this year, they'll still be forced to wave the red banner for Microsoft's post-HD sour grapes of "The future is in HD downloads!" and dump all their movies onto X-Box Live.
As long as the war is All Microsoft's Fault(TM), Universal will forever be dragged down with the ship.

I've seen no argument as to why Disney supports Blu-Ray so loyally (ie., that Steve Jobs is the major shareholder in Disney, and Apple wants to keep Blu-ray in the QuickTime family as dominant format), so I can't see why it's so hard to accept the idea of another studio being leather-slaves to their Corporate Overlords.

[Sylin]

Originally Posted by Blu-dock Saint

Agreed, but I do want to add, if disc sales were 85/15 or 90/10, Universal would definetely have to go neutral

It's NEARLY that now. It's been 66/33 for months. This week saw (from what I read) the first 75/25, which is an amazing gain in market share. I think important milestones will be the release of "300", and then all the Disney and Pixar releases this fall.

My money is on Universal going neutral before Christmas. I almost suspect that there are inner circles @ Univ. that are already prepping for Blu-ray production, because they are DEAD in the water come Xmas if they don't push something out on Blu. With all the retail space the Blu-ray PLAYERS are getting, it would be the worst gaffe in retail history if they didn't enter the market.

[GasCat]

They have likely exchanged a busness plan we are not aware of. Universal and Microsoft are best of buddies. They sit next to each other at conferences.

"Universal isn't going neutral/Blu anytime soon"

Define "anytime soon". 1 to 2 months? A week? 6 months?

The amount of HD sales are still very low now. This means that a format like downloading is still a very viable competitior. We know that M$ = downloading. Keep your guard up and don't think that anything is over. It isn't.

[Blu-dock Saint]

Originally Posted by ikcizokm

It's NEARLY that now. It's been 66/33 for months. This week saw (from what I read) the first 75/25, which is an amazing gain in market share. I think important milestones will be the release of "300", and then all the Disney and Pixar releases this fall.

My money is on Universal going neutral before Christmas. I almost suspect that there are inner circles @ Univ. that are already prepping for Blu-ray production, because they are DEAD in the water come Xmas if they don't push something out on Blu. With all the retail space the Blu-ray PLAYERS are getting, it would be the worst gaffe in retail history if they didn't enter the market.

I don't see them going neutral this year, after the dust has settled in the new year, aka 2k8, then I could see them going neutral.

[Sylin]

Originally Posted by EricJ

And after reading the same "It's all Universal's fault!" whine for Bill Hunt's 25th time on the Digital Bits site, I'm convinced I'm the only person on planet Earth who knows why Universal is still the "loyal" HD holdout:

Three words that seem to have occurred to no one: MICROSOFT...OWNS...UNIVERSAL.

I don't know exactly what portion of the corporation they "own", or how much quotation marks to use, but we do know that MS has been tied to the parent company of NBC ever since the formation of MSNBC (duh ), and a few ties may have even been forged back when Dreamworks was still producing "Shrek" for the Globe.
WHICH MEANS: That Universal is now on Bill Gates's "evangelism" short leash to be the face-man studio to promote HD-DVD as Not Dead Yet...And even when it is dead later this year, they'll still be forced to wave the red banner for Microsoft's post-HD sour grapes of "The future is in HD downloads!" and dump all their movies onto X-Box Live.
As long as the war is All Microsoft's Fault(TM), Universal will forever be dragged down with the ship.

I've seen no argument as to why Disney supports Blu-Ray so loyally (ie., that Steve Jobs is the major shareholder in Disney, and Apple wants to keep Blu-ray in the QuickTime family as dominant format), so I can't see why it's so hard to accept the idea of another studio being leather-slaves to their Corporate Overlords.

This is some of the most narrow-minded, ignorant FUD I've ever read on these forums. Nothing personal, but your facts are incorrect.

MS doesn't "own" NBC or Universal. They have alliances and I am sure some ownership crossover, but NBC and Universal are both owned by GE. And even still, all of these companies you mention operate 100% autonomously, meaning they call their own shots. Matter of fact, Microsoft owns less than 20% of MSNBC (the network--they are 50/50 on the web site).

Secondly, people need to stop vilifying Bill Gates. It comes off as envy. Bill Gates is more a spokesman/mascot and does not call the shots at MS... he hasn't for years. There are many other executives who are making the decisions for MS's various departments and branches. Some are good and actually make sense, and some don't. But it's a capitalist nation so they are no worse than 90% of the other American companies.

You know where Bill Gates was last week? Not in some super-secret underground lair plotting to take over the government. He was in Nashville for a bridge tournament (his hobby), after his foundation just recently cut some very big checks to some very worthy charities that do good for others.

Do I think the man is a saint? No--very few people in the public eye are. But I'm not a hater, and I know he DOES do some good. How much money did you contribute to charity this year?

[richteer]

Originally Posted by Blu-dock Saint

I don't see them going neutral this year, after the dust has settled in the new year, aka 2k8, then I could see them going neutral.

I agree. Rumour has it that Uni signed some sort of exclusivity contract for 2007, ruling out the possiblity of them coming to their sense this year. I think CES 2008 is gonna be very interesting: I expect HD DVD to be absolutely pulverised this Xmas. With all the positive Blu news (BB, BJ's, Target, Woolies, new studios, etc.) I don't see how anything else could happen.

[BStecke]

I just made a post about this in another thread. But, I'll say it again, as I think it's important. Really stop and look at what this Christmas will be like for both HD DVD and Blu-ray. Blu-ray has MANY exclusive blockbuster movies that will be coming out this Xmas. Couple that with the popularity the PS3 will most likely have over Xmas and it's a smart EASY purchase for parents and non-parents wanting to stick their foot in the door. They're going to look at the shelves this Christmas and see all three Pirates movies, Ratatouille, Cars, Spiderman, Die Hard, Transformers (and while many may not know it, the Blu will be better than HD) . . . HUGE movies. And these movies save Transformers aren't going to be there for HD DVD. They'll have what? Knocked Up (I think this was Universal) and the new Bourne movie. This Xmas will be a slap in the face for anybody standing in the HD movie aisle and deciding which one to buy.

[Blu-dock Saint]

Originally Posted by richteer

I agree. Rumour has it that Uni signed some sort of exclusivity contract for 2007, ruling out the possiblity of them coming to their sense this year. I think CES 2008 is gonna be very interesting: I expect HD DVD to be absolutely pulverised this Xmas. With all the positive Blu news (BB, BJ's, Target, Woolies, new studios, etc.) I don't see how anything else could happen.

God I can't wait till CES 2008, got a feeling big things are going to be going down.

[j_rocca42]

I don't really think that UNI is losing any money at all. Cuz I'm sure they're making a profit on disc sales. They are just not making "AS MUCH" as they could be if they were format neutral.

So I don't think that they will go neutral because they are "in the red" in sales, but because they want to be more "in the black". Which would be obvious just by looking at the numbers. As stated above, company's are all about money when it comes down to it. and UNI is no different.

[mshulman]

Originally Posted by richteer

I agree. Rumour has it that Uni signed some sort of exclusivity contract for 2007, ruling out the possiblity of them coming to their sense this year. I think CES 2008 is gonna be very interesting: I expect HD DVD to be absolutely pulverised this Xmas. With all the positive Blu news (BB, BJ's, Target, Woolies, new studios, etc.) I don't see how anything else could happen.

Why is that exactly? You see everyone you know running out to spend $400+ on a player?

Seriously, High Def DVD's are so in the infancy, that this is not happening. If it was the case, blu-ray would have a much bigger software lead as all those PS3's would have many more people buying movies for them. Its just not happening that fast.

There aren't enough HD TV's out there and out of those people that have them, over half aren't even watching High Def material. They also think DVD's are either High Def or look good enough.

Prices will need to drop under $100 for either player for things to really get going. Until that happens, we'll be seeing increasing sales, but at slow rates.