Blockbuster to focus on Blu-ray
 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6762621.stm

Film rental firm Blockbuster is to rent high-definition DVDs in the Blu-ray format only at 1,450 of its US stores.
The move is viewed as a blow for the rival Toshiba-backed HD DVD format - which has been battling against the Blu-ray format, supported by Sony.

Blockbuster said that consumers have chosen Blu-ray over HD DVD in the 250 stores where both were available.

The limited choice of titles in the HD DVD format was also a factor in focusing on Blu-ray, Blockbuster said.

"The consumers are sending us a message. I can't ignore what I'm seeing," Matthew Smith, senior vice president of merchandising at Blockbusters, told the Associated Press news agency.

Mr Smith added that most studios were offering films on Blu-ray, with the exception of Universal which has been supplying films on HD DVD alone.

The North American HD DVD Promotional Group said Blockbuster's move was short sighted, and had been prompted by the success of films released exclusively in the Blu-ray format in early 2007 such as Casino Royale and Spider Man.

"I think trying to make a format decision using such a short time period is really not measuring what the consumer is saying," said Ken Graffeo, co-president of the group.

The HD DVD format will still be available at Blockbuster in 250 of its stores as well as via the internet.

Glad I like Blue ray then with my PS3!! I never rent movies, I buy movies that look good but a move like this by Blockbuster will help Blue Ray push ahead of HD and maybe turn HD into what Beta was when compared to VHS when Beta was left out in the cold.

That's why then. They can't expect HD DVD to lead the way, when the have little to offer on it, even in it's early days...

good for blue-ray

I think its also attributed to porn being sluggish in moving to the HD disc market as well. Whereas before we supported VHS and DVD, the next evolution for the traditional adult studios isn't HD DVD so much, but rather moving on to the internet.

I wonder how much they are getting to do that