The current war between HD-DVD and Blu-ray is mostly taking place on two fronts. The first front was initiated recently and deals with the ob-going war for HD video standalone player, with price decreasing faster than expected while providing future-rich models.The second front is in Hollywood, where both alliances try to convince studios to offer their movie catalog exclusively on a single HD format. This race for signing up exclusive agreement is the basis for the European Union's antitrust regulator to initiate investigation leading to a potential future action. The EU representative sent letters to studios asking for further information about possible restrictive agreements with one of the two blue laser HD video Alliances.
Currently, studio's agreements are as follow:
- Exclusively on BD: Sony Pictures Entertainment, Walt Disney Co., Twentieth Century Fox, Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. and MGM
- Exclusively on HD-DVD: Universal Pictures
- Both BD and HD-DVD: Paramount Pictures and Time Warner
The DVD Forum might be initiator of such action launched by the EU's antitrust regulator, and it comes right at the time when BD format is taking over the leadership position for HD movie retailed format. In addition, the BD Alliance has to face reports from consumers who are complaining about compatibility issue with some interactive BD movies on some currently available BD players
In an ideal world, both Alliance would have teamed up and released a single format taking advantages of both systems and not relying on some obscure agreements that could involve some barely legal financial interests.
