Nielsen VideoScan High-Def market share for week ending February 24th, 2008
American Gangster is the title to talk about on this week's edition of the Nielsen VideoScan numbers courtesy of Home Media Magazine. It's the title of the week because it has done something we wouldn't have dreamed possible, it easily took the number one spot on the charts outselling the best Blu-ray title Michael Clayton by almost 2:1. But this isn't as impressive as it seems because the DVD version of AG outsold the DVD version of MC by over 3:1. Regardless, this title single handedly kept HD DVD out of the teens in overall market share as the number two HD DVD (Transformers) this week only sold 6 percent as many copies. Meanwhile, We Own the Night wasn't able to hold off a few older Blu-ray titles -- obviously there was some sort of sale. We expect much of the same next week as HD DVD's final hot exclusive, Beowulf gets counted. But what will be reallying interesting is to see how well The Assassination of Jesse James sells on HD DVD. This title debuted at number two on the charts when it was released on Blu-ray three weeks ago, and will give us a better idea on how many HD DVD fans are still loyal to Red.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Richard @ Feb 29th 2008 4:35PM
zomg, hd-dvd is coming back! oh noez!
I guess if I knew software was going to be entirely discontinued for my HD-DVD player by summer, I'd be buying up all the good movies I could, too.
David S @ Feb 29th 2008 4:58PM
Paramount didn't get that memo.
severian00 @ Feb 29th 2008 8:56PM
More importantly, when is American Gangster coming to Blu. My guess is that it's around June.
DeadPlasmaCell @ Feb 29th 2008 4:55PM
Zombie HD-DVD FTW!
*sigh*
aaron @ Feb 29th 2008 5:06PM
it is really sad that a dead format can still have the best selling movie for a week after pretty much everybody has dropped it. just shows how little people care about hd movies in general.
DeadPlasmaCell @ Feb 29th 2008 5:11PM
True. I'm wondering when Engadget is going to start doing weekly DVD vs HDM charts, now that the HD format war is all but over with.
Leonardo DiCrapio @ Mar 1st 2008 8:02AM
DVD: American Gangster 100: Michael Clayton 31
Hi-Def: AG 100: MC 62
magnetozx @ Feb 29th 2008 11:46PM
@ DeadPlasmaCell
Engadget isn't the one who maintains this data, so asking them to provide DVD vs Blu Ray numbers isn't going to get anywhere. Engadget gets the numbers from Nielson Videoscan, so if you want to complain to someone, go to them.
magnetozx @ Feb 29th 2008 11:46PM
@ DeadPlasmaCell
Engadget isn't the one who maintains this data, so asking them to provide DVD vs Blu Ray numbers isn't going to get anywhere. Engadget gets the numbers from Nielson Videoscan, so if you want to complain to someone, go to them.
Blake @ Feb 29th 2008 5:20PM
Content ftw tbh!
Kimbo Slice @ Feb 29th 2008 5:26PM
Believe me, you don't want to see Blu-Ray vs DVD weekly sales. It wouldn't be pretty. Maybe in a year or two but at this point were talking about single digit percentages for Blu.
DeadPlasmaCell @ Feb 29th 2008 6:10PM
Exactly. The Fanboys need a reality check. And a DVD Fanboy invasion would be a nice change from HD-DVD & Blu-Ray fanboys going at each other.
/purple
Ben @ Feb 29th 2008 6:11PM
This is Engadget HD, we don't cover DVDs.
Me @ Feb 29th 2008 6:24PM
That's interesting that DVD isn't done here, yet it's mentioned in the article when it comes to discussing how well HD DVD did vs Blu-Ray.
Spiza @ Feb 29th 2008 8:05PM
There are DVDs with HD content though Ben, T2 (hmm, what was the one edition of like 50 called...) ultimate edition? You could play back at 1600x1200 or I think 1080.
Hans Martin @ Feb 29th 2008 5:29PM
Man this is just sad... Blu-Ray needs to push more than this if it's going to get mass adopted. It can't get whipped bu a dead format like this. Almost makes me feel bad for HD DVD-fans that got dumped *hard* by Paramount this week. What's up with Paramount? Competing against itself in alienating most customers?
No class Paramount will probably sell it's wildly overpriced Star Trek season 1 on us BluBoys next, as if that will help push the format forward.
Warner Brothers is the only classy studio involved in this whole format mess.
shawnmos @ Feb 29th 2008 5:41PM
It's because Blu-ray is still too expensive, and it doesn't look to be getting any better. With people being able to get an HD DVD player for $50 now I bet a few people were interested enough in picking it up just to get in on high def even knowing that HD DVD will be discontinued.
JimC @ Feb 29th 2008 6:24PM
Give me a break, had AG been on blu-ray, it would have outsold HDDVD handedly....get real people....
Mote @ Feb 29th 2008 6:57PM
Whipped? Are you looking at the same numbers everyone else is?
HD DVD lost this week. 1 title in the number spot a victory does not make.
Some of you people need to get a clue.
Chris @ Mar 4th 2008 12:59PM
The most populare movie of the week - is only available on HD-Dead, not blu... and it's so freaking amazing to everyone??? Sounds like bitter, bitter cry babies. Do any of you think if it had been released on blu that the HD-Dead would have out sold it?? NO ! so stop all the crying about it!
shawnmos @ Feb 29th 2008 5:36PM
Paramount is pretty stupid. Obviously people are still interested in buying HD DVDs. Why would they destroy their stock instead of selling everything they had left?
I also don't get why the previously HD DVD exclusive studios would drop the format so quickly. They are already set up to manufacture HD DVDs. I don't imagine that it would cost them much to continue. I'm sure that there would be enough sales to keep HD DVD production going along with Blu-ray production.
That way people who are planing to adopt a format would know that Blu-ray has won and to get all of the movies you would need to buy a blu-ray player, but those of us who already bought HD DVD players would still be able to buy movies. Obviously there is still a demand. As long as there is a demand they should continue to release movies.
HD4ME @ Feb 29th 2008 6:21PM
It makes no sense at all, most likely it was a condition placed upon them by the BDA if they wanted to return to being Blu, burn HD DVD.
Mr. E @ Feb 29th 2008 11:01PM
There is no way the BDA would ever WANT to exclude a studio. That would be complete lunacy!
My guess is it's Paramount's way of trying to force HD DVD buyers over to Blu-ray as soon as possible. In a way it makes sense too, because now they can concentrate 100% on Blu-ray, but it does suck for the remaining HD DVD buyers.
shawnmos @ Feb 29th 2008 11:07PM
Except Paramount doesn't have any Blu-ray movies announced and they aren't expected to release any until the summer. In the mean time we won't be getting any high def Paramount releases.
DrXym @ Mar 2nd 2008 4:27AM
There is no point continuing to support a dead format if stores won't stock your titles, and a diminishing number of people actually buy it. Clearly Paramount & Universal are as sick of this war as everyone else and want to put it behind them.
MrGuru @ Feb 29th 2008 5:43PM
Night Creatures Call
And The Hd-Dvd Dead Start To Walk In Their Masquerade
There's No Escapin' The Jaws Of The Alien This Time
(They're Open Wide)
This Is The End Of Your Life
'Cause This Is Thriller, Thriller Night
And No One's Gonna Save You From The HD Dvd Beast About
Strike
You Know It's Thriller, Thriller Night
You're Fighting For Your Life Inside A Killer, Thriller
Tonight.....
HD4ME @ Feb 29th 2008 6:17PM
LOFL, 2 years of BR fanboys calling for the death of HD DVD because the format war was stopping HD media adoption, what a joke!
It just goes to show, all studios should have been purple from the start and let the consumer decide the outcome, any format relying on a games console for long term success is taking a huge gamble.
The problems are, BR players way to expensive, discs way to expensive, DVD is still so damn good, there isn't the need to change like there was VHS V DVD, DVD is available to every TV on the planet, BR is available to about 5% of TVs.
IMO the only way forward was with a cheap format, one that people would pick up even if they didn't give a shi* about HD media because it was cheap enough, why not buy it?
BR is a dead man walking, enjoy your niche market blu trolls, I am enjoying watching BR tank.
Unless of course sony withholds content from consumers like they did with HD DVD, withhold DVD and force consumers blu, of course sony wouldn't do that though, geez that would be anti consumer.
HD DVD first after everything that has happened and 23% market share, ROFLMFAO!!
Blake @ Feb 29th 2008 6:29PM
tissue?
you must have a degree in crappola!
HD4ME @ Feb 29th 2008 6:37PM
Instead of acting like a goose, please tell me how I'm wrong?
Maybe it's you with the degree in crappola.
nin @ Feb 29th 2008 6:59PM
Link?
You expect everyone on earth to go buy a Blu-ray player this week? It took DVD a couple years to get to a real good market penetration and affordable price. Check this out I can make baseless claims about a new technology too. Slingbox HD will reach a higher market penetration compared to Cable STBs. because streaming and DD are the future. OOOOOO! Amazing. Now can you refute that? No. I'm HD4ME and I have a sandy V cause HD-DVD lost, whine, whine. I have an idea STFU and come back in a year or two when you have real proof one way or another.
magnetozx @ Mar 1st 2008 12:07AM
Your argument is terribly flawed. According to your logic, no new technology would ever get adopted because it's always too expensive. DVD should not have been adopted because it was super expensive when it first debuted. HDTVs should have never been adopted because they were too expensive initially. But of course, both of those technologies WERE adopted, and the price on each has gone down considerably. It's a proven fact that the longer a technology is around, the less it costs to manufacture, and the cheaper it gets for the consumer.
Is Blu-Ray ready for mainstream adoption now? No, of course not. It's only a two-year-old format. But it will be adopted eventually. And you know what will drive the sales of Blu-Ray? The tremendous surge in sales for HDTVs. As more and more consumers purchase HDTVs and HD service, they will want HD discs.
corey smith @ Mar 2nd 2008 12:29AM
sandy V- LOL!!!
DrXym @ Mar 2nd 2008 4:46AM
HD4ME, You're dredging up the same nonsensical arguments as Truth Teller. Whining about the price of players totally misses the point. DVD players were expensive in their day yet DVD is ubiquitous now. Want to know how much my first DVD player cost? Five hundred and fifty pounds. Discs were more expensive too because early adopters will buy any old crap.
Prices drop as selection increases and the format enters the mainstream. It happened for DVD and it will happen for Blu Ray. There are over a dozen CE firms, hundreds of retailers and every single studio competing for your blu ray bucks. Prices are dropping through competition. Which is the way it should be, not through someone like Toshiba massively subsidizing its players.
Clearly Toshiba horribly misjudged its strategy by chasing a market that wasn't there yet and losing piles of cash. Blu Ray players are already quite affordable for the early adopters who want them and they'll be affordable to the mainstream before the year is out.
Raptor007 @ Feb 29th 2008 7:04PM
I gotta say, I expected the HD-DVD percentage to climb because of clearance sales. But for a new HD-DVD release to take top spot now?? I did not see that coming.
JVirg1 @ Feb 29th 2008 7:22PM
Pretty pathetic actually for Blu-Ray to get beat by a dead format. Too funny. I guess they can buy victory in a format war, but they just can't sell units.
Anthony Pivac @ Feb 29th 2008 7:35PM
What do you mean got beat? It was just one title. Now if the total percentage was in HD DVD's favour, then it would have beat Blu-ray. This was an anticipated release, nd I think most HD DVD owners wanted a copy so you would assume it would take out the honours.
HD4ME @ Feb 29th 2008 8:04PM
If the USA gets the gold medal, first place,at the Olympics but the Russians filled the next 10 spots, does that mean Russia won?
Cut it anyway you want, a dead format trumped blu ray this week, lol!
JimC @ Feb 29th 2008 9:35PM
Guys it's been a rough month for HDDVD fans, let the boys have their last "victory" if they want to call it, it cute, look at him, all giddy with excitement ready to take on the world, isn't just special!
Xyzzy @ Feb 29th 2008 8:12PM
One thing to note -- BDA didn't have any "BOGO" sales this week to counteract American Gangster. Why? Because HD DVD is "dead."
rg23 @ Feb 29th 2008 8:48PM
Beowulf will be number one next week.
Jim @ Feb 29th 2008 10:33PM
I don't understand why people BUY dvd's (other than kids movies, AT ALL.
MI @ Mar 1st 2008 3:29AM
I just think it's telling that we can have the Nielson numbers thread only have 37 posts 12 hours after being posted. A couple weeks ago we would have had 200 easily by now. At least HD4NobodyInParticular is still out here trying to fan the flames.
Let's see how the numbers are on March 14th. :)
p @ Mar 1st 2008 5:02AM
HD4ME
I don't know where all this bad feeling comes from... I understand how you and other HD DVD adopters might be upset, but when things don't go your way, which happens often in life, you've just got to brush yourself down and get on with whatever you think is the best for you.
I personally am quite upset for HD DVD adopters - it was a great format that just didn't quite make it due to a number of reasons. I went the path of BD and would also have been very annoyed if my player and discs were deemed "obsolete" and unworthy by the industry. Do you really wish the same fate on your BD counterparts, many of whom you have plenty in common with e.g. the enjoyment of HD movies in your home? I certainly didn't wish it on HD DVD - if there were some way the two formats could co-exist then that would have been great - but apparently that's impossible.
Surely it's in all AV enthusiasts' interests to get behind the remaining HD format? Only then will we have a voice that can be heard by the corporates - consumer demands can and will result in low costs, multi-region players, 1080p extras, etc.
Leonardo DiCrapio @ Mar 1st 2008 8:07AM
i'm not unhappy with my rca hd dvd player purchase (which i admittedly bought in like new condition off of ebay for about $90 which included shipping). the only blu-ray players i am considering are the panasonic dmp-bd50 (msrp $600) which comes out in april and the sony bd550 (msrp $500) which is supposed to come out in the third quarter. i would probably buy either of those for under $300 (i'd like to get one for under $200, but i think it may be possible to get one of those for close to $300 in 2008).
Jove @ Mar 1st 2008 10:06AM
tell you what, i definetly didnt see this comming. for the first time an hd dvd outsells a blu ray to the point that it climbs to the top spot, after the format was abandoned. talk about irony. hope those who bought it enjoy it!
jitty @ Mar 2nd 2008 12:02AM
Umm... how exactly did HD-DVD win this week? It got outsold by more than 4 to 1. Sure one title beet all other blu-ray but that's exactly it. ONE title. The other 9 blu-ray titles in the top ten and the absence of any other HD-DVD titles in the top 10 isn't insignificant.
Larry @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:55AM
It just goes to show how weak the sales of Blu-Ray are despite winning the scuffle.
Chaz @ Mar 4th 2008 10:37AM
another example of how corporate politics decided the winner of this format war, not the consumers. The Attache rate of HD-DVD to HD-DVD player blew Blu-ray away. Ah well, glad I bought both a PS3 and a 360.
minimalist @ Mar 1st 2008 5:14PM
When have corporate politics NOT been involved? Better refresh your DVD history that format was so pure and blameless. Same with Toshiba and it's HD-DVD dealings. Everyone's got skeletons in the closet. And the skeletons are just as much part of the marketplace as consumer choice.
Chris @ Mar 4th 2008 1:05PM
Popular Movie + Available only on HD-DEAD = a spot on the top chart of HD only releases.. WTF It's not ROCKET SCIENCE and HD-DEAD didn't do anything to make it happen.