The move by Warner Bros. to produce only Blu-ray movies is already beginning to push HD DVD out of stores, says a report from Video Business. Several retail chain owners, including Trans World Entertainment and Video Buyers Group, have revealed that they will either emphasize or introduce Blu-ray in their stores in response to the larger library of movies that will be available for the format. Video Buyers Group in particular notes the lack of confusion makes it “safe” to bring an HD movie format to as many as 800 of its roughly 1,600 stores for the first time, according to chain president Ted Engen.
Trans World in turn plans to scale back HD DVD. Its 800 shops will devote more space to Blu-ray and also plan to limit the availability of HD DVD to high-profile movies most likely to sell while carrying a wider stock of Blu-ray titles. Other firms, such as Newbury Comics, are said to be following suit.
While larger chains such as Best Buy have announced that they will carry both formats for as long as demand exists, the news compounds difficulties for the HD DVD camp. Its primary backer Toshiba cut HD DVD reader prices in half in a widely recognized bid to improve sales versus more expensive but also more successful Blu-ray players, including the $399 PlayStation 3.
