Warner: We're staying with Blu-ray & HD DVD

[marzetta7]

Warner: We're Staying With HD DVD & Blu-ray

The studio's home video prez discounts reports of a switch to HD DVD only.

http://www.tvpredictions.com/warner091207.htm

Washington, D.C. (September 12, 2007) -- Warner Home Video president Ron Sanders says the studio will continue to release films on Blu-ray and HD DVD high-def discs.

At least for now.

That's according to an article by TWICE Magazine.

The Los Angeles Times reported this week that Warner has received a "lucrative" offer from HD DVD supporters to back HD DVD exclusively in the format war. Paramount last month stunned the industry by announcing that it would support HD DVD exclusively. (Four major studios back Blu-ray only.)

But Sanders tells TWICE that Warner will "remain committed to both for the time being."

"We're talking to both sides and it’s crazy right now," he said. "We’ll see how the fourth quarter plays out. The consumer is still kind of divided, and we still believe that we should offer the content in both formats. Now, we will watch the marketplace very closely, and see how it plays out, but for now we are supporting both."

Interestingly, Sanders didn't deny the premise of TWICE's question: "Have you received offers from HD DVD or Blu-ray to be exclusive with either format, as Paramount recently did with HD DVD?"

Instead, he avoided a direct answer by saying "we're talking to both sides" and that Warner will "remain committed to both for the time being."

Sanders also told TWICE that Warner will release all four Harry Potter movies on high-def disc in time for the holiday season.

Let the courting wars begin!

If Blu-ray continues to dominate in disc sales, it would be nice to see Warner make a decision backed up by consumer demand rather than the opposite from Paramount's actions.

Either way, for now, let the HD-DUD boys keep dreaming.

[E-Dogg]

We need to make sure we purchase plenty of titles from Warner Bros. I have Troy and Smallville on preforder not to mention some other titles that I have already purchased.

[gvortex7]

Does he mean all 5 Harry Potter movies?

[Proteus]

Sounds like Warner will be making a call in early 2008.

I suspect _a lot_ of people in CE, retail and studios will be watching this holiday season then simply saying 'enough is enough' and choosing a side based on the results.

Seems everyone will be going with whoever sells the most.

[Scorxpion]

Consumers Is The Key.

BLU-BLOOD ARMY ITS OUR Target lets show Warner who really we are.

[matthewrounds]

Originally Posted by marzetta7

The consumer is still kind of divided, and we still believe that we should offer the content in both formats

This is laughable that the consumer is divided. 2:1 software sales indicate otherwise especially on key dual format releases like 300. Clearly Warner wants to milk dual format releases until they are paid a large sum by one side or the other or they believe that until Paramount goes back to format neutral there is no reason to pick a side right now.

[jermwhl]

"We’ll see how the fourth quarter plays out. The consumer is still kind of divided, and we still believe that we should offer the content in both formats. Now, we will watch the marketplace very closely, and see how it plays out,

That's our que right there folks! Let the Q4 sales be huge and we could see exclusivity announcements! That's how it is supposed to be done, let the consumers decide!

Thank you!

[Spankey]

An interesting if not eye opening article. It answers a lot of questions and poses new ones.

Toshiba definitely made monetary offers.

For now, those offers were turned down.

Depending on the market for either format, monetary offers to go one way or the other may be reconsidered.

Warner's neutrality, either way, will not be forever..

What to do? Keep buying Blu? Red?

I'm still annoyed at the way this is playing out. The consumers had been speaking for well over a year. If Paramount did not take the cash buyout, I am confident, HD-DVD would be gone in a month or two. Now all bets are off. I wouldn't be an overconfident HD-DVD supporter.

Stalemate here we come!

[Teazle]

Originally Posted by matthewrounds

This is laughable that the consumer is divided. 2:1 software sales indicate otherwise especially on key dual format releases like 300.
...

He said divided; he didn't say evenly divided. Doesn't matter though, I think after the holiday season the sales gap will have increased to the point where, if what he says is true, the decision will be made for them.

(Maybe that's a big if.)

[Spankey]

I keep thinking of the Toshiba, lower priced player argument. It was never about software sales..Now..

Heck! If $150mil is all it takes, let's buy another studio. Who knew it would be this easy?!

[E-Dogg]

Originally Posted by Spankey

I keep thinking of the Toshiba, lower priced player argument. It was never about software sales..Now..

Heck! If $150mil is all it takes, let's buy another studio. Who knew it would be this easy?!

:At the press conference, the BDA further revealed that Blu-ray software so far this year has outsold HD DVD in the US (67%), Europe (70%), as well as Japan (90%+). In addition, representatives from Disney, Sony Pictures, Fox/MGM and Warner detailed their plans for upcoming Blu-ray titles in the fourth quarter and beyond. Warner, which chose to only appear at the BDA press conference and not the HD DVD one, promised to release more Blu-ray titles in Q4 than in Q1, Q2 and Q3 combined. "


After reading that on this site I don't think Warner is going to go to either side that easily. I think they are planning to see how this holiday season pans out and if we play our cards right and make sure we purchase plenty of quality WB movies, such as the Oceans Set, Harry Potter, and possibly Matrix set we may swing the tide in our favor. We all know if they go Blu the war is as good as over. If they go red this war will drag on forever.

[Proteus]

Lower price doesn't matter when _every other major CE manufacturer is only making their products for the competing format_. People will simply view it as a 'cheap' product with no industry support.

Prestige pricing and marketing actually works VERY well. Price is definitely not king when you are talking about perceived 'high end' product lines. A lower price can actually make you look very inferior in these markets and seems to be the case here.

Edit: Wanted to add after reading the post above mine... If they do get all of the catalog titles out that they offer on only HDDVD right now (i.e. Batman Begins, V for Vendetta, Wonka, etc.), then this war is truly over. Warner will have a hard time claiming a fair comparison without offering those major titles on Blu-ray also. And, if those titles come to Blu-ray during the holiday it is quite possibly the best blessing the format can have because it will add _substantial_ back catalog purchases to the already strong day and date releases coming.

[Teazle]

Originally Posted by E-Dogg

...
I think they are planning to see how this holiday season pans out and if we play our card right and make sure we purchase plenty of quality WB movies, such as the Oceans Set, Harry Potter, and possibly Matrix set we may swing the tide in our favor. We all know if they go Blu the war is as good as over. If they go red this war will drag on forever.

For my part I'm going to go on a Warner Blu-ray binge late this year. I'm going to attempt to snap up as many Warner BD titles which interest me as I can possibly afford. If there's ever a time to do it, this is it.

[E-Dogg]

Originally Posted by Proteus

Lower price doesn't matter when _every other major CE manufacturer is only making their products for the competing format_. People will simply view it as a 'cheap' product with no industry support.

Prestige pricing and marketing actually works VERY well. Price is definitely not king when you are talking about perceived 'high end' product lines. A lower price can actually make you look very inferior in these markets and seems to be the case here.

Edit: Wanted to add after reading the post above mine... If they do get all of the catalog titles out that they offer on only HDDVD right now (i.e. Batman Begins, V for Vendetta, Wonka, etc.), then this war is truly over. Warner will have a hard time claiming a fair comparison without offering those major titles on Blu-ray also. And, if those titles come to Blu-ray during the holiday it is quite possibly the best blessing the format can have because it will add _substantial_ back catalog purchases to the already strong day and date releases coming.

I agree, but if all of these titles come out by this holiday season we are all going to be extremely broke as well. A blessing and a curse...

[SS316SRV]

Originally Posted by Proteus

Lower price doesn't matter when _every other major CE manufacturer is only making their products for the competing format_. People will simply view it as a 'cheap' product with no industry support.

Prestige pricing and marketing actually works VERY well. Price is definitely not king when you are talking about perceived 'high end' product lines. A lower price can actually make you look very inferior in these markets and seems to be the case here.

Edit: Wanted to add after reading the post above mine... If they do get all of the catalog titles out that they offer on only HDDVD right now (i.e. Batman Begins, V for Vendetta, Wonka, etc.), then this war is truly over. Warner will have a hard time claiming a fair comparison without offering those major titles on Blu-ray also. And, if those titles come to Blu-ray during the holiday it is quite possibly the best blessing the format can have because it will add _substantial_ back catalog purchases to the already strong day and date releases coming.

You are right. Price only matters when you are shopping for a necessity, like gas or food. The thing is is that with Next Gen players, the customer who is looking to buy understands that new technology is expensive and you get what you pay for. So when they see all kinds of names on blu-ray they want that even though it is more expensive. The toshiba is cheap, in all meanings of the word. People who care about the $2000 dollar tv they just bought want a player that is going to show the quality of all 200,000 pennies they just spent.

[E-Dogg]

Originally Posted by Teazle

For my part I'm going to go on a Warner Blu-ray binge late this year. I'm going to attempt to snap up as many Warner BD titles which interest me as I can possibly afford. If there's ever a time to do it, this is it.

I plan on getting a few here and there, but by December whatever titles I still don't have in my library will be purchased.

[spam.curitiba]

Hell all WB has to do is release the matrix trilogy and batman begins on blu and that is all the confirmation they will need...

[javabear]

I'll buy the Matrix and Batman Begins in a heartbeat. I want them now!

[ReduxInflux]

This is why it's important to purchase Warner titles on September 18th and beyond. Even though I'm not a Harry Potter fan, the purchase of Harry Potter's box set is a begging plea to keep Warner or better yet to cause them to go Blu exclusive by the beginning of next year. As far as I'm concerned, Disney may be the most important studio on either side, but they're grounded. They're not going anywhere. And because of that, Warner's importance trumps Disney's. We need them to get this over with...

I'm just glad the BDA is in hot pursuit of Warner too...

[E-Dogg]

Originally Posted by javabear

I'll buy the Matrix and Batman Begins in a heartbeat. I want them now!

They still have not been officially announced, but I am sure once they are and released they will sell faster than Warner can possibly anticipate.