Porn industry leaning toward HD-DVD
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Jan 12th 2007 at 5:25AM }
An informal poll conducted by TGDaily seems to indicate that the porn industry is almost exclusively supporting HD-DVD. One small studio spokesperson cited high production costs as the primary reason PlayStation 3's Blu-ray format would be snubbed; though he does hold the opinion that Blu-ray has "superior quality." Still, if the porn industry sides with (or is even forced to side with) HD-DVD, it would hardly signal a death knell for Blu-ray. Porn isn't gonna decide this format war.From a console perspective, which disc format the porn industry ultimately chooses won't have nearly as big an impact as could a decision by one of the console makers (Microsoft or Sony) to open up its console to a wider variety of digital video formats, coupled with a highly compatible web browser -- currently PS3 has the edge (and Nintendo ain't far behind), but the machine is far from the ideal. Any and all porn directly downloadable onto a console? That "feature" could (quietly) move units.
[Thanks, White Rose Duelist & vince]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
fawazr @ Jan 12th 2007 5:33AM
Porn made VHS standard and spread the adoption of VCRs throughout so many homes. Porn also made DVD what it is. Why wouldn't porn have the same effect on HD-DVD?
ill trooper @ Jan 12th 2007 5:33AM
Porn industry leaned toward the INTERNET a while ago... I mean, so I've HEARD.
Adam Owen @ Jan 12th 2007 10:03AM
"Porn isn't gonna decide this format war."
It did last time, why not the next?
Hannibal @ Jan 12th 2007 5:39AM
Porn actually decided the last 2 formats, really.
Silly joystiq.
James @ Jan 12th 2007 5:43AM
Are you mad, where do base your info from? According to dvddemystified.com for every 1 movie/tv dvd sold, 4 porn dvds are sold... Which ever the porn industy sides with will surly signal a death knell for the other... period
Jordan @ Jan 12th 2007 5:50AM
I'm surprised with your comment "Porn isn't gonna decide this format war.". Like the porn industry has shown in the past, their format backing is usually a strong factor in the war. They make up a massive sect of the market today, and certainly can't be so easily ignored. In 2005, the Porn Industry contributed to 4.28 billion USD of DVD sales. Not a tiny bit of change when you consider the total sales of DVDs during 2005 only amount to 24.5 billion.
DrXym @ Jan 12th 2007 6:14AM
Porn isn't going to decide the format war. Even if it helped VHS win, it must be remembered what the alternative to porn on VHS would have been at the time - visiting some XXX cinema or viewing booth. The embarrassment factor alone would be enough to drive sales of video players. The same is not true these days where you can view porn in numerous, discrete, private ways, e.g. VHS, DVD, computers, even mobile phone & iPods. The power of porn to affect a platform has long gone. I'd be surprised if porn sales even accounted for a single percentage point of worldwide DVD sales.
Now what could affect the market is if porn producers started selling AVC HD content on DVD-9. Lots of players already support divx and it would not surprise me if players capable of playing HD content from a DVD soon become very common.
NoHitHair @ Jan 12th 2007 10:06AM
If this story is true then the format war has come to a close and the victor is Microsoft.
#2 was right in VHS becoming the standard over BetaMax, but it was directly because Sony refused to allow pornography to be used with their machines. Pornography had an enormous impact in the 80s in giving the edge to VHS.
This sounds like the nail in the coffin for Blu-Ray unless Sony does something drastic to turn the tide.
jerry @ Jan 12th 2007 6:06AM
This seems to contradict what i've heard/read in the past. In fact I remember reading that two of the industries biggest players (vivid and digital playground) are both backing blu-ray.
http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/7236.cfm
http://www.tvpredictions.com/hirsch111006.htm
I tend to believe straight from the source articles like this more than anecdotal informal polls like the one cited.
oh yeah, how is this game related again?
Feelz Good @ Jan 12th 2007 6:15AM
It's nice to see that Joystiq has finally overcome the manufacturing issues with the flux capacitor.
Hannibal @ Jan 12th 2007 6:22AM
@#6:
Did you even read this blog post? The very company you mentioned has switched to HD-DVD due to Sony not wanting porn on its format.
@#7:
No, the alternative to watching porn on VHS was to watch porn on Betamax.
Seifer @ Jan 16th 2007 2:16PM
#7: All those with porn on Betamax, please raise your hands.
Joe @ Jan 12th 2007 6:28AM
Well all of this 'porn > all' debate is pointless. The main question is: Why the hell is this on Joystiq?
DrXym @ Jan 12th 2007 6:39AM
@9 no, the answer was what I said. Porn could take off on VHS because it offered the consumer a compelling alternative to what was available. That situation no longer applies since porn is freely available in lots of formats. Even if it turned up only on HD-DVD and not Blu-Ray (and that won't happen), chances are it wouldn't make the slightest difference to adoption of an HD format anyway.
Hannibal @ Jan 12th 2007 6:32AM
Like it or not, the HD-DVD vs. Blu-Ray battle is heavily influencing this generation. Some might even say that the PS3 is being made solely to advance the Blu-Ray label.
Curt @ Jan 12th 2007 6:44AM
Face it folks, HD-DVD will win...
Aeikozz @ Jan 12th 2007 6:45AM
this "war" isn't going to be decided for sometime. Even if porn goes this way. Simply because i'd much rather watch porn on DVD than any of the new higher qualitys.
It' just something to jack off too
Hugh Mann @ Jan 12th 2007 6:47AM
"I'd be surprised if porn sales even accounted for a single percentage point of worldwide DVD sales."
What. A. Retard.
You obviously have no clue just how big the porn industry really is.
And the reason this is on Joystiq is because whichever format "wins", it will almost certainly have some kind of impact on the games industry.
Hannibal @ Jan 12th 2007 6:45AM
Ah, I see what you're saying DrXym. Good point.
It's still pretty hard to dismiss the porn factor entirely.
BklynKid @ Jan 12th 2007 7:26AM
HD-DVD FTW
Dark-Pen @ Jan 12th 2007 7:43AM
If it is true that they're not printing porn on bluray because no one will print them, then we can only assume that this was imposed to so that Sony could avoid legal issues in terms of ethics and angry parents/women. Sony could potentially ride this fact and push consumers to invest in bluray even more by bringing up the fact that Blu ray discs don't do Porn, and get humongous support from feminist groups and political figures that fight for their ethical beliefs that happen to include going against adultry.
J.Goodwin @ Jan 12th 2007 7:28AM
I would be surprised if porn DVDs were LESS than 50% of worldwide DVD sales and rentals.
Certainly the online portion of the industry is widely favoring WMV for HD downloadable content from reports, and they, along with HDNET, were essentially the only supporters of the WMV-HD DVD format.
They are familiar with VC-1 / WMV 9 AP (from downloadable and WMV-HD DVD) and they have connections with DVD pressing plants (which are able to press HD-DVDs as well without retooling their lines, one of the key advantages of HD-DVD). Of course they are going to lean towards HD-DVD. And that support is VERY likely to drive that format, if anything is.
Leggo @ Jan 12th 2007 7:28AM
Wow, just wow. I had to read this post twice just to understand what was being said, that was probably the most awkward transition in the history of the written word. How did you go from reporting on the HD video format war to voicing an opinion that downloadable video files being a part in deciding the console war? Just because porn can be viewed on both doesn't excuse you from a proper segue.
That said, Microsoft actually has the upper hand in the porn playback department -- with the last update, you can playback WMV files from burned discs, usb devices, and over the network. With TVersity (www.tversity.com) or XP Media Center Edition with the Transcode 360 app, you can stream any file type in realtime to your Xbox 360. Browsers are probably the worst way to access porn, unless you primarily get your fix from pop-ups.
In response to #7, porn not only helped VHS beat out the superious Betamax format (ANOTHER Sony format. They just don't learn, do they?), it also helped cement DVD as a major format. Don't think that just because you're too embarrassed to head out and buy porn than other people are. Print mags are still very popular, and online DVD porn resellers are doing big business, so never underestimate the convenience factor of printed porn, either digital or analog.
Even for online interweb gurus, you'd be hard pressed to find many that would be willing to sacrifice 25+ gigs to a single porn movie, regardless of the quality. I think there is a major market for HD-quality porn discs, and if Sony is going to fail at capitalizing on that, it's their funeral.
Again.
laputaquelepario @ Jan 12th 2007 7:37AM
16. "I'd be surprised if porn sales even accounted for a single percentage point of worldwide DVD sales."
Actually, that contradicts 5. By the numbers posted, porn accounted for roughly 17.47% of total DVD sales. Whether that is worldwide or just for the US, it still is a significant amount.
If the porn industry is so influential and decides to adopt HD-DVD, they may unintentionally pull off a "Betamax". What implications will that have for the PS3 (apart from their other problems)?
My guess is, if I am optimistic, not much. The games are used only for PS3s anyhow, so this will affect Sony's movie and media-related businesses the most.
However, Sony may have to reduce royalties and/or charge more per game because if there isn't mass-market penetration (no pun intended) with Blu-Ray, the economies of scale won't kick in, and may even increase Blu-Ray manufacturing costs in the long run (kinda like buying SD-RAM now would cost much more, MB per MB, than DDR-RAM).
If you are really pessimistic though, Sony will be forced to kill off Blu-Ray, with whatever implications that means for the PS3. (Kill that off as well?)
Pulse @ Jan 12th 2007 7:40AM
People, if you want an example of the success of Porn helping a format, look at UMD, its doing amazingly in the market isn't it, especially with Playboy's help, definatly will destroy any other format out there.
Sarcasm ended..
laputaquelepario @ Jan 12th 2007 7:49AM
@21:
UMD bombs, with or without porn.
The primary target usage is different. I don't think that you can compare UMD, what is essentially media primarily created for a portable console to media primarily created for the living room.
The target user base is different and the install base is different.
Total DVD players sold worldwide: 140.8 million (source: http://www.gamespot.com/news/6147863.html)
Total PSPs sold worldwide: 20.25 million (source: www.vgcharts.org)
I think that in the PSP's case, its failure is due to the PSP itself.
laputaquelepario @ Jan 12th 2007 7:55AM
22. "...humongous support from feminist groups and political figures that fight for their ethical beliefs that happen to include going against adultry [SIC]."
I guess politicians are going to have to get their porn fix strictly online in the future if Blu-Ray puts HD-DVD and DVD out to pasture...
Boyatsea @ Jan 12th 2007 8:03AM
"Porn isn't gonna decide this format war."
Boy Joystiq is really off the boil at the moment, ain't it?
TexRob @ Jan 12th 2007 8:08AM
The porn thing was the format war back with BETA and VHS only because they were the first studios to embrace it, and people looking for porn were the only ones willing to shell out for the machines back then.
Porn is a tiny part of the market compared to the big studios these days. It's only good for the public perception aspect, which is more important than the true impact.
Lachry @ Jan 12th 2007 8:20AM
"This seems to contradict what i've heard/read in the past. In fact I remember reading that two of the industries biggest players (vivid and digital playground) are both backing blu-ray." post # 6
I worked in a video store that rented out porn, and vivid is the biggest porn studio because they have the highest production quality, make couple friendly releases and some of the most attractive girls, but they end up being more expensive, and only cater to the middle of the adult film spectrum, which as can be seen on the internet varies ALOT. the kind of porn that sells the most quantity is the cheap amateur shit that costs 5 bucks a dvd, made with a camcorder.
Shagi @ Jan 12th 2007 8:33AM
"Sony could potentially ride this fact and push consumers to invest in bluray even more by bringing up the fact that Blu ray discs don't do Porn, and get humongous support from feminist groups and political figures that fight for their ethical beliefs that happen to include going against adultry."
Hahahahahahahahahaha - you must be joking!!
You think Mr Joe Average is ever going to spend mucho money on a device he can NEVER EVER watch porn on. Are you INSANE!!
Hugh Mann @ Jan 12th 2007 8:38AM
@21
Playboy ain't porn!!!
If u can't see her snatch it doesn't count!
Mack Swift @ Jan 12th 2007 8:42AM
History has shown that porn has not only chosen the last 2 video entertainment formats, but also popularized many other forms of media. For example, it was porn that, almost entirely out the gate, started using all the special features that can be included on a DVD (multi-angle, commentaries, easter eggs, deleted and behind the scenes). It was awhile before the regular movie industry started putting in all the special features. Why? Their regular customers were seeing all these spiffy features on their porn DVDs and wanted them on their other movies as well.
Porn also popularized all the spiffy interactive technology that we use everyday on the internet. Porn also was the test bed for online sales and security.
While I am not surprised that porn chose HD-DVD over Blu-Ray, I would've thought that porn would have made a bigger push towards downloadable content. DVD sales and rentals are still the hot ticket for the porn industry, and they do make a decent buck on their downloadable videos and are making inroads doing so with WMV-HD.
Remember, porn is a $13 billion dollar yearly industry in the USA alone. Someone is watching this stuff, and all that snazzy new hi-def stuff and interactive fun you see will be watched and used my many. $13 billion doolars worth of sales and industry is hard to ignore.
FrankTheCrank @ Jan 12th 2007 8:47AM
PORN???
I've got porn coming out of my computer, my cable TV...when was the last time anyone went to a video store that actually had porn?
who actually buys porn DVD's?
the only porn I've ever paid for came from OnDemand Cable TV...then I dump it to my Tivo, use Tivo to Go to dump it to my PC...then convert it to MP4...throw it on my iPod and my PS3...hehehehe. I get my money's worth!!!
kabes @ Jan 12th 2007 8:52AM
"Porn isn't gonna decide this format war."
Not that it needs repeating...but please get up to date on your video formats history. What porn chooses changes EVERYTHING.
KR @ Jan 12th 2007 9:15AM
"What porn chooses changes EVERYTHING."
That's right, and porn has chosen the internet. So it won't be a major deciding factor in the format war.
Hey, if forced to choose I support HD-DVD over Blu-Ray, but too many people are reading this to mean something it does not.
Todd @ Jan 12th 2007 9:22AM
James Ransom-Wiley is an idiot. The reason Beta tanked was because the Porn industry locked in with VHS. Sony refused to let the porn industry be apart of the Beta market, so of course VHS was the next (and only) solution for home video. That and the fact Sony wouldn't let anyone other than Sony produce the Beta players, while VHS allowed free market and competition which resulted in cheaper players and better technology. Face it, the porn industry is larger than you think and can easily sway the HD format wars.
kabes @ Jan 12th 2007 9:21AM
"That's right, and porn has chosen the internet."
That must be why porn accounts for 15% of all DVD sales and rentals in the US.
Porn was also a major factor in the destruction of Betamax (another failed Sony format).
Slaziman @ Jan 12th 2007 9:25AM
Most people's hard drives are under 100GB. Downloading a 30GB porno movie would not only take a loooooong time, even with expensive internet connections, but it would also take 30% of your hard drive, if not more (I myself used to have a 20GB hard drive), so it's not like you all say that porno has already chosen Internet and that this won't be a Betamax vs. VHS kind of thing.
crono141 @ Jan 12th 2007 9:28AM
I'm gonna have to agree with frankthecrank. The only porn we have around here costs $30+ a dvd, and is the crappiest crap porn you can think of.
When there are litterally thousands of sites on the internet offering free clips of this, free pics of that, free stories of this, why in the hell would ANYONE buy porn?
Additionally, porn is something i'd rather not watch in HD. Gross.
Jim @ Jan 12th 2007 9:39AM
"Porn isn't gonna decide this format war."
Yeah, that's what Betamax said to VHS back then, right?
Doc Evil @ Jan 12th 2007 9:34AM
Clearly, the Porn industry is a large factor. Saying it is supporting HD-DVD exclusively is equivalent to saying a major studio like Universal just switched sides. Face it, just like Disney movies will undoubtedly sway a certain sect of society, so will Porn.
Now, having said that, the real thing to be watching is LG's dual format player. Every indication so far seems to put this war in the exact same position as the war between DVD+R and DVD-R with the only solution being that the market now completely supports both.
This also means that both Sony's PS3 and Microsoft's HD-DVD add-on will be seen at a disadvantage since neither supports both formats. However, Microsoft is at a decided advantage in this scenario for obvious reasons.
Deehablo @ Jan 12th 2007 9:47AM
How crazy is this?.. You put your Blu ray disc player into every PS3 (that generally are bought by MALES 18-30 something) and then say no to porn? Are you kidding me? What a bad move was that! When I first got on to this whole format war thing I said, the Porn industry is going to decide the winner!
Me personally, I don't even buy regular movie dvd's so I won't buy a porn dvd. But there's a billion other people out there that do. The porn industry is a Mutli-billion dollar industry and you say no and send them to your competitors this early in the game? WOW, you guys over there at Sony are brilliant! Great business men... Psshhhh!
Also, most hardcore gamers, aren't the biggest studs, So hardcore gaming and porn go hand in hand because porn's the closest they're gonna come to seeing a chick naked. lol.. it's a circle... the PS3 won't sell because of Blu ray and Blu ray won't sell because of the PS3.
I'm no fanboy of ANY company because, I (unlike alot of you posters out there, that argue that this is better that that, and this rules and that sucks) seem to realize that (1.) I don't get a check everytime they sell a product therefore I won't advertise for them for free, and (2). They don't give a shit about you are me, selling and making a profit is the bottom line. So I give a shit, who's does better than who, or who wins what. The more variety there is, the better for me! I just thought this was a dumb move and felt compelled to share some thoughts.
Virtua Fanboy @ Jan 12th 2007 9:47AM
What the hell happened to these Blu Ray people saying that, "Blue Ray will win, the porn industry has chosen it, there is no going back...blah, blah, blah." Where the hell are you people now. Now your saying the internet is the chosen format. I mean, I've been saying that all along, but when Blu Ray was the format of choice for porn it was all gloom and doom for HD-DVD. Hypocrites, I swear.
And for the record, and all of you who have actually seen into the great beyond of a woman for that matter, GIRL ON GIRL on either HD format would fucking rock. :)
phl0w @ Jan 12th 2007 9:50AM
You all are really well informed when it comes to porn, I must say.
porn = bad for you! and why? Your skills at sex and the ability to pleasure a woman WILL decline!
Couldn't care less what format porn will choose in the end.
Sletje @ Jan 12th 2007 9:57AM
Can't find any "tips" button anywhere on joystiq, so might as well put it in HD-DVD comments: http://www.dvdtown.com/news/hddvdgoesbeyond50gbwithnewdisc/4260
"Toshiba has announced a new 51GB HD-DVD Rom disc at this year's CES.
Beating Blu-ray by 1GB, Toshiba today said that they had successfully created a triple layer HD-DVD disc that could contain 51GB worth of data with 17GB on each layer."
Oh my!
lothar @ Jan 12th 2007 10:21AM
The guys that say nobody buys pron dvds need to realize that not everyone downloads their fix from the web. Its a huge, very huge industry.
Good point Deehablo about the age bracket, when we all read about that kid finding a pron dvd in his Madden case and turning it in we were all like "What a fool" dont deny the power of Pron in our age bracket.
The Pron Industry is the largest driving force for media related technologies.
mocax @ Jan 12th 2007 10:26AM
whichever console with the most hentai and/or japanese schoolgirl dating games, will win.
sploy @ Jan 12th 2007 10:41AM
@22 Lol, feminists don't have as much influence as you'd think... they are just very loud and annoying.
Most women I've dated have liked watching pr0n... but maybe I've just been lucky :-)
Anyway I hope that someone comes up with a compression technology that allows you to fit HD-movies on dual layer DVDs, since then both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray will die and this argument about who will win, will be over by default.
Mode7 @ Jan 12th 2007 11:04AM
So The World's Greatest Single Player Game(tm) isn’t coming to the PS3 with the super hi-def mega 1080p update?
DAMN YOU SONY.
The ironic thing is, if i didn't play so many videogames and actually left the house more often this probably wouldn’t be an issue. DAMN YOU SONY.