Qui Gon Jim

I agree too.

Mr. Cinema

With BD winning out, does anyone see this type of release scenario?

Studios drop the 2-disc Special Editions on dvds and release only a 1-disc movie only dvd edition. The BD then becomes the "special edition" and contains all of the special features.

Would they try this strategy to get more people to adopt BD?

cardaway

That's exactly how I think it will play out. We are already seeing BD exclusives that have nothing to do with tech features exclusive to BD.

IMO that's what is partially reponsible for getting a lot of people to switch to DVD before DVD's were cheap. I know it was one of the factors that got me to jump in. I wanted those DVD exclusive special features.

Qui Gon Jim

I have thought about this and it is intriguing. Maybe we'll see the two tier DVD release go away, and we'll see DVD SEs and even more packed BD versions. I don't think they will take SEs away altogether, but I could be wrong.

Perhaps There will be BB DVD and SE BD and then a few months later SE DVD (I'm looking at you, Fox).

Qui Gon Jim

If they do go to BB DVD though, they run the risk of conditioning the consumer to not giving a damn about special features, and that impacts the ability to double dip. It would be a slippery slope.

Jericho

I don't know about that. DVD has been around 11 years. A few new releases doesn't change an enormous amount of titles with extras. People have gotten used to what's out there, and some newer titles shouldn't change that.

Supermallet

This is exactly what Disney did with Ratatouille.

namja

J6P doesn't watch extras. Actually, J6P doesn't know what extras are.

gryffinmaster

Well, Cars was a single too. Perhaps that's why - preperation for the BD copy.

Adam Tyner

The folks at Pixar hinted that (to be more accurate, pretty much said that outright) when I was at their offices in '06 for the DVD release. In fact, the audio commentaries on the Blu-ray disc had been recorded before the movie had even been released theatrically!

RockStrongo

Yeah, they do.

J6P: "Aren't extras those little figures or pictures you get when you buy a DVD from Walmart or Best Buy?!?"

cardaway

In the case of Cars and Ratatouille my first thought was that the single SD disc was evidence that there would be a double dip or even just a way to throw the ability for bonus discs to different retailers. In fact that was the case with Cars. At least three different bonus discs for that one. But when Cars didn't get the typical double dip when Ratatouille came out it was clear to me that now an issue of saving things for BD. I wouldn't be surprised if the SD DVD of Wall-E was bascially bare bones with the BD being a two disc affair.

MrDs10e

I've yet to meet anyone who actually owns DVDs who is as stupid and oblivious as people claim this fictional "J6P" character is. It's ludicrous. There are people on both ends of the tech savvy spectrum who don't particularly care about extras, and people on both ends of the spectrum who do. I don't watch a lot of extras, but I certainly still care whether DVDs I buy have them. I like knowing I have them in case I should want to watch them at some point.

I wouldn't be surprised to see studios adopt this strategy of making SEs BD-only, but I'd be unhappy about it, and would look for some way to express my displeasure to them. Taking DVD backward is, IMO, not a fair or intelligent way to try to promote BD. But studios are often not fair, and occasionally not intelligent, so it wouldn't surprise me.

namja

Who are these fictional "J6P" you ask?

60% of PlayStation 3 owners are oblivious of Blu-ray:
http://www.ps3fanboy.com/2007/08/09/...us-of-blu-ray/

I'm gonna guess that MORE than 60% of the DVD player owners are oblivious of extras on DVDs.

Deftones

DVDs have extras?

giafunk

why would a BD release ever be a 2 disc with all the space to be had on 1? bleh

RoboDad

Well, to be fair, that "study" was conducted almost six months ago. During the Christmas shopping season of 2006, most Walmart stores didn't have the nifty HD DVD / Blu-ray aisle display with the continuously-running videos extolling their various and sundry features. So, many PS3 purchasers might very well have been oblivious at that time. This past season, however, it was there and running every time I went into the store, and the Blu-ray video mentioned the PS3 by name numerous times. I would be interested in what that oblivious percentage is today.

And, as far as >60% of DVD owners being oblivious to special features, I'd take that bet in a New York minute. Uninterested? Possibly. Oblivous? Not a chance.

kefrank

the same reason DVDs have 2-disc releases: to maximize the picture and audio quality of the film in addition to providing a host of quality extra features.

kefrank

i have to agree with Robo on this one. i'd definitely be willing to bet that more than 40% of DVD owners are aware of special features.

namja

Oh, that was the reason?
I thought it was just a marketing ploy.
It wasn't the (voiceover) "ON TWO DISC SPECIAL EDITION DVD ..." that sold a lot of titles?

RoboDad

[Voice-over guy]"In a world where DVDs are relegated to pathetic single-disc releases..."[/Voice-over guy]

namja

We joke about it now, but that would make a great BD commercial.

Fandango

This is only from a year ago but now it seems like ancient history:

Qui Gon Jim

I'll go on the record as STILL glad that never took root. Ugh.

kefrank

hehe, good point. in many cases, i'm sure it is mostly a marketing ploy. but, the reason i gave is also valid, in some cases. my point was mostly to just dispell the idea that more space on blu-ray means everything a studio could possibly want to include will fit on one disc, without possibly sacrificing some quality.