Video Business Online is reporting a Lionsgate spokesperson has confirmed the first wave of Lionsgate Blu-ray titles including “Crash,” Saw,” “Lord of War,” “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” and “The Punisher” have been pushed back from May 23 to June 27 and the second wave will be delayed as well, though to what date is unknown. The reason for all this date shifting is obvious: Samsung’s delaying what was to be the first Blu-ray Disc player on the market from mid-May until June 2 left no need for software to be sitting on store shelves for an entire month without anything to play it on.
Sony on the other hand is going to hold steady on their May 23 debut date for “The Fifth Element” and seven other titles. I don’t know what will be worse: resisting grabbing “The Fifth Element” right when it comes out or snatching it to stare at the package for an entire month. Decisions, decisions…
This format war doesn’t get any easier, does it? Chalk this up as another dagger in consumers sides. Pass me a Band-Aid.