Best Buy Backs Blu-ray Over HD DVD February 13, 2008

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It looks like the US is set to become a Blu-ray nation sooner than expected as HD DVD gets dumped again, this time by a major retailer.

Best Buy, with almost 1,300 outlets in the US and Canada, has announced that it’s plumping for Blu-ray over HD DVD from now on. The move comes just days after US online rental service Netflix decided to drop HD DVD. The move is expected to spark more HD DVD desertions. Best Buy’s president and chief operating officer, Brian Dunn, commented:

“Consumers have told us that they want us to help lead the way. We’ve listened to our customers, and we are responding. Best Buy will recommend Blu-ray as the preferred format. Our decision to shine a spotlight on Blu-ray Disc players and other Blu-ray products is a strong signal to our customers that we believe Blu-ray is the right format choice for them.”

“Best Buy has always believed that the customer will benefit from a widely-accepted single format that would offer advantages such as product compatibility and expanded content choices.”

Best Buy will still stock 'some HD DVD' products but will be aggressively pushing all things Blu-ray in its stores and online from March.

The spotlight now falls on Paramount and Universal – the only major Hollywood studios still supporting HD DVD. As more key retailers – Woolworths in the UK – back Blu-ray, can they afford to keep backing HD DVD?-Martin Lynch

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