Mai Valentine
Moderator
Paramount goes HD-DVD exclusive.
Sony's Blu-ray high-definition disc format had scored a number of solid blows in its ongoing battle with Toshiba's HD-DVD in recent months. In June, movie rental chain Blockbuster committed to offering only Blu-ray high-definition discs in its stores, citing the integration of the format into the PlayStation 3 among its reasons. Last week, Home Media Research analysts said that Blu-ray disc sales doubled those of HD-DVD for the first half of the year.
However, today the HD-DVD camp gets to tout a major victory, as Paramount announced that it is now exclusive to Toshiba's chosen format, taking its DreamWorks Animation SKG, DreamWorks Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Nickelodeon Movies and MTV Films brands with it. There are a handful of exceptions to this exclusivity, as films directed by Steven Spielberg won't be exclusive to either platform.
Films executive produced by Spielberg can still be HD-DVD exclusive, as Paramount said it is kicking off its platform monogamy with HD-DVD releases of Transformers, Shrek the Third, and Blades of Glory. Set to go on sale next Tuesday, Blades of Glory had originally been announced as a release for Blu-ray as well as HD-DVD.
"We believe the combination of this year's low-priced HD DVD players and the commitment to release a significant number of hit titles in the fall makes HD DVD the best way to view movies at home," said DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg in a statement.
Supporters of the Toshiba's format include Universal Pictures and Microsoft, which recently dropped the price of its Xbox 360 HD-DVD player to $179.
Sony's Blu-ray high-definition disc format had scored a number of solid blows in its ongoing battle with Toshiba's HD-DVD in recent months. In June, movie rental chain Blockbuster committed to offering only Blu-ray high-definition discs in its stores, citing the integration of the format into the PlayStation 3 among its reasons. Last week, Home Media Research analysts said that Blu-ray disc sales doubled those of HD-DVD for the first half of the year.
However, today the HD-DVD camp gets to tout a major victory, as Paramount announced that it is now exclusive to Toshiba's chosen format, taking its DreamWorks Animation SKG, DreamWorks Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Nickelodeon Movies and MTV Films brands with it. There are a handful of exceptions to this exclusivity, as films directed by Steven Spielberg won't be exclusive to either platform.
Films executive produced by Spielberg can still be HD-DVD exclusive, as Paramount said it is kicking off its platform monogamy with HD-DVD releases of Transformers, Shrek the Third, and Blades of Glory. Set to go on sale next Tuesday, Blades of Glory had originally been announced as a release for Blu-ray as well as HD-DVD.
"We believe the combination of this year's low-priced HD DVD players and the commitment to release a significant number of hit titles in the fall makes HD DVD the best way to view movies at home," said DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg in a statement.
Supporters of the Toshiba's format include Universal Pictures and Microsoft, which recently dropped the price of its Xbox 360 HD-DVD player to $179.
