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Rumor: Warner Paid $500 Million To Go Blu-Ray

According to campaignhd.com, Warner was set to go HD-DVD exclusive and so was Fox. However, they were paid a heaping pile of cash from BDA to go Blu-Ray. Here's the quote from the mysterious report of the payoff:

"According to a trusted source that was close to the negotiations, Warner and FOX were working on a deal to go Exclusive to HD DVD as recent as last week. Our source tells us that Warner was only willing to go to HD DVD if FOX would go with them. Their thinking was if they just went to HD DVD by themselves, it would not end the format war. Early this week FOX was paid an undisclosed amount to remain exclusive to Blu-ray. With the FOX deal falling through, Warner had no choice but to accept the BDA's $500 Million offer to go Blu-ray exclusive. We do wonder if FOX was just playing the HD DVD side, while having no intentions of ever switching."

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campaignhd.com

[via thebitbag.com]

Alternative Sources:

Warner Swayed By $500 Milli... - formatwarcentral.com | By: MrSwede

predator - contributor
Published: 710 days 13 hours ago | Rumors | Tech

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scrillakiller - 710 days 14 hours ago

1 -

payed or not who gives?point is hddvd is done and finally we havea winner.now everyone be happy and go get ur bluray player or ps3.her come the wounded xbox nites.rememmber toshiba/microsoft did it

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xhi4 - 710 days 13 hours ago

1.1 - TAKE A LOOK AT

http://www.n4g.com/industry...

"In addressing the oft-rumored "marketing compensation" paid to studios for switching high-def sides (aka payola), Tsujihara laughed and joked that he had heard these rumors too and was anxious to see such a check. "It's not a bidding war," he said. "It's all about what's best strategically for us." That said, he curiously didn't outright state that no payment had been received by Warner for dumping HD DVD. Not that it matters, I suppose. All's fair in love and home video."

he says.......no. loley i luv ma blu

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Jenzo - 710 days 13 hours ago

1.2 -

All large companies use lobbyism. Microsoft, Sony, Warner, Toshiba, Enron, Halliburton etc. It would be ignorant to believe otherwise.

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1.3 TANOD | 710 days 12 hours ago - User only got 1 bubble - Show

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cloud360-7th_account - 710 days 12 hours ago

1.4 -

What pile of sh8t is this now.

Everyone know Sony Own 20th Century Fox. So what crap are they talking if they went as well

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rofldings - 710 days 12 hours ago

1.5 -

Let's see... am I going to trust Warner or some backwater blog run by HD-DVD fanboys ...

Looks like someone's a little butt hurt about their format losing.

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cuco33 - 710 days 11 hours ago

1.6 -

Both sides offered big money for Warner. I've read more into it and WB apparently was set to go HD DVD exclusive since HD DVD was also paying off Fox to switch. WB wouldn't switch unless they knew a format victory was soon to follow. BDA paid Fox to stay (apparently) and paid WB to go BD exclusive.

$500million and the tarnishing of the Playstation gaming brand is what it cost to win the HDM war. Anyone who thinks WB wasn't paid off... lay off the crack pipe.

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Nuclearwinter - 710 days 11 hours ago

1.7 - @Cuco

Even if this was true, Paramount gets paid 150m and all you pro HDDVD people say it's good business blah blah. Then this rumor starts and you all act like they should be lined up and shot over it because your format is effectively dead

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sonarus - 710 days 9 hours ago

1.8 -

i find this questionable. Blu ray association might have paid warner but Fox trying to switch sides raises eyebrows and makes the whole rumor questionable. Fox has been a really huge blu ray supporter. They are memebers of the blu ray association and then funny how the figures were 250 mill then doubled to 500mill anyway who cares. game over blu ray wins too bad

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marinelife9 - 710 days 9 hours ago

1.9 -

LOL there goes that reliable internet source spilling the beans again. I heard from a reliable trusted internet source that Warner was given a free Blu-Ray bag and pen and the execs got taken out to Cracker Barrell to seal the deal. You can find the source here.

http://www.n4g.com/tech/New...

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marinelife9 - 710 days 9 hours ago

1.10 -

They ignore what the exec himself says and just make up their own story.

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BrianC6234 - 709 days 23 hours ago

1.11 -

This sounds like a lame rumor started by the same people who paid off Paramount. I doubt Bill Gates would do this to help Sony. He did it to help Toshiba and try to hurt Sony. Face it, only Microsoft can afford to do something like this.

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ITR - 709 days 18 hours ago

1.12 -

You guys kill me.
Most of you that say there was no pay off are the same ones that condemned the HD group for paying for Paramount. Who had execs saying we did not get payed off. lol
If you guys don't think money changed hands your very naive.
Once Paramount set the precedent WB and others followed.
WB and Fox went with the highest bidder.

I know for the last two months Fox and Disney have gotten courted by the HD group.
(Or at least that's what was rumored on many sites)
So you know money was flashed.

I guess if you threw a billion at each studio they probably change sided right now. lol
As it would be seed money for 1-2 big movies for any studio.

HD Group should've bid higher. end of story.

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robep3 - 709 days 17 hours ago

1.13 - $500M my a*@£......

LOL a report on FORMAT WAR CENTRAL that sounds a reliable site!!!
Have a look at the buget for a blockbuster movie, $150m (Paramount)
or $500m (WB, which has been said to be lies) wont cover the costs of
many movies.Once the Paramount deal expires and they start to release on Blu-ray again HD-DVD really has nowhere to go.
Blu-ray sells more copies of a movie its that simple thats why they went with the format which will make more money for them, AND before the HD DVD bots reply production costs are about the same and in the UK both formats cost the SAME!!!!!!!.

Rob.

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1.14 godofthunder10 | 709 days 15 hours ago - User only got 1 bubble - Show

2 aaquib5 | 710 days 14 hours ago - User only got 1 bubble - Show

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EZCheez - 710 days 13 hours ago

2.1 - Agreed

I don't care what they had to do. It's obvious now that it's been done just how important having WB goes exclusive really was. Even if it is true, that just means it took $500 million to get rid of HD-DVD. If that's what it costs, then so be it. It's not like any of it came out of my pocket.

This isn't even important anymore.

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Raptors - 710 days 10 hours ago

2.2 -

Well Hd did it with Paramount so its no surprise this happened as well. Well in the end, I own a ps3 and opted to wait to see if Id get the hd dvd add on for the 360. Good judgment on my part. Kinda funny how all the sony fanatics (Tanod especially) are downplaying the bribe story when they were ready to hang someone about the original bribe with paramount.

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vloeistof - 710 days 14 hours ago

3 -

cool lol

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Shadow Flare - 710 days 14 hours ago

4 - That just sounds completely lame to me

Ok, it sounds plausible. Maybe, but theres one thing that just sounds like a load of crap to me. "Warner and FOX were working on a deal to go Exclusive to HD DVD". Why? Why. Warner were staying neutral for ages to see which format came out dominent. Bluray came out dominent. Warner goes bluray exclusive. And from the official press statement Warner released, it sounds like they went bluray for the right reasons. I don't deny maybe some payent was involved to further attract them, because im sure Toshiba were also making some offers. But i just don't see why Warner and FOX(???) would WANT to go HD-DVD when it sells alot less and is losing. Paramount only went to HD-DVD because Toshiba held a $150,000,000 carrot in front of their donkey ass face. And all companies know that the war needs to end sooner rather then later, Warner knew that better then anyone. Still, none of it matters because the war is over. This article just sounds like a carefully contrived HD-DVD supporter whose got a bad taste in his mouth. Most probably vomit from reading the news yesterday.

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n_n - 710 days 10 hours ago

4.1 - haha

perfectly said... it's fine when the side you chose does one thing but it's not if the other side follows suit... if BDA paid anyone off that's awesome.. it's karma.. and karma isn't sweet

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Odion - 710 days 14 hours ago

5 -

why would Xbox people care? I am just happy people won't be posting stupid HD format news crap anymore

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captainpwn - 710 days 14 hours ago

5.1 - Captain PWN smells jealousy

Mad that HD DVD lost, Odion? No more sucking Billy? Going to make your own decisions, huh Odion?

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Odion - 710 days 13 hours ago

5.2 -

what Jealousy lol, I don't own a HD-DvD or a blue ray player and I don't care about about the format war, its people like you who are angry cause because your all up and arms celebrating, and no one else cares.

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Hatchetforce - 710 days 11 hours ago

5.3 -

You cared enough to post several times so your own actions make you a liar.

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tatotiburon - 710 days 11 hours ago

5.4 -

they have to be happy my friend because in the gaming world they just finished a horrible 2007 with lack of games (PS3)

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aiphanes - 710 days 11 hours ago

5.5 - Oh hear we go again a wanna be xbot saying the Ps3 HAD NO games in 2007..

Warhawk, Uncharted, Ut3, Ratchet and clank, super stardust HD, motorstorm, ninja gaiden sigma, heavenly sword, oblivion, COD4, velocity bowling...

that is only 2007...

You wanna be xbots do not want to look at this year 2008....because the PS3 releases are gonna be of the chain!

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5.6 HarryEtTubMan | 710 days 10 hours ago - User only got 1 bubble - Show

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n_n - 710 days 10 hours ago

5.7 -

lmao... the ps3's been doing awesome having 2 others to rival while ms had on new gen to rival for a year and yet all the 1st gen ps3 games look as good as the 2nd gen 360 games... no games? lmao... keep lying to yourselves to make yourselves happy...

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Jack Bauer - 710 days 13 hours ago

6 -

this makes no sense to me... sounds like the last dieing breathes of the HD DUD fanboys.

Edit: why would Fox and Warner go to HD DVD exclusive, both were already on board with bluray (had facilities for Blu) and Blu sells better with like ~60/40 in favor of blu according to nielson... and blu arrived later than hd dvd...unless it was a bluff to get a payoff from BDA, which if rumors of a payoff are true, it worked.

This would have just put the format war into more of a stalemate then it was in, and WB said that they were looking at the best interest of the industry, which is what i believe is right.

Emphasising... LAST DIEING BREATH OF HD DVD FANBOYS, they need something to justify their poor investment.

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gdguide - 710 days 13 hours ago

7 -

LOL! So these companies said they would wait and see sales during the holidays... So BR wins like 69 to 31, and these companies decide to go HD DVD until they get bribed to choose the by far most popular format during the holidays? Talk about a sour grapes story. BR won the support because of sales, plain and simple.

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Action Bastard - 710 days 13 hours ago

8 -

If it's good enough for HD DVD, why not?

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v1c1ous - 710 days 13 hours ago

9 - it's nice

but i'm still not gonna buy an hd player until they stop costing an arm. the leg part is gone but...you know

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hotshot127 - 710 days 13 hours ago

10 - this is sad. you 360/hddvd fanboys need to stop cryin.....................ITS OVER.

this is just some poor excuse so you guys can feel better.

all it would have done is stalemated it, even more. you guys are pathectic and and are sounding more pathectic as each new day comes in 2008.

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PS3n360 - 710 days 1 hour ago

10.1 - I am not sure what your talking about

I don't see any tears being shed. I think Sony fanboys are making a bigger deal out of this than is neccesary. Nobody really cares. So this is a victory for sony. I am happy cause now I can justify keeping my PS3 bluray player, but honestly I play games on my 360 and watch movies on my ps3. As gamers Sony fanboys should be as embarrassed as anyone to be wrapped up in all this. To each his own. I am glad the war is over now I can start building a collection.

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MK_Red - 710 days 13 hours ago

11 -

While Warner did deny this, with stronger and rather evidence news of Fox being paid in the first place, this doesn't seem too unreal.
Still, I believe that Fox is the one that got paid long ago (Fox was with Sony from the start and back then there was no advantage for Blu over HD-DVD) while Warner did this mostly because of Blu's success.

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MrSwede - 710 days 13 hours ago

11.1 -

Shall we post a "Rumor Debunk" story? :)

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Maddens Raiders - 710 days 13 hours ago

12 - I stopped reading -

after, "the quote from the mysterious report..."

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EZCheez - 710 days 13 hours ago

12.1 - I'm amazed

You read that much.

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jorellpogi - 710 days 13 hours ago

12.2 -

I continued reading until, "According to a trusted source ..."

Sore losers I say

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Kigmal - 710 days 13 hours ago

12.3 -

bubble for EZCheez, god that was halarious LOL!!!!

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Anego Montoya FTMFW - 710 days 13 hours ago

12.4 - haha

i`m not even gonna read it. LOL.

on topic:

Who cares?

Not me.

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predator - 710 days 13 hours ago

13 -

ill still be buyin hd dvd movies till thay stop selling them alltogether

Edit: i have both formats but i did prefer hd dvd so intill they dont make films for it il still buy them, i prefer the picture on hd dvd, tho rush hour 3 was good on blu

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Jandre02 - 710 days 13 hours ago

13.1 - Good for you sir

No joking or sarcasm at all in this. It would be cool to show your kids in a few years an antique HD-DVD player.

I think I am going to keep mine to show my son in a few years
(He will be born next March.)
Whoops I mean this March, I keep forgetting its 2008 already.

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TripleTags - 710 days 13 hours ago

14 - just glad its over

now just give me the matrix collection on blu-ray!

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Captain Tuttle - 710 days 13 hours ago

15 - Fine...

Blu-Ray won. Congratulations. Now let's get back to gaming news on this site.

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Anego Montoya FTMFW - 710 days 13 hours ago

15.1 - yes.

great comment.

so simple, so true.

bubble.

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Kigmal - 710 days 13 hours ago

15.2 -

I see I'm not the only one here who wants the same thing.

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Kigmal - 710 days 13 hours ago

15.3 -

I see I'm not the only one here who wants the same thing.

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Ashta - 710 days 13 hours ago

16 - O_o..

This is a hit piece set to try and attack the BDA. After the whole stink applied to the Paramount/Dreamworks deal to go HD-DVD )despite its losing numbers) this must be the "evaluated steps" that the HD-DVD group was talking about when they cancelled their CES event.

Also, Warner already debunked this and said they didn't take any payoff to switch to BR exclusive. However, despite the claims that Toshiba/Microsoft paid off Paramount they have NEVER denied those claims.

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