Stringer declares stalemate in Blu-ray war

The Sony USA CEO says that the HD DVD and Blu-ray video formats are locked in a battle neither can win.

Aside from playing games, Sony's PlayStation 3 console also lets gamers play Blu-ray Disc movies, in competition with the HD DVD format favoured by Microsoft.

The two have been locked in their own format war, and are fighting to be the consumer's next choice after the current-generation favourite, DVD. HD DVD is backed by Microsoft and Toshiba; Blu-ray by Sony and Panasonic.

In June, major video-rental store Blockbuster said it would be opting for Blu-ray in stores, and many would not have the HD DVD format at all. The company cited the fact that the PlayStation 3 uses Blu-ray as one of the reasons for its decision. In August, it was reported that Blu-ray was outselling HD DVD by 2-to-1.

However, also in August, major motion-picture company Paramount Pictures decided to back HD DVD, and ceased production of most of its Blu-ray movies.

Howard Stringer, Sony Corporation of America's CEO, told the AP news agency that he believes the two formats are now at a stalemate. "It's been a difficult fight. We were trying to win on the merits, which we were doing for a while, until Paramount changed sides." However, Stringer said that he believed it was mainly a matter of prestige, and that it would ultimately not matter which format won out in the end.

He also said that he wished he could travel back in time to before he was made CEO of the company, when he believes there was a chance to unite the camps into one format.

347 Comments

  • elagricola

    Posted Nov 28, 2007 12:14 pm PT

    Funny thing!!!!! Actualy very funny!!! My local Blockbuster has BD movies for rent yet eventhough the cited the PS3 as being capable of playinf BD movies as their reason for carring them, they don't have PS3 games...... I'm sure Blockbuster was paid for this exclusive...

  • timothyt

    Posted Nov 13, 2007 6:31 am PT

    I wonder if it's too late for them to get together and, if not agree on a single format, at least agree on a joint licensing arrangement where player manufacturers and content IP holders can buy a single "HD" license and produce multi-format players and either form of disk depending on size and manufacturing requirements.

    If they don't, I think both formats will lose and downloadable HD will be the only winner. I'm ok with that happening but it would be a shame to see so much work that both camps have done just completely go to waste.

  • Turbosvans

    Posted Nov 13, 2007 5:24 am PT

    Johnmetclaf: .. Do you seriously believe that George Lucas is the one deciding what format the Star Wars-movies will be released on..? George Lucas is a Director, not a filmcompany CEO, it's not for him to decide..

  • darthogre

    Posted Nov 12, 2007 12:53 pm PT

    I find this story odd......I keep reading in every report how he said they are in a stalemate. Yet all the quotes from the guy, just like this very story, say nothing about stalemate. Oh I see....people state "the AP newss agency" is the one that is reporting that. If that's the case please give the exact words. It's funny how media like to spin what someone said by putting words in their mouth. Just from the quotes this story uses there is nothing about "stalemate". BR side just beat the brains out of HD sales last week 71% to 29%....you call that a stalemate? Either the CEO was misunderstood or people need to look at the sales. Their is no stalemate when the Bluray side has won every week this year in sales. Multiformat releases average almost 2:1 sales in favor of Bluray. Stalemate?

    Definition of stalemate is not having the ability to do anything to win....right now HD is GIVING their players away for free as well as software and they still are behind in sales. BR side hasn't even done anything like that besides the $399 PS3. Reporters need to look up the definition of stalemate lol.

  • Slayer420

    Posted Nov 12, 2007 12:34 pm PT

    I almost jumped on the HDDVD bandwagon recently. Walmart had the Xbox HD-DVD player packaged with season 1 of Heroes plus the 5 free movies for around $180. In the end I realized I didn't need to pay almost $200 for a new player when I have very little interest in potentially backing the wrong side. Maybe in a year or so I will pick up a multi-format player for under $100 and be set. Until then it just isn't worth it for me right now.

  • Slayer420

    Posted Nov 12, 2007 12:30 pm PT

    I almost jumped on the HDDVD bandwagon recently. Walmart had the Xbox HD-DVD player packaged with season 1 of Heroes plus the 5 free movies for around $180. In the end I realized I didn't need to pay almost $200 for a new player when I have very little interest in potentially backing the wrong side. Maybe in a year or so I will pick up a multi-format player for under $100 and be set. Until then it just isn't worth it for me right now.

  • Azhar85

    Posted Nov 12, 2007 9:04 am PT

    it's too early to decide....wait until 3 years from now when hd dvd and blu ray drop down their prices..then we can decide which media win....in fact not all people in the world today use hd tv as their standard tv...they still use crt tv...which mean..DVD is the best media until now...haha..

  • Some_One_Plays

    Posted Nov 12, 2007 8:23 am PT

    Blu-Ray is going to win people are going to want convenance when buying boxed seasons. It also always show 1080p for every movie HD DVD does it some times. Blu-Ray is going to win no matter what if it doesn't we'll be taking a step backwards in technology.

    Games like Killzone 2 wouldn't be possible and others this format (Blu-Ray) is here to stay.

  • johnmetcalf

    Posted Nov 12, 2007 7:13 am PT

    I feel like the winner of the format wars could be settled or continued by one man. That man would be George Lucas. What ever format he chose to put the Star Wars films on would get a huge boost. But if he chose both formats then the war would continue on for no telling how long.

  • TheoleDominion1

    Posted Nov 12, 2007 3:28 am PT

    While they're fighting over formats I'll keep buying and renting regular DVD's. I don't have the slightest interest in switching over to either of them. I just now gotten to the point of 80% conversion of my VHS movies to DVD, and they want us to switch AGAIN? They're CRAZY!

  • pungaboy

    Posted Nov 12, 2007 12:48 am PT

    I talked to a friend at Blockbuster in Canada, where they have continued to stock HD-DVDs and Blu_Ray. She said that they're neck-to-neck in terms of rentals Canada-wide. She also said that all the HD renters she has talked to either own an X-Box or a PS3 so it would seem that for now, the rentals are essentially all driven by gamers. So I bet this format war all comes down to who wins the console wars this generation.

  • dirty55409

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 10:15 pm PT

    there'll be a 99 dollar HD-DVD player on sale the day after thanksgiving. lol not a bad price to jump at. I have a PS3 which I use for blu ray playing mostly and it's only better looking than normal DVDs when you're on a bigger tv mines 40" and I can tell a difference. DOn't commit to a side until this stupid format war is over.

  • xcollector

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 10:13 pm PT

    I some how don't think this christmas will determine a winner.

    The people who are not following the latest tech don't really care about this because the only thing that exist to them that they understand is DVD. As for the rest of us who do follow, the majority of us are angry about this split and not supporting either.

    As long as movie titles are exclusive neither format will win. You can't have exclusive movies. It just doesn't work that way. Movies and Video Games are not the same when it comes to the marketplace.

  • Devvy01

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 9:54 pm PT

    how hard can it be to make a dual format disc, comeon, discs cost nothing, stop raping the consumer world for every $ possible.

  • starcutter20000

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 9:24 pm PT

    I remain in my position just like everyone else should... Wait until one format goes away before you slap down the money to purchase a blu-ray or hd player. Unless you like to gamble in that case you have a 50/50 chance.

  • V-Nine

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 7:21 pm PT

    Like I really want LESS variety.

  • brigula

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 4:55 pm PT

    Upconvert DvD players look just as good and are way cheaper. 79.99 vs. 499.99

  • matrixman2k

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 4:17 pm PT

    Then why not call it even and both of them losers support each others format as both have strengths and weaknesses. And start bringing out them cheap 30 pound, china-made, samsung, goodmans, LG, alba and lite-on and any other cheap [very poor quality 6 months life] machine/brand you can think of. Oh and charge them next to nothing in royalties.

    That way you can bring this thing to the masses and all the mothers who are not technically minded into the equasion. I mean you win some, lose some. This will surely lower prices of blank media etc, etc.

    ...But no, it ain't gonna happen, they're too greedy i tell you!

  • rarson

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 3:15 pm PT

    I've been saying this all along. Neither side will win and it'll be a stalemate just like DVD+R and DVD-R.

    It seems like the people buying into the HD formats are just purchasing both players because of the fragmented movie libraries. And the rest of us just aren't bothering with it because we're happy with our standard-def DVDs. The market simply doesn't care enough to pick a winner, otherwise one format would have dominated by now.

  • Cloud_Strife37x

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 11:46 am PT

    Now our movies are becoming consoled...we won't be able to see Spider-Man 5 without Blu-Ray, or most likely a Paramount picture (Microsoft has bigggggggggg pockets) unless we have HD-DVD. Hopefully one will win over all the companies and one will get the movies we want to see.

  • ENDOT12123

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 10:41 am PT

    2bh i think all this hd hype is load of crap yh they look better but nothin 2 go out n spend £25 for a hd movie u can get for about £10 on dvd there jus dont seem no point untill the prices come down,

  • kerrman

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 10:11 am PT

    I own a PS3 and 360 HD-DVD player, and personally I think they're about the same
    Either way both formats are way too expensive so I only own 2 on each format and I continue to buy normal dvds..

  • D_K

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 10:06 am PT

    Bluetango your an idiot, or just dont own both a PS3 and 360.

    "I think MS did the smart thing and saved $$ by putting the standard def dvd in the 360. If HD DVD tanks, they can whip together another player and offer it as a separate component whereas the PS3 is rendered even more useless if BR goes belly-up."

    K well you realize that PS3 is also an up converting DVD player right? you can watch all you beloved standard DVD movies and choose if you want them at 1080p or not. plus it has a BD drive INCLUDED. non of this pay 150 bucks xtra and get a HD DVD player bs on the 360. Even if BD goes belly up, and the movie industry decides to go with HD DVD, sony and all other Dev's are still going to publish games on BD.
    Plus if HD DVD flops, you think it would be a bit contradictory if MS made an add on BD player that you need to buy for an xtra "X" amount of money? where by that time PS3 would have gone down even more in price and has BD included? pretty much if BD wins over HD DVD, and MS decided to make an add on BD player for 360, thats a guarenteed win in the "consul War" for PS3 in the long run.

    Dont get me wrong, im no fanboy here, i own both systems.
    all i know is that im am NEVER getting the HD DVD add on for the 360. it is simply not worth it imo. Everyone complain about the price of the PS3, yet it has BD included. if you want that on the 360 (HD DVD) you gonna end up paying MORE than the PS3 anyways. . . .awesome.
    Ill stick to my BD until it "Flops", which i think is highly unlikely.

  • Justforfun44

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 7:05 am PT

    HDTV is a growth business. NTSC (SDTV) is going away in early 2009. People buying new TV's will buy HDTV. Walmart sells HDTV now so it is definately going mainstream. To fully enjoy HDTV you need content. Adding an HD DVD drive which also upscales DVD for the price of a decent upscale DVD player is a no-brainer. If you say there is no difference between watching DVD, and HD DVD/Blu-Ray then you have never seen HDTV. HDTV is superior there is no camparison. Watch HDTV and you don't want to watch SDTV anymore. DVD was a great standard, but it is not great for HDTV owners. I own a few DVD's myself. However, I was always forced to buy the Widescreen enhanced DVD which many times costs nearly the same as my HD DVD movies. I watched Batman Begins, 300, and Transformers this week on HD DVD. Awesome video and sound! HD DVD or Blu-Ray will sell more as HDTV becomes the standard over the next year.

  • IguanaBob

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 4:07 am PT

    DonPerian don't hold you breath for HVD. According to wikipedia : "However, holographic drives are projected to initially cost around US$15,000, and a single disc around US$120-180, although prices are expected to fall steadily.[4] The market for this format is not initially for the common consumer, but enterprises with very large storage needs."

  • Sammojo

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 2:26 am PT

    "Major motion-picture company Paramount Pictures was given 150 million freaking dollars by microsoft to back HD-DVD for 12 months - which then they will be blu-ray exclusive after the 12 months"

    Is that true, can you provide a link?

  • Seraphim_24

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 11:02 pm PT

    You know not including the special features available on the Spider-Man 1&2 Blu Ray Discs when the DVD has them for half the price is certainly NOT going to help the Blu Ray cause. HD has LESS space, so why on earth do they have MORE special features? Why are there STILL bare bone Blu Ray Discs?! As far as I am concerned Sony owes me Spider-Man 1&2 Blu Ray WITH ALL THE SAME FEATURES THE DVD GOT. DVD 9 Gigs, Blue Ray 50 (in this case)... if they can fit on the DVD they can fit on the Blu Ray. The movie itself isn't enough to fill the entire disc. I know, I do video editing habitually.

  • callumohare posted Nov 10, 2007 8:46 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    callumohare

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 8:46 pm PT (hide)

    "major motion-picture company Paramount Pictures decided to back HD DVD"

    lmfao. More like "Major motion-picture company Paramount Pictures was given 150 million freaking dollars by microsoft to back HD-DVD for 12 months - which then they will be blu-ray exclusive after the 12 months"

    yes. blu owns.

  • Wurz1515

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 8:01 pm PT

    I like Blu-Ray simply because I own a PS3 and I find it too be the best quality. As a person who likes to get the best possible quality, I'll buy the Blu-ray version of a movie instead of a DVD because it looks and sounds a lot better. It's sad for some that can't see the difference but that's life.

  • Law_man

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 6:50 pm PT

    i resently bought a Bluray player and im very happy with it. while i was shopping for the bluray players, they were all sold out at best buy and they werent even carrying hd dvd players unless it was a bluray and hd dvd compatible player.

  • bluetango

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 5:26 pm PT

    I dunno what all the fuss is about on the user end. Both formats are kind of sad in terms of what you get for the amount of investment required in hardware. Just buy a decent upconverting DVD player and wait until the real next generation of high definition media emerges. HD-DVD? Nah. Blu-Ray? Forget it.

    Personally, I think both formats are test markets for things to come. Both formats seem to be ushered in prematurely by the emergence of next generation game consoles. It's in that regard that I think MS did the smart thing and saved $$ by putting the standard def dvd in the 360. If HD DVD tanks, they can whip together another player and offer it as a separate component whereas the PS3 is rendered even more useless if BR goes belly-up. This statement couple with the cease in Cell development has me worried about the future of gaming.

    Whether or not we are pro PS3, 360 or Wii is not the issue here. The current plethora of great games available is in-part a result of hardware-driven competition. Take away Sony and MS has a monopoly on next gen gaming. I wonder how many Bio Shock's and CoD4's we'll see once that happens.

  • Justforfun44

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 4:24 pm PT

    Actually, HD DVD is very close to DVD technology in the way data is stored. Which means HD DVD is just as tough as DVD. Blu-Ray on the other hand writes its data closer to the surface then has a protective coating sprayed on which is why BR disks are more expensive to make. The Blu-Ray protective coating is not as scratch resistant as HD DVD.

  • DonPerian

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 3:17 pm PT

    I agree with his statements. With HVDs coming out in less than 2 years, which can hold up to 1.6 terabytes and cost as much as a DVD, both of these format discs are close to useless.

  • peacenutman

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 3:03 pm PT

    All I know is that Blue-ray is very scratch resistant, unlike HD-DVD

  • barrett33

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 3:01 pm PT

    all of this is not even relevent to gaming. in media mabe but just because blu-ray doesnt take off doesnt mean jack about the ps3. i honestly think the majority of people arnt willing to go on from dvd right now. and as far as gaming goes blu-ray in the ps3 is actually kinda smart because its just steping up gaming to a new level. in the last few generations we have gone cartrige games then to cd games then to dvd games and now i dont see why blu-ray isnt a suitable upgrade for the next gen. blu-ray has so much more storage capabilities, this allows developers to not have to compact sound files and other files that they would have to condence if they wanted to make a multi dvd game. and in the end it just makes sence that if you record something on the highest quality disc and put it into a high quality drive you are going to get a higher quality picture. i think for gaming its just part of the next evolution.

    and in the end i really see no need to hate on sony for their non gaming products if your a fanboy of a particular system. just cuz i dont own a 360 doesnt mean i dont use windows on my pc. i love windows and hate mac. sony has provided some really good products in the past and i see no reason to resist new technology

  • darrrrk

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 2:09 pm PT

    "He wished he could travel back in time to before he was made CEO of the company, when he believes there was a chance to unite the camps into one format."

    LOL. That answers my question about what a CEO dreams.

    I can see Sony Pictures making another terrible Resident Evil movie with that story.

  • WeWerePirates

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 1:38 pm PT

    The fact the PS3 ever swung the balance at all says more about the pathetic up take on both formats than anything else. The "war" hasn't hit a stale mate, HD-DVD may have just won by hitting the $100 mark so soon and just before Christmas. If Sony can't match that by the end of the month they will probably never catch up to on the HD-DVD installed user base. Paramount factors in very little, their HD-DVD exclusive policy was time limited. Sony is desperate to salvage anything at this point they want a stale mate because it drops consumer confidence in both formats. While they will be unlikely to make Blu-Ray the dominant format they might be able to wheather out until combi players become the standard.

    This format war was always stupid, Sony coming up with their own format had little chance of winning, a lot to lose and managed to slow the adoption of both formats.

  • joshel

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 1:25 pm PT

    I think i'm gonna go with Blu-ray to be honest. They both can serve as high definition formats for movies, but blu-ray discs have the storage capacity that would probably benefit PC users and people in general in the years to come when maybe the amount of space on these disks will truly matter.

  • Justforfun44

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 12:39 pm PT

    I just purchased a Toshiba HD DVD for $99. Last weekend 100,000 Toshiba HD-A2 HD DVD units were purchased for this great price. The best selling Blu-Ray player took a year to sell 100,000. It is estimated that 60% of stand-alone HD players are HD DVD. HD DVD for $100-$300, or Blu-Ray for $499 and up? HD DVD has a serious price advantage. People want stand-alone players, and PS3 is not selling enough to change the outcome. My $99 HD DVD player is most excellent. I signed up for Netflix they already have 350 HD DVD movies. It's movie time!

  • surppo

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 12:00 pm PT

    i think it will look different after christmas but it really doesnt matter if ps3 uses the extra space to do more with games. i hope buy christmas o8 that sony at least shows us games that use the extra space for something cool

  • ski11buzz posted Nov 10, 2007 10:50 am PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    ski11buzz

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 10:50 am PT (hide)

    Blu-ray is better than Hd-dvd. wish the consumers knew that

  • PSYCH01

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 10:20 am PT

    I refuse to make a move on this till we can declare a winner... I don't want to be that guy stuck with a bunch of beta max tapes and can no longer find a working player

  • FLEEBS

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 8:56 am PT

    I wish someone would win already so I can make a purchase...

    All I'm saying is I don't want to buy both if movies are going to be exclusive to each format. That would be totally stupid.

  • Hector_01 posted Nov 10, 2007 8:43 am PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    Hector_01

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 8:43 am PT (hide)

    @ Brain-Dead360 Okay, I own a 360 and an HD-DVD add on, and as for me personally I wish HD-DVD will just roll over and die. Shocking, I know. The problem isn't the player or the quality of the movies, it's just that Blu-Ray has a far superior selection of titles that I want to see. Bottom line, I have the HD-DVD player which I'm stuck with, but if I want to unlock the full potential of next gen DVD entertainment, I'll still need to go out and buy a Blu-Ray Player.

    Hmmmmm, hd dvd doesnt have enough selection.....................sounds awfully similar to a ps3 when it comes to there games selection lol.

  • theNexus

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 8:07 am PT

    treelog187 your games need blu ray comments are untrue, developers have already said they do not need the space apart from Sony 1st party developers and of course they would say that.
    Everyone else says the current generation is fine and they do not need the space yet until the next generation of consoles and that will probably see Sony stick with blu ray still and Microsoft use HD

  • jayme22

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 8:06 am PT

    and that it would ultimately not matter which format won out in the end

    err how did he get the job of course he wants BR to win hes the sony CEO ffs

    outcome bogus/not bogus : bullcrap

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