Warner Bros. Abandons HD-DVD for Blu-ray Only

In response to consumer demand,
Warner Bros. Entertainment will release its high-definition DVD titles
exclusively in the Blu-ray disc format beginning later this year, it
was announced today by Barry Meyer, Chairman & CEO, Warner Bros.
and Kevin Tsujihara, President, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group.

“Warner Bros.’ move to exclusively release in the Blu-ray disc format
is a strategic decision focused on the long term and the most direct
way to give consumers what they want,” said Meyer. “The window of
opportunity for high-definition DVD could be missed if format confusion
continues to linger. We believe that exclusively distributing in
Blu-ray will further the potential for mass market success and
ultimately benefit retailers, producers, and most importantly,
consumers.”

Warner Home Video will continue to release its titles in standard DVD
format and Blu-ray. After a short window following their standard DVD
and Blu-ray releases, all new titles will continue to be released in HD
DVD until the end of May 2008.

“Warner Bros. has produced in both high-definition formats in an effort
to provide consumer choice, foster mainstream adoption and drive down
hardware prices,” said Jeff Bewkes, President and Chief Executive
Officer, Time Warner Inc., the parent company of Warner Bros.
Entertainment. “Today’s decision by Warner Bros. to distribute in a
single format comes at the right time and is the best decision both for
consumers and Time Warner.”

“A two-format landscape has led to consumer confusion and indifference
toward high definition, which has kept the technology from reaching
mass adoption and becoming the important revenue stream that it can be
for the industry,” said Tsujihara. “Consumers have clearly chosen
Blu-ray, and we believe that recognizing this preference is the right
step in making this great home entertainment experience accessible to
the widest possible audience. Warner Bros. has worked very closely with
the Toshiba Corporation in promoting high definition media and we have
enormous respect for their efforts. We look forward to working with
them on other projects in the future.”

 

Warner Bros. Entertainment