News

Netflix, Best Buy Choose Blu-ray Disc over HD DVD

Netflix, the online DVD rental service, has announced that because of a "clear signal from the industry," it will begin stocking high-definition discs in the Blu-ray Disc format only. The service will purchase no more HD DVD discs, and it will phase out its current inventory by the end of the year. Since early 2006, it has tried to stock both formats, and currently offers about 400 separate Blu-ray titles. Both Netflix and the separate RentAnime specialty rental service offer HD DVD/DVD Twin disc volumes of Freedom from Bandai Visual USA, the only major North America distributor to have released anime on HD DVD so far. Warner Brothers plans to release Appleseed: Ex Machina on DVD, Blu-ray Disc, and HD DVD on April 1, before phasing out HD DVD.

Also today, electronics retailer Best Buy has stated that while it is not phasing out sales of HD DVD releases and players, it will "prominently showcase" Blu-ray Disc software and hardware products in its stores starting in March.

Source: Associated Press