There is some news on the HD DVD front too. Microsoft’s XBox 360 add-on HD DVD drive is dropping from $199 to $179 on August 1st, and they will extend Toshiba’s five free HD DVD ‘Perfect Offer’ to include the add-on.
Press Releases…
Jul 26, 2007 03:01 ET
HD DVD Goes Big at Comic-Con 2007: Hit Movies, Blockbuster TV Shows, and a Price Drop on the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player
Movie and TV fans get first look at Heroes: Season 1, 300, and STAR TREK: The Original Series on HD DVD
SAN DIEGO, July 26 /PRNewswire/ — The HD DVD Promotional Group today announced at Comic-Con International 2007 that companies supporting HD DVD showcased some of the most anticipated movie and TV titles for fantasy and sci-fi fans, including Heroes: Season 1 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment, 300 from Warner Home Video, and STAR TREK: The Original Series from CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Entertainment. Microsoft Corp. announced that it would reduce the price of its popular Xbox 360 HD DVD Player in the United States to $179, as well as adding five free HD DVD movies with the purchase of every player.
“HD DVD is the format of choice for great sci-fi content, from movies and hit TV shows to the classics,” said Ken Graffeo, co-president of the HD DVD Promotional Group. “Heroes: Season 1 and the original Star Trek series are only available on HD DVD, and blockbuster titles such as 300 have interactive features you can only find here. HD DVD is the format that caters to the fan base.”
Heroes: Season 1, available August 28th, 2007 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment, will offer exclusive features only on HD DVD, including a web-enabled Download Center, a Heroes Abilities Test, The Helix Revealed, Character Connections and Picture-in-Picture Commentary. The seven-disc HD DVD set provides a personal experience for viewers of television’s hottest must-see series and immerses them in the program. The exclusive interactive features showcase HD DVD web-connectivity which is a first for Universal and only the second title to include this new feature. HD DVD is the only high definition format that offers web connectivity today. The boxed set will retail for $99.98.
To drive more attention to the Heroes: Season 1 HD DVD boxed set, Xbox LIVE will offer the show’s pilot episode to its members for free for a limited time, courtesy of Xbox and Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Members will also be able to download trailers, teaser scenes and other promotional materials highlighting the Heroes: Season 1 boxed set on HD DVD. Xbox LIVE will also offer 300 on demand in HD starting August 14th, 2007 and is working with Warner Bros. on a “Bringing it Home” cross-promotional campaign.
To further sweeten the deal for Xbox 360 owners, Microsoft announced a price reduction on the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player in the United States to $179 effective August 1, keeping the player as the most affordable high definition drive on the market. In addition to the price drop, Microsoft is extending the highly successful “Perfect Offer” of five free HD DVD discs to Xbox 360 consumers. Previously exclusive to Toshiba HD DVD Players, with the purchase of an Xbox 360 HD DVD Player at the new low price of $179, consumers can choose five HD DVD titles for free from a selection of 15 popular titles via a mail-in offer.
For fans of the original Star Trek series, CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Entertainment announced the upcoming release of STAR TREK: The Original Series in a 10-disc HD DVD/DVD combo disc set. The completely remastered edition goes where no fan has gone before with pristine HD audio and video, and exclusive HD DVD interactive features including picture-in-picture video commentaries and an in-depth tour of the starship Enterprise. The combo disc format offers a high definition version on one side for playback on any HD DVD player, and a standard DVD version on the other side for playback on any DVD player. This historic boxed set goes on sale in time for the holidays on November 20, 2007 for the suggested retail price of $199.00.
About HD DVD
HD DVD is the next generation, post-DVD standard for high capacity, high definition optical discs, approved by the DVD Forum, which develops and defines DVD formats. Its more than 220 strong membership brings together leaders in movies and entertainment, computing, consumer electronics and software. HD DVD is fast becoming the primary visual medium for the age of high-definition TV. The North American HD DVD Promotional Group, Inc. is an organization established to promote the HD DVD format and educate consumers in North America. For more information and a complete listing of HD DVD launch titles please visit http://www.thelookandsoundofperfect.com/.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Source: HD DVD Promotional Group
CONTACT: Lauren Mayer of Weber Shandwick, +1-425-452-5400,
lmayer@webershandwick.com, or Jennifer Davis of Weber Shandwick,
+1-425-452-5400, jadavis@webershandwick.com, both for HD DVD Promotional
Group
Web site: http://www.thelookandsoundofperfect.com/
Jul 26, 2007 03:01 ET
Xbox 360 HD DVD Player Moves to $179, Adds Five Free HD DVDs
Xbox LIVE to promote HD DVD versions of ’300′ and ‘Heroes: Season 1.’
SAN DIEGO, July 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Today at Comic-Con International 2007, Microsoft Corp. announced it will lower the price of the popular Xbox 360(TM) HD DVD Player from $199 to $179 ERP (United States only) starting Aug. 1, 2007, and will add five free HD DVD movies for anyone purchasing an Xbox 360 HD DVD Player between Aug. 1 and Sept. 30. In addition, Microsoft further solidified the Xbox 360 as the ultimate high-definition (HD) entertainment platform, with key announcements around the HD DVD launches of “300″ from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group and “Heroes: Season 1″ from Universal Studios.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO )
To promote the HD DVD versions of “300″ and “Heroes: Season 1,” Microsoft unveiled exclusive content for Xbox LIVE(R) Marketplace. Xbox LIVE will offer “300″ on demand in HD starting Aug. 14, and is working with Warner Bros. at Comic-Con on a Bringing It Home campaign featuring “300″ and other Warner Bros. properties. In advance of the street date for the “Heroes: Season 1″ HD DVD boxed set, Xbox LIVE members will be able to download for free the show’s pilot episode in high definition for a limited time. Members will also be able to download trailers, teaser scenes and other promotional materials highlighting the “Heroes: Season 1″ boxed set on HD DVD.
Already the most affordable high-definition player available, the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player is the best solution for movie lovers seeking HD content in the highest possible resolution. The player’s price reduction to $179 (U.S. ERP) continues to set the bar for value, making the Xbox 360 platform the most affordable solution for consumers seeking the broadest, most compelling selection of next-generation gaming and HD video experiences.
“With the price reduction to $179, the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player continues to be the most affordable way to enjoy high definition,” said Jeff Bell, corporate vice president of Global Marketing, Interactive Entertainment Business, Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft. “From the beginning, we set out to offer Xbox 360 owners an unrivaled high-definition experience, with a choice of optical discs on the HD DVD format and digital downloads through Xbox LIVE Marketplace — both of which have a selection of the best content Hollywood has to offer. Today’s announcements around ’300′ and ‘Heroes: Season 1′ are great examples of how we believe HD content can be offered to consumers.”
In addition to the price drop, Microsoft is extending Toshiba’s highly successful “Perfect Offer” of five free HD DVD discs to Xbox 360 consumers. Previously exclusive to Toshiba HD DVD Players, with the purchase of an Xbox 360 HD DVD Player at the new low price of $179 ERP, consumers can choose five HD DVD titles for free from a selection of 15 popular titles through a mail-in offer. With a retail value of over $140 (U.S.), this promotion makes the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player one of the most compelling offerings for consumers looking to make the leap into HD this holiday season.
About Xbox LIVE
Xbox LIVE is the first and most comprehensive unified online entertainment network seamlessly integrated throughout the entire console experience, making it easy for people to find the friends, games and entertainment they want from the moment they power on their Xbox 360 system. Xbox LIVE connects millions of members across 25 countries to enjoy hundreds of multiplayer games, downloadable games via Xbox LIVE Arcade, free and premium playable game demos, music videos, TV shows and movies in the United States as well as new game levels, characters and vehicles for all their favorite retail games. More information can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/en-us/live.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft(R) Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.mspx.
Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Microsoft Corp.
CONTACT: Dane Estes of Weber Shandwick, +1-425-452-5400,
destes@webershandwick.com, for Microsoft Corp.
Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/
