Well that didn't take too long. Just after we reported DreamWorks was hanging around and pondering what to do about HD DVD, word comes along it has followed parent studio Paramount out the front door.
Paramount told High-Def Digest it is scrapping a bunch of titles it had planned to release to HD DVD in the coming weeks. In addition DreamWorks, which had planned to release Bee Movie to the doomed format in mid-March, has now dropped those plans as well.
Even with the HD DVD format now dead in the water and everybody is getting off of the sinking ship, DreamWorks told Reuters earlier this week it wasn't sure whether or not it would abandon the format yet. The reason? An exclusive deal with Toshiba.
"We have a partnership with Toshiba and have an obligation to see this through," DreamWorks Chief Executive Jeffrey Katzenberg told Reuters. The studio is taking a wait and see approach to see what Toshiba's next moves are.
The studio, which is set to release "Bee Movie" on DVD shortly, wants to know how it should plan its next generation optical disc release for this title.
Just like predicted, Toshiba officially pulled the plug on HD DVD.
The format was is officially over. Toshiba just made the official
announcement in Tokyo.
Toshiba Corporation today announced that it has undertaken a
thorough review of its overall strategy for HD DVD and has decided it
will no longer develop, manufacture and market HD DVD players and
recorders.
Toshiba will begin to reduce shipments of HD DVD players and
recorders to retail channels, aiming for cessation of these businesses
by the end of March 2008. Toshiba also plans to end volume production
of HD DVD disk drives for such applications as PCs and games in the
same timeframe, yet will continue to make efforts to meet customer
requirements.
After a Q&A period, Toshiba said they had no plan to join
Blu-ray. That could have been predicted as well. But let's give these
folks a break.
Could it be game over for HD DVD? We here at HDDVDFreak feel like of late it has been nothing but negative news to report. Now comes word from industry sources Toshiba could be killing the format altogether some time shortly.
The Hollywood Reporter, citing sources, said Toshiba is "widely expected to pull the plug on its HD DVD format
sometime in the coming weeks...after
a rash of retail defections that followed Warner Home Video's
announcement in early January that it would support only the rival
Blu-ray Disc format after May."
Speculation suggests substantial losses related to HD DVD hardware production, dips in HD DVD disc sales and defects from the HD DVD camp may have made Toshiba finally cash in its chips. Toshiba denied it was planning to end HD DVD, but did say it is continuing "to study the market impact."
Scratch another location where you can purchase HD DVDs: Wal-Mart announced today it will be dropping the HD DVD format from its shelves shortly in favor of carrying Blu-ray only.
Wal-Mart said this change "will take place quickly over
the next several months whereby the retailer will phase out HD DVD
offerings and reorganize shelf space." It expects to have this phase out done in its physical locations and online shopping sites by June. "We’ve listened to our customers, who are showing a clear preference
toward Blu-ray products and movies with their purchases," said Gary
Severson, senior vice president, Home Entertainment, Wal-Mart, U.S.
"With the customers best interest in all we do, we wanted to share our
decision and timeline with them as soon as possible, knowing it will
help simplify their purchase decision, increase selection, and increase
adoption long term."
The HD DVD Promotional Group was in damage control mode again yesterday as Best Buy and Netflix separately outlined plans which put a further crimp on the HD DVD lifestyle. The group issued separate statements to Cnet over the separate incidents:
- on Netflix: "We have long held the belief that HD DVD is the best format for
consumers based on quality and value, and with more than 1 million HD
DVD players on the market, it's unfortunate to see Netflix make the
decision to only stock Blu-ray titles going forward."
- on Best Buy: "We have long held the belief that HD DVD is the best format for
consumers based on quality and value, and with more than 1 million HD
DVD players on the market, it's unfortunate to see Netflix make the
decision to only stock Blu-ray titles going forward. While the Best Buy
announcement says they will recommend Blu-ray, at least they will
continue to carry HD DVD and offer consumers a choice at retail."
Even as Toshiba marches bravely forward with very low HD DVD player prices, rival Blu-ray scored some more coups today as the post-Warner departure continues to impact the format war:
Best Buy will begin pushing Blu-ray to consumers over HD DVD, though HD DVD fans will not be out of luck as the retailer will continue selling HD DVD products.
Netflix is getting out of the HD DVD online rental business all together. It said by year's end it will phase out its existing HD DVD stock. Perhaps that will mean some nice HD DVD disc fire sales?
It looks as if Microsoft has shaved a little off of the price tag for its Xbox 360 HD DVD Player accessory. It was reported this morning by Major Nelson, aka Larry Hryb of Microsoft, the company was dropping the retail price from $179.99 to $129.99 and that the drop was immediately effective in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
There was no immediate word on why the price drop was made, but one has to think with the recent Toshiba HD DVD player price drops Microsoft is just trying to stay up with the pack.
Find anything peculiar about the above photo? Try this on for size - Cnet Asia is reporting what you see is the first reported case of HD DVD movie piracy...and it heralds from China.
The particular movie of course is Michael Bay's Transformers. It is being reported this is the complete movie with "Mandarin dubbing and subtitles for mainland Chinese consumption." The movie was reportedly cut " on three HD-DVD9 format media in pristine 1080p visuals and HDi interactive features."
You have to imagine this is another unhappy moment for the HD DVD camp in 2008.
If you happened to miss the HD DVD Super Bowl ad which aired yesterday, we got word someone had put it up on YouTube to view. You can see it above. Dealerscope reports the ad reportedly cost $2.7 million dollars.
Well that didn't take too long. Just after we reported DreamWorks was hanging around and pondering what to do about HD DVD, word comes along it has followed parent studio Paramount out the front door.
