Transformers sets new HiDef Sales Record

[Grain]

http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Michael_Bay/DreamWorks/Paramount/Disc_Sales/Transformers_HD_DVD_Smashes_First-Week_Sales_Records/1093

Paramount says first-week sales numbers for its HD DVD release of 'Transformers' top those of any other high-def disc released on either next gen format to date.

According to a just-issued press release from Paramount, the HD DVD edition of 'Transformers' sold over 100,000 units in its first day of release, and went on to sell an additional 90,000 units over next six days, making it the fastest and best-selling week one release on either high definition format, as well as the best selling HD DVD ever.

This is the important part though IMO:

The standard-def version of 'Transformers' also made news, moving over 8.3 million units in its first week, and 4.5 million copies on day one, a new record for the year 2007.

190,000 copies VS 8.3 million. Pretty pathetic numbers for HiDef. IMO, if Joe Consumer doesn't buy in to either format soon, the future will be bleak.

[dolphinius_rex]

There's also conflicting views about whether these sales statistics reflect discs sold AT retail, or discs sold *TO* retail.

But yeah, I can't help but agree that sales numbers are horrible. This is why I'm a big supporter of ending the format war to encourage HiDef adoption. Dual Format solutions are the way to keep HiDef as a niche product only I fear

[Grain]

Unfortunately, I don't see either camp packing it in and admitting defeat. There's going to have to be a back room deal to settle this, which is possible, but not very likely at this stage IMO. There are too many corporate ego's at play right now.

My "Best Case Solution" for consumers? Both sides get together and decide on which format to adopt. From that point on all hardware is dual format to support heritage software (ie early adopters of losing format aren't left with unsupported discs) but all new releases are of the "chosen" format.

[dolphinius_rex]

Captain Flip-Flop (alias Michael Bay) has changed sides again:
http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/ ... u-ray/1097

We don't yet know if this means that Paramount's cheques have now stopped arriving, or if a member of the BDA has outbid for his loyalty.

News at 11.

[vinnie97]

For him to be such a fan of special features (see Pearl Harbor 4-disc set), this surely is quite the backpedaling and hypocrisy from him.

And yea, a $10 premium for the high def version of a title coupled with $300 minimum (lowest retail HD DVD player I saw at Wal-Mart) is too much for the average joe. That said, based on those preliminary sales figures, it would appear that at least half of the HD DVD contingent picked up this title, and that's pretty unheard of in the mass market (makes sense after the relative drought of new HD DVD titles being released in the few weeks prior).

Finally, the sales numbers could even be greater than 190,000 (the argument could go either way...they were either being too conservative or liberal)...Nielsen hasn't said yet.

[dolphinius_rex]

Finally, the sales numbers could even be greater than 190,000 (the argument could go either way...they were either being too conservative or liberal)...Nielsen hasn't said yet.

Nielsen will be less then Paramount's announced numbers, because they don't handle ALL sales figures, only from select B&M and Online stores. That doesn't mean that Paramount's numbers are wrong though.

[Ian]

Blu-ray backers seem to think that TF's sales numbers are bogus.

http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/news. ... tion.phtml

A Hollywood reporter, Nikki Finke, is calling into question the HD DVD Group and Paramount's recent claim that Transformers on HD DVD sold as well as it did (190,000 copies) during its launch week in the States.

Finke states: "Two rival Blu-ray studios which prefer to remain nameless tell me they've caught Paramount / DreamWorks in a 'big ass, fat, stupid lie' regarding press releases about the numbers of just released Transformer HD DVD units sold."

The conspiracy theory goes that the HD DVD Group allegedly paid so much to Paramount and DreamWorks to go HD DVD-only that they had to get some good press out of the big Transformers launch in order to justify the expense.

An anonymous Blu-ray studio exec stated: "In an overreaching effort to make a press claim - the number one high def title position for any format - for Transformers, they've gone beyond exaggeration. Here's the dumb lie: they've claimed to sell 100K in one day and 190K in one week."

"Exact point of sale data from three retailers that make up 62% of the high-def market show sales of 73K units for the week. Being very generous, they could possibly reach 125K-130K, which would barely set a record for HD DVD. And they couldn't have flooded rental stores since Blockbuster doesn't stock HD DVD. It’s an outrage. They think they can say whatever they want and that no one will call them on it. They need to be called on it."

In response to these allegations Paramount stated that "everything we said is 100% accurate" and that the extra figures come in from non-traditional retailers that were offering the HD DVD like like Amazon.com, Netflix, and Blockbuster Online.

But, the reporter's Blu-ray studio source still isn't buying it: "Paramount's assertion of Amazon, Netflix and Blockbuster Online being underestimated is patently untrue as both Amazon and Blockbuster are included in the Nielsen reporting - and they know it."

"If those three outlets accounted for even 30K copies, it would be record-setting for them, yet Paramount would still be significantly off the 190,000 number."

[dolphinius_rex]

Another interesting point is that if these new figures are true (and personally I'm much more inclined to believe Nielsen Videoscan Ratings), then Warner's movie '300' would have outsold Transformers by a large margin, and I believe the Blu-Ray version alone sold ~115K or so on the first week.

[Wesociety]

Either way it sounds like something is fishy... Perhaps Paramount's numbers were for 'titles ordered by stores'. As in, titles purchased by stores, but not necessarily sold through to consumers.

[dolphinius_rex]

You think stores would order 2x as much as their actual sales volume?

[Grain]

All I know for sure is that every shop I went to was sold out on the Wednesday, finally got the last copy at a FutureShop. I have no idea how many copies each store had, but they weren't enough.

[dolphinius_rex]

Funny... I saw plenty of copies when I went shopping the day it came out. As it happens, that was a day I was out looking at Bestbuy and Futureshop stores for something, and I stopped to admire the big stack of HD DVDs and DVDs on the floor display. It reminded me of how badly I really want to order in the original Transformers on Blu-Ray

[Grain]

I suppose Vancouver could be different, or everyone bot them in the evening after work. 3 Calgary Future Shop stores and the 1 in Lethbridge were sold out on Wednesday. Like I said though, whether they started with 3 or 30 copies, I don't know. Online they are all showing stock again now. Either way, as I don't own shares in Paramount, I could care less how many they sold The one copy I do care about, mine, has some serious audio & video kick ass demo material!

[dolphinius_rex]

I suppose Vancouver could be different, or everyone bot them in the evening after work. 3 Calgary Future Shop stores and the 1 in Lethbridge were sold out on Wednesday. Like I said though, whether they started with 3 or 30 copies, I don't know. Online they are all showing stock again now. Either way, as I don't own shares in Paramount, I could care less how many they sold The one copy I do care about, mine, has some serious audio & video kick ass demo material!

I have to admit, I'm ALMOST tempted to buy Transformer (the Optimus-Prime-as-a-pussy version) on Blu-Ray from Korea, JUST to show that I can do it.... but I *REALLY* don't want to spend any kind of money supporting that movie. But I'll agree, the video/sound fx are incredible, and make good demo material.