HD DVD gained fresh ammunition for its battle with rival next-gen optical disc format Blu-ray Disc today when Paramount said it would support the format exclusively on a global basis. And since Paramount distributes Dreamworks' movies, they too will be HD DVD only going forward. Well, almost...

The spin doctors admitted: "Today’s announcement does not include films directed by Steven Spielberg as his films are not exclusive to either format."

Paramount was formerly one of two studios - the other is Warner - supporting both formats, so it's decision to put its weight behind just one of them is a victory for that format, the Spielberg angle notwithstanding.

Now we have Paramount and Universal firmly in the HD DVD camp, and Sony and 20th Century Fox backing Blu-ray exclusively. Warner remains on the fence, hoping to support both with dual releases for now before moving to its 'two formats, one disc' technology, TotalHD [1].

Dreamworks' co-founder - with said Steven Spielberg - Jeffrey Katzenberg said the move have been made because of the availability of cheap HD DVD players from Toshiba [2] and the format's array of popular titles, now including Paramount's Transformers and Dreamworks' Shrek the Third.

Still, Blu-ray has the hardware advantage - there are way more Blu-ray equipped PlayStation 3s out there than Toshiba HD DVD players - and while that hasn't translated into a big lead for Blu-ray in sales of pre-recorded discs, it's outselling HD DVD two discs to one [3].

Links

1. http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/01/10/warner_launches_total_hd_disc/
2. http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/08/08/thirdgen_hd_dvd/
3. http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/08/15/home_media_research/
4. http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/04/26/review_toshiba_hd-xe1/
5. http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/01/31/review_toshiba_hd-e1_hd_dvd_player/

Related stories

• DreamWorks switches to Intel for stereoscopic 3-D high (8 July 2008)

  http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/07/08/dreamworks_switches_to_intel_chips/

• Shrek studio looks to Toshiba to untie HD DVD bond (27 February 2008)

  http://www.reghardware.com/2008/02/27/dreamworks_paramount_and_tosh/

• Warner to back a single HD disc format? (10 December 2007)

  http://www.reghardware.com/2007/12/10/warner_to_go_single_format/

• Transformers director blames MS for HD DVD/Blu-ray format war (6 December 2007)

  http://www.reghardware.com/2007/12/06/bay_blames_ms/

• Warner puts Blu-ray, HD DVD combo disc 'on hold' (17 September 2007)

  http://www.reghardware.com/2007/09/17/warner_total_hd_hold/

• Samsung Blu-ray Disc player line blooms (30 August 2007)

  http://www.reghardware.com/2007/08/30/ifa_sams_bluray/

• Blu-ray trumps HD-DVD in USA (15 August 2007)

  http://www.reghardware.com/2007/08/15/home_media_research/

• Toshiba touts third-generation HD DVD (8 August 2007)

  http://www.reghardware.com/2007/08/08/thirdgen_hd_dvd/

• Denon sits on the fence in HD war (30 July 2007)

  http://www.reghardware.com/2007/07/30/denon_blu-ray/