Best Buy latest to strike HD-DVD blow

It just gets worse for HD-DVD in North America – leading national retailer Best Buy has now said that it is to encourage the uptake of Sony’s hi-def Blu-Ray disc format in its stores.

The news comes just a day after giant US rental firm Netflix declared that it is to phase out HD-DVD by the end of the year.

The BBC reports that Best Buy’s decision was based in its belief that a single hi-def format would be beneficial to the consumer, and that whilst it will continue to stock HD-DVD its in-store displays will give prominence to Blu-Ray.

"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,” COO Brian Dunn stated.

"Because we believe that Blu-Ray is fast emerging as that single format, we have decided to focus on Blu-Ray products."