Blockbuster Bailing on HD DVD, too?
SlashGear reports that the local Blockbuster store has removed the entire HD DVD selection:
The local B&M Blockbuster store that I usually go to is having the new make-over to become one of the twelve prototypes of the future Blockbuster. I drop off the rental today but couldn’t locate the 3 HD-DVD shelves. The manager, with a small pin badge on uniform that said Blu-ray certified, told me he just packed all of them and sent it back. Crap! What happened there! This store was one out of the 250 nation chain units to carry HD-DVD but not anymore.
A Blockbuster spokesperson had this to say about HD DVD support:
"We currently carry titles in Blu-ray and HD online.We also have HD in 250 stores and Blu-ray in 1700 stores. The 250 stores that carry both HD and Blu-ray were the original stores we rolled high def out to, and we monitored customers' rentals.
Last summer, based on the consumer reaction at these 250 stores and their overwhelming preference for Blu-ray, we made the decision to roll Blu-ray out to an additional 1450 stores. At the time we said this was not about our endorsing a particular format but about our responding to consumer demand.
Our goal is to give customers what they want in the format in which they want it.
So, in summary, today, we have both HD and Blu-ray in 250 stores and both formats available through our by-mail program. We also have Blu-ray at an additional 1450 stores."
It'll be interesting to see if Blockbuster will remove the HD DVD selection from all 250 HD DVD stores. Does anyone live near a Blockbuster store that stocks HD DVD?
I guess all those that posted their kneejerk reactions in the other thread about NF dropping HD/DVD (and how they would move to BBO) can now eat crow!!!
Geez people, what did you expect?! With most studios going to Bluray now, why would NF & BBO keep them?
Posted by: BoB | February 12, 2008 at 05:26 PM
My BB has HD and BluRay, I have to return a movie today, i'll check it out...
Posted by: Ryan | February 13, 2008 at 09:50 AM
HD-DVD was still in stock, manager had no plans to send them back. He even claimed he was still receiving new titles, which judging from the selection, doesn't seem accurate.
Posted by: Ryan | February 13, 2008 at 12:07 PM
funny how all the HD DVD zealots talked so much smack on Blockbuster for picking Blu-Ray for their retail stores and are now boycotting Netflix and pimping Blockbuster online again. nice back peddle.
Blockbuster would be even more foolish to embrace HD DVD hoping to pull people away from Netflix.
Posted by: who cares | February 13, 2008 at 12:27 PM
Local BB store has about 100 HD-DVD titles and about 300 Blu-ray titles. They seem to add about 3 new Blu-ray releases for each 1 new HD-DVD release. I know since I've been renting both formats for the last year - I seldom if ever can rent Hi-Def titles from NF.
However, who knows what I'll see next when I make my weekly trip to a BB store...
Posted by: CJ | February 13, 2008 at 03:13 PM
At the moment its looking like Blu Ray has the momentum, stores seem to be promoting the format and putting more emphasis behind it.
Posted by: WT | February 19, 2008 at 06:04 AM
HD DVD could never really compete with Blu Ray, it just didn't have the drive right from the start.
Posted by: WT | April 30, 2008 at 11:19 AM