This is pure speculation on my part, but I am now thinking that the people that run Warner Bros. are playing all the other studios in this formart "war".
Warner has something it wants to sell and that's TotalHD discs. There is a lot of money to be mined in those royality hills and Warner wants it. The only way to get it is to have two healthy formats. IMO, Warner is massaging HD DVD with a release schedule geared to its support. There is little doubt in my mind that Warner could have made more money with the Martrix by releassing it on both BD and HD DVD at the same time (right now) and then going back and rereleasing it on BD when the interactive features are ready for a double dip and more profit! A little short term pain for some long term gain seems to be the order of the day. Right now Warners can use the cover, or convenient excuse, that BD isn't ready for these releases yet, but I think Warner is really keeping HD DVD in the "game" to some extent for those royalities coming down the road.
Warner is now only studio selling lots of titles on both formats and probably making the most money. If it is its intention to keep HD DVD a viable format, and with its library and current production this is a distinct possibility with a little fine tuning of its release schedule, then this format "war" is a long term clash and the longer it goes on the possibility that exclusive studios will go where the money is and release on both formats becomes almost a given. If this does indeed happen then Warner will be ready to reap in its royalities from the sale of millions of TotalHD discs. This will be a win win situation for retailers (less shelf space), studios (making profits from everyone), and consumers (only having to buy one player).
Blu-Ray supporters feel that Wasrner's release schedule shows a bias in favour of HD DVD. Actually it shows a bias in favour of Warner Bros.
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Cheers,
Grant
Warner has something it wants to sell and that's TotalHD discs. There is a lot of money to be mined in those royality hills and Warner wants it. The only way to get it is to have two healthy formats. IMO, Warner is massaging HD DVD with a release schedule geared to its support. There is little doubt in my mind that Warner could have made more money with the Martrix by releassing it on both BD and HD DVD at the same time (right now) and then going back and rereleasing it on BD when the interactive features are ready for a double dip and more profit! A little short term pain for some long term gain seems to be the order of the day. Right now Warners can use the cover, or convenient excuse, that BD isn't ready for these releases yet, but I think Warner is really keeping HD DVD in the "game" to some extent for those royalities coming down the road.
Warner is now only studio selling lots of titles on both formats and probably making the most money. If it is its intention to keep HD DVD a viable format, and with its library and current production this is a distinct possibility with a little fine tuning of its release schedule, then this format "war" is a long term clash and the longer it goes on the possibility that exclusive studios will go where the money is and release on both formats becomes almost a given. If this does indeed happen then Warner will be ready to reap in its royalities from the sale of millions of TotalHD discs. This will be a win win situation for retailers (less shelf space), studios (making profits from everyone), and consumers (only having to buy one player).
Blu-Ray supporters feel that Wasrner's release schedule shows a bias in favour of HD DVD. Actually it shows a bias in favour of Warner Bros.
Cheers,
Grant
