2023-05-15 09:41:00
It’s no secret that the optical media market continues to shrink. In the gaming sector, for example, purely digital sales models already dominate via platforms such as the Epic Games Store, Steam or the Microsoft Store. When it comes to music, too, providers such as Apple Music, Deezer and Spotify have long outstripped LP and CD sales. This change can also be observed in home cinema: away from DVDs, Blu-rays and Ultra HD Blu-rays towards streaming. Sony Pictures draws from this the logical consequence. Discs will no longer be sold in Germany, Austria and Switzerland (DACH region).
That’s not a real surprise. Sony Pictures withdrew from other European markets such as Italy some time ago. There you license your titles to local partners instead, who are then allowed to take over distribution. This leads to good news for German film fans. Because Sony Pictures has also chosen a regional partner in this country. That means you don’t have to give up the studio’s titles on disc entirely.
Sony Pictures’ new partner for the DACH region is none other than Plaion Pictures (formerly Koch Media). The latter belong to the Swedish Embracer Group, which, for example, also owns the rights to new content Lord of the Rings has secured. Three titles have already been announced that Plaion Pictures will distribute under license from Sony Pictures in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Sony Pictures is leaving the field to Plaion Pictures
Specifically, Sony Pictures will stop selling DVDs, Blu-rays and UHD Blu-rays in Germany from June 30, 2023. Plaion Pictures once more has the film as its first title under license for October 5, 2023 The Pope’s Exorcist announced with Russel Crowe. It will follow once more on October 26, 2023 The three ??? – Legacy of the Dragon. The German family film will therefore also be available on disc in the home cinema.
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Also the Finnish action flick with black humor, Sisu – revenge is sweet, will be released on disc via Plaion Pictures. At least this ensures that some titles from Sony Pictures can also be released on the German market. Time will tell whether Plaion Pictures really brings all Sony Pictures releases to Germany or whether it makes decisions on a case-by-case basis. We’ll also have to wait and see whether the technical quality will then be 1:1 identical to Sony’s own discs.
What is clear is that this is another sign of the declining disc market. Warner Bros. and Universal had already merged their home theater divisions to cut costs.
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#Sony #Pictures #DVDs #Blurays #UHD #Blurays #Germany
