The HD format war isn't over yet: Paramount, DreamWorks go exclusively HD DVD

Comment with Facebook

Comment with Dtoid

destructoid japanator | tomopop

Destructoid is gaming news, community, videos, and sometimes love. Take the tour or jump in with Facebook:

big news
rumors
originals
releases
reviews
previews
podcasts

faq

Home Movies

2:23 PM on 08.20.2007, Jordan Devore

184 comments | 14103 views

The HD format war isn't over yet: Paramount, DreamWorks go exclusively HD DVD photo

#Blu-ray #HD #Movies #OMG poniez!

Just when you thought the high-def format war was nearing an end, something like this happens: Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Animation announced that they will release their DVD titles exclusively on HD DVD.

Movies Distributed by Paramount Home Entertainment Including Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Animation SKG, DreamWorks Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Nickelodeon Movies and MTV Films to be Released Exclusively in HD DVD.

If you were planning on getting the Blu-ray version of Transformers, Shrek the Third, or Blades of Glory, then this news has got to sting. It should be noted that films directed by Steven Spielberg will not be exclusive to either HD DVD or Blu-ray.

But why would Paramount/DreamWorks make a switch so late in the game? Some reports (thanks DVDDesign) suggest that cash (and lots of it) was involved. With the announcement of this new deal, HD DVD now has support from 12 movie studios, while Blu-ray has support from 10.

I’m sure those of you who have built up a decent Blu-ray collection are royally pissed off after hearing this news. We don’t blame you. This format war has gone on long enough.

[Via Reuters]

Continue: More OMG poniez! stories

Rumor: FFXIII PS3 won't have a mandatory install
59 comments
1236 views

Serious Sam HD looks like a bloody good time
23 comments
2612 views

Want Retro Game Challenge 2 localized? Open up that wallet
34 comments
1631 views

Mod your useless HD DVD drive to BURN PEOPLE'S FACES OFF!
22 comments
26607 views

next 50 comments

174 comments | showing # 1 to 50

lawl

ugh.......

BlindsideDork

Cause Optimus does what he is told?

Blame Bay!

Dragon Wars ftw!

Snaileb

hahahaha there's a whole debate on this in the c-blogs, and unstoppablejuggernaut made it.

This must piss him off, so I approve, because Mondays need laughter.

Also, cocks.

bruceleethree

stubborn..

the ceo's need to be castrated with fishing knives.

Mauer

COCKSUCKERS!

ShinAmano

Holy monkey balls...that is some monday news :)

Alex

Well .. DVD won this war!

topgeargorilla

i just finished season 1 of beast wars yesterday.

it was sweet.

Riser Glen

I am so glad I chose to sit this format war out.

macr

I think that whoever gets Apple on board first will really destroy the opposition. Considering the music and film industry is pretty much 100% Apple.

bhive01

Yeah, this is pretty crappy. I have no plans to buy a HD-DVD player. I guess I won't be watching their movies for a while.

@Alex.

Too true.

Neonie

This makes me a happy happy person. I love you Microsoft, I love you HDDVD. SUCK IT BLUE...ray...

Mauer

Well when blu ray wins they're just gonna have to re-release them, so go ahead and waste your money Paramount, you and Universal can cry about it later.

Riser Glen

So, which format is the chosen format for porn? Because everyone knows that's the deciding factor.

PwnDaddy

And with this comes a sound from the very depths of our souls, crying out in a resounding, "Meh".

Sceren

I'm pretty sure none of this matters.

Once the six StarWars movies pick a format, consider it GG.

Heliophage

I'm surprised that the HD-DVD/DVD 3-layer combo disc technology isn't having more of an impact in thie format war. I can't think of a better way to facilitate a slow, gradual transition into the HD era.

I don't care one way or another, though. I rarely ever buy SD DVDs.

Snaileb

Riser : HD

Professor Pew

So I heard that dvddesign approves of this decision.

THE ROADIE

Awesome, Transformers on HD-DVD. That �125 addon is looking nicer now. Season 1 of Heroes is out on HD-DVD soon and I know I'll be buying that.

MaximusPaynicus

Wait, there was a war? A war implies that two sides are fighting, not one side kicking the piss out of the other like a homeless man fiending for speed.

brad drac

+1 win for digital distribution.

fearian

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

layme.

but like brad said, download a HD-DVD copy and burn it to bluray?

GuitarAtomik

I wish those dual-format players would get affordable soon so they can end this shit. I'm just glad I don't work at Suncoast anymore. It was bad enough trying to explain to people how "widescreen" is NOT cutting off the picture at the top and bottom.

Daddygerplex

FFS!

I consider myself to be format neutral owning both the HD-DVD addon and a PS3. However i was hoping that with all the support Blu-ray was getting that this format war would be ending. Now with this announcement stoking the HD-DVD fires again it is going to drag on even longer.

FFS ONE OF YOU FORMATS FUCKING DIE ALREADY.

BluFire

Heh heh heh. Maybe HD-DVD isn't screwed after all!

AngelsDontBurn

The sad thing is so many people will probably fall for this just for that damn movie cause apparently people loved it so much. I agree. I want one of these damn formats to die, we all know it's going to happen soon.

linuxguy

why the hell didn't they create a unified format

Brock_Dainjer

It's such a fcukin tiny market, it was pretty clear when this started that there wasn't going to be a clear winner anytime soon. As an owner of both, i can say that I'm a bigger fan of HD-DVD, the quality control of their transfers is definitely better than a lot of the let-downs I've seen on blu-ray. If you want to look back at history for some help in predicting this war, don't forget that blu-ray is doing he same thing that beta did back in the day: they're not allowing porn on their format.

Bundy

I figured I'd wait a couple years and then get a PS3 for movies (something I'm sure a lot of others were considering). I was sure HD-DVD had lost. This is awesome news - it means that potentially I don't need to buy a PS3. It also means that Sony may need to compete in the console war on games alone instead of dominating later in the cycle because they have a freakn Blu Ray player.

MEEEGAAATROOOON!!!

JamesSorensen

stupid paramount, I'll just have to download the x264 HD rip then and play it on PS3 ... sorry, i would have been willing to pay your over inflated price for it as well ..

Snaileb

OPTIMUSSSSSSSSS!!!

Rogue Trooper

Please, just let one of them die already.

GuitarAtomik

I'LL RIP OUT YOUR OPTICS!!!

GuitarAtomik

oops. I broke it. sorry.

glitched

um, wasnt Steven Spielberg involved with transformers? so doesnt that mean this doesnt apply to transformers?

Husky Hog

personally i like HD dvd just because i have that adaptor for my 360. so go paramount! i'll totally go to your theme parks given the opportunity.

Bricfa

wait, paramount signs up for HDDVD and now HDDVD has a 4 studiio lead over blu ray? how does this add up?

This is ungood news for me as a ps3 owner. I kinda hope Bluray wins, so the ps3 will be more useful, and possibly cheaper and more popular.

wonky360

All this pissing around with 2 formats is great. No format will win in my view. By the time either has significant share a 3rd tech, probably some sorta compression or similar will mean we will download when we need and the physical disc will die out. I was kinda hoping for the 3D optical card system to shit all over this because of the price of the cards. This link is a bit old but you get the idea.

http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20050608/105586/

3D Optical cards get my vote.

alexkidd

@ James Sorenson - How do you get x264 files to play on your ps3? .mkv I thought does not work on the PS3.

Detry

Here you go, answers from engadget, 2 years ago.

The real answer is fuck them both up their stupid asses and as someone already said is for the price for the combo players to drop.

DVD +/- RW drives are standard now, and the same thing will probably happen with this crap.

AngelsDontBurn

KANEDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Jordan Devore

YOU'VE FAILED ME YET AGAIN, STARSCREAM!

bleep

This is only going to be an issue for a few years before
everything starts using Holographic Storage Tech.

h3lios

Well its a hilarious scene because MS is getting a fair bit of stick for not having higher capacity media in comparison to the PS3 for games. But on the movie front, things seem to go the other way around.

Either way, the studios are fucktards for pimping one format over another. It makes more sense for all movies to be out on all current forms of media and let the consumer make his choice. Which would usually be based on:

1. Cheaper retail price

OR

2. What's easiest available as a pirated copy.

So that way, all the technical hoo-haa is reduced to marketing rubbish (as far as average joe is concerned) and we can have this format war over faster than it is. This is fucking irritating.

cjpkiller

well, I find it funny that everyone was supporting blueray when the tech for it cost ten times more than it does now, and now that its been winning, and what not people have to switch back over...
I guess millions of dollars does stuff... the only true winners in the HD format war? the studios who go to the highest bidder.

Morrius

Fuck Micheal Bay.

That is all, please continue.

Otsegowupiwupi

wait... i dont get it... how does this change anything in the format war? HD-DVD was guna win anyways.

I mean, it IS the superior format and obvious choice in this war.

Joe Burling

The format wars will not be decided by a gaming console. It will be decided by standalone purchasers. This just proves that the format war will live on through 2009 and probably into 2010, giving standalone purchases to matter. We know that Wal-Mart will be selling really cheap standalone players soon. The first player to get at or below $100 will be the winner. I really thought that the Blockbuster announcement sealed HD-DVD's fate. This really does drastically change things because it buys HD-DVD time.

HD-DVD really is a better format anyways. I'd prefer to see it win.

prev	next 50 comments

Click connect and comment instantly!

get involved

register or login
post a blog
post a forum
enter a contest
contribute a news tip
suggest a feature
be a guest editor

support

new member's guide
login assistance
tech support
report abuse
email our editors
read our dev blog
nuclear crisis?

keep in touch

RSS feed
Twitter
Facebook
Myspace
Flickr
Game nights
Meetup+play online

seriously

about Destructoid
advertising
terms of use
privacy policy
jobs at MM
buy our crap

our network

Tomopop
Japanator
Despingation?

Destructoid is an independently-run publication forged by our love of video games and the gaming community's need of accountable enthusiast press
living the dream since March 16, 2006

New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds

Comments policy

Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?

Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!

Got news? tips@destructoid.com | Dtoid Twitter

New Videos

Mega64: Third GDC ad is straight out of Anthony Burch's mind

NaturalMotion guys explain Backbreaker in developer diary

Explore MLB 2K10's Total Control Pitching and Hitting

Naughty Bear does not approve of Peanut Butter Jelly Time

What happens if you hate BioShock 2?

A look at Supreme Commander 2's 'The Kraken' in action

Why not? Cloud Strife hacked into Smash Bros. Brawl

more videos

- The Dtoid Army is 56752 strong -

Showing Cblogs with 3+ faps show all

Call for entries: the Areas of my Expertise

New to Dtoid? Read the survival guide

Originals

Jim Sterling: How Aliens are blatantly better than Predators
Analyzing No More Heroes 2, part 2: The bosses, part 2

Destructoid interview: The music of BioShock 2

Indie games don't have to act like indie games

The art of The Journalism Show: Episode 03

Analyzing No More Heroes 2, part 1: The bosses

Ten things I didn't love about Final Fantasy XIII

Wah wah wah Sonic the Hedgehog 4!

Ten things I loved about Final Fantasy XIII

Rev Rant: Paragon/Renegade

Counterpoint: Mass Effect 2

The ugly truth: I may not be good at videogames

Is Heavy Rain doing videogames a disservice?

iPad: Likely to change gaming, just not yours

Rev Rant: the Wrex Paradox

The best indie games of '09 (that I forgot to mention)

Beyond Dead Space: Sledgehammer Games

How Darksiders is blatantly better than Zelda

The making of The Journalism Show: Episode 02

The simple math of review scores

More Destructoid Originals

We are Destructoid tips@destructoid.com
	Nick Chester Editor-in-Chief	Niero Founder, Big Boss
	Jim Sterling Reviews Editor	Hamza Aziz Community Manager
	Dale North News Editor	Rey Gutierrez Destructoid Video EIC
	Anthony Burch Features Editor	Brad Nicholson Managing Editor
	Tom Fronczak	Colette Bennett
	Ashley Davis	Ben Perlee
	Conrad Zimmerman	Chad Concelmo
	Jonathan Holmes	Jonathan Ross
	Brad Rice	Jordan Devore
	Will Maddock	Matthew Razak
	Josh Tolentino	Joseph Leray
	Topher Cantler	Samit Sarkar


	Adam Dork Daniel Lingen Hollie Bennett	Joe Burling Mikey Turvey