Los Angeles – Universal Studios Home Entertainment, one of Toshiba’s strongest partners in the launch of the HD DVD format, wasted little time in announcing plans to begin producing movies in the rival Blu-ray Disc format.
Hours after Toshiba’s official statement saying it has dropped further plans for HD DVD, the studio’s home entertainment unit president said Universal will now begin Blu-ray Disc production.
“The path for widespread adoption of the next-generation platform has finally become clear,” stated Craig Kornblau, president, Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Universal Pictures Digital Platforms. “Universal will continue its aggressive efforts to broaden awareness for hi-def’s unparalleled offerings in interactivity and connectivity, at an increasingly affordable price. The emergence of a single, high-definition format is cause for consumers, as well as the entire entertainment industry, to celebrate. While Universal values the close partnership we have shared with Toshiba, it is time to turn our focus to releasing new and catalog titles on Blu-ray.”
Paramount and DreamWorks Animation, which also supported HD DVD, have not yet announced their intensions for Blu-ray Disc. Paramount supported Blu-ray briefly, prior to throwing its exclusive support to HD DVD last year.
