Blu-ray Disc sales in Europe have broken the one million mark for the year, accounting for approximately 73% of high-def disc sales, with HD DVD accounting for the remaining 27%. Blu-ray is beating HD DVD in Europe nearly 3:1, even better than the 2:1 margin in the US - though not close to the 9:1 stomping in Japan. But it is clear, HD DVD is being beaten by Blu-ray Disc around the world.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter Sony CEO Howard Stringer re-affirmed the company’s commitment to Blu-ray Disc, saying that it has “the momentum and the scale” to defeat HD DVD.

“I think Blu-ray is just a better format,” Stringer said. “Our partners are with Blu-ray Disc because, first of all, we have greater security, which Fox is particularly good at. Disney thinks it’s a better picture. And the sheer amount of bandwidth on the disc gives directors and beyond all kinds of future opportunity, including director’s cuts and who knows what 3-D capabilities will be down the road.

“I think that’s why Steven Spielberg held out his own product from going to HD DVD,” he added. “Ultimately, if you’re passionate about movies, which these DVD collectors are, Blu-ray is the best answer. I think that is true, and we see that in the blogging environment.

“It isn’t the cheaper format, but it is the better format,” Stringer said.

Via Blu-ray.com.

AnimeOnDVD.com had a Q&A with Bandai Visual Japan regarding their high-definition releases. BVJ started releasing on both Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD, but with Blu-ray carrying the market 9:1 in Japan, recent releases have been exclusively on BD, even for their US releases. It looks like Blu-ray will be the future for Bandai. Via Blu-ray.com.

Toei Animation Ltd. is also getting into high-def releases, with a limited edition release of the animated feature CLANNAD on Blu-ray Disc. While BD has been outselling HD DVD 2:1 in the US, making it an ongoing war, in Japan Blu-ray is pummeling HD DVD 9:1, with studios dropping HD DVD due to the imbalance. It doesn’t look like the war will be prolonged in Japan. Also via Blu-ray.com.

TotalHD was announced in January, postponed to 2008 in June, confirmed to be on the back-burner in September, and now, in November, High-Def Digest is reporting that TotalHD is dead. (Via EngadgetHD)

Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi classic Close Encounters of the Third Kind hit Blu-ray Disc in the form of the 30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition. While it also hit DVD, the BD release has exclusive features:

Both the Blu-ray Disc(TM) and the DVD are packed with bonus features, including an exclusive interview with Spielberg created specifically for this release, and a Retrospective Documentary. Available only with the high-definition Blu-ray Disc(TM) release are additional bonus features including all-new “Storyboard-to-Scene Comparisons,” the original 1977 “Watch The Skies” featurette and an original theatrical preview. Also unique to the Blu-ray High-Def(TM) release is a technology know as “seamless branching,” whereby all three versions of the film are included on one 50GB Blu-ray Disc(TM), but footage used in all three films can included on the disc only once. Clips are “branched” together in real time as viewers select which version — Original Theatrical, Special Edition or Collector’s Edition/Definitive Director’s Cut — they wish to view.

The Blu-ray Disc(TM) release of Close Encounters of the Third Kind: 30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition marks the first classic Spielberg film ever to be released on a pre-recorded high definition disc format. Close Encounters of the Third Kind: 30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition is available on Blu-ray High-Def(TM) for $49.95 or DVD for $39.95.

Mine already arrived from Amazon and I’m definitely looking forward to watching it in high-def.

The full press release:
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