Netflix, Best Buy boosting Blu-ray; HD DVD responds [update]
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Feb 11th 2008 at 11:25PM }
Netflix isn't the only company amorous about Blu-ray today. Best Buy also sent hugs and kisses in the form of an announcement that it would "recommend" Blu-ray from now on. Although the retail chain isn't choosing a definitive side just yet, Best Buy will "prominently feature Blu-ray hardware and software beginning in March."
There's nothing Gossip Girl likes more than a good cat fight, but sadly this one is looking almost done. With HD DVD taking hit after hit, not to mention the recent
Update: Peep this sorry response from the HD DVD camp: "We have long held the belief that HD DVD is the best format for consumers based on quality and value, and with more than 1 million HD DVD players on the market, it's unfortunate to see Netflix make the decision to only stock Blu-ray titles going forward. While the Best Buy announcement says they will recommend Blu-ray, at least they will continue to carry HD DVD and offer consumers a choice at retail." [Via Engadget]
Read: Netflix chooses Blu-ray.
Read: Best Buy to recommend Blu-ray.
[Thanks to all who sent us their Netflix letters!]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Shignami @ Feb 11th 2008 11:32PM
ITS OVER, MICROSOFT IS FINISHED! THE PS3 HAS ONCE AGAIN PULLED OUT A MONUMENTAL VICTORY.
The Artist formally known as Jesus @ Feb 11th 2008 11:35PM
Microsoft isn't finished. It's not like they were losing anything in the first place by backing HD-DVD.
Shignami @ Feb 11th 2008 11:36PM
Thatsthejoke.png
The Artist formally known as Jesus @ Feb 11th 2008 11:37PM
oh wait
one second after I posted my comment I realized that you used 'sarcasm'
my bad
Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Feb 12th 2008 12:13AM
That was really good. For a second I almost raged and posted something.
Jack @ Feb 12th 2008 11:55AM
*Austrian Accent*
THATS THE JOKE.
SoulBlade @ Feb 11th 2008 11:34PM
yawn.
HighFiveJesus @ Feb 12th 2008 1:31AM
You should write them an angry letter with bold red font explaining how they lost a customer who only wanted to rent movies from two studios anyway and the other 70 percent are the devil's high definition.
But mein fuhrer, you still have blades of glory!
HighFiveJesus @ Feb 12th 2008 1:32AM
damnit, i did it again. can't see the reply button when someone's being hated on.
Arno @ Feb 11th 2008 11:35PM
Today I canceled my Netflix membership that had been active since 2005.
Screw 'em. I want my HD DVD.
ill trooper @ Feb 11th 2008 11:39PM
That'll show em!
"Who" will get "shown," I don't know...
Moorio || peacebyanymeans @ Feb 11th 2008 11:41PM
You're a fucking 'tard.
Arno @ Feb 11th 2008 11:56PM
Thanks guys.
To be fair it was more like coincidence that they decided to announce that today but yea it did play a little bit of role in my decision. Again, I appreciate the kind words of encouragement and support.
joedirt131 @ Feb 12th 2008 1:17AM
I agree! I unsubscribed long ago when I found out they didn't support Betamax. Shame on them for not supporting dead formats!
aristokrat @ Feb 12th 2008 1:13PM
It's ridiculous for Netflix to do this. It's not a dead format, maybe a dying one, but not dead. The major point of stupidity I see with this (unless they got paid by Sony) is that their inventory cost must be virtually nil for a couple of extra HD-DVD's in their warehouses. It'd be different if they were dealing with shelf space, like Blockbuster's B&M stores, but even Blockbuster Online has HD-DVD's still up for rental. Why close down any almost costless revenue angle? I'm sure that they will lose at least some subscriptions over this, and were I a stock holder, I'd be mad (again, unless they got a payoff).
ruibing @ Feb 11th 2008 11:35PM
If you read HD-DVD's response to these two announcements, you can see that they sound exactly the same. It's almost as if there's no one working there anymore, just a press secretary behind a desk.
http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9869591-7.html?tag=nefd.top
DangerMouse @ Feb 12th 2008 12:03AM
Actually, no one works there anymore at all. Only thing left is a Playstation 3 sitting alone on a tile floor, running an AI & a news bot to send updates to media networks.
jorojoserojas @ Feb 11th 2008 11:36PM
I wonder how long it'll be before all the HD-DVDs out there have their prices slashed drastically.
The format might die, but hell, I have no problem buying a crapload of movies for my HD-DVD player at reduced prices. Better that than waiting until the HD-DVD exclusives are re-released on Blu-Ray at normal or slightly higher prices!
By the way, any good movies coming out this week/coming soon? On either format, I have both the HD-DVD player and a PS3. My movie collection is pretty weak.
Deck @ Feb 11th 2008 11:45PM
Ughh... I read over on xbox360fanboy that Girls Gone Wild is coming out on HD-DVD this week and that's about it.
So, enjoy the choices!
Oreo @ Feb 11th 2008 11:40PM
Sony sucks.
Skitch_ @ Feb 11th 2008 11:55PM
x.o.x.o gossip girl....
RoboChamp @ Feb 11th 2008 11:56PM
Honestly I don't care anymore. I just hope all stores cut the HD-DVD life line soon to get this over and done with as quickly as possible.
Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Feb 12th 2008 12:21PM
I agree.
HDDVD was my favorite (well favored choice at least), but I'll lose no sleep knowing that there'll only be one format.
Time to start looking into a Blu-Ray burner.
Skitch_ @ Feb 11th 2008 11:58PM
But seriously, HD-DVD needs to fade into oblivion right now.
And I'm really not ready to agree with this stuff some guys are saying about digital downloads being the future...
mcatrage @ Feb 12th 2008 12:06AM
I fail to see how this is gaming news.
KayRazy Ken Kutaragi @ Feb 12th 2008 12:22AM
Call me KayRazy but...the last time I checked the PS3 had a Blu-ray drive in it as standard. And it does not take a Fernando's to realize that the inclusion of a Blu-ray drive in Sony's PS3 is the MAIN reason that Blu-ray won the format War.
Make sense now?
MariosInferno @ Feb 12th 2008 8:30AM
"Make sense now?"
It always has. It's a point no one can argue.
It probably has won Sony and BDA a format war, but it has certainly cost Sony more than a few sales of PS3s. It was smart, but costly...
deddyluger @ Feb 12th 2008 12:09AM
Whatevers the cheapest to burn wins for me. Could care less about netflix or Best Buy.
ChiTownRuler23 @ Feb 12th 2008 12:11AM
i knew Blu Ray would win, now im just waiting for more seasons of sopranos to come out on Blu Ray
Synner @ Feb 12th 2008 4:17AM
So you can pay $200+ per season for an old tv show you can download free? WOW fools and their money.
MasterCKO @ Feb 12th 2008 5:15AM
@ChiTownRuler23:
yay breaking the law!
ill trooper @ Feb 12th 2008 5:17AM
Synnur: What a renegade! I'm not judging you on that, do your thing, but why be an ass when some people don't mind paying for things they like? It's cool, bro, no need to call someone 'a fool' when they do decide to pay.
...Unless you're just so excited to tell us how 'leet u iz? Hubris wins again.
MasterCKO @ Feb 12th 2008 5:59AM
"@ChiTownRuler23"
by which I mean "@Synner"
sorry dude. 8^)
Night Elve @ Feb 12th 2008 8:31AM
@Synner
Look at me guys I'm so leet downloading movies and games from da Internet!
William @ Feb 14th 2008 12:07PM
How in the living hell did you "know" blu-ray will win. Every single physical media platform Sony has put out (UMD/Beta Max) have failed... miserably. Don't say you called this one before the battle began. Dick.
Virtuous @ Feb 12th 2008 12:20AM
Hopefully this nonsense will soon be over. What both camps should have done was agree on a single format. Both sides knew that only 1 format would ultimately prevail. Instead they both chose to duel to the death.
Rususeruru @ Feb 12th 2008 12:38AM
If memory serves me correctly, the DVD forum had decided on HD-DVD. After the decision Sony rolled out the Blu-Ray spec(s) but having made the decision the forum ignored Sony. Unfortunately Sony owns several studios and has partnerships with others allowing them to launch the format war.
at any rate SD-DVD FTW!
Zoesch @ Feb 12th 2008 1:45AM
I think you need to get your memory checked.
Blu-Ray was the initial standard, only problem was that it was going to take longer to bring to market, that allowed Toshiba and NEC to present their interim format to the DVD Forum, hijacking the vote in the process. Sony just said "Fuck it" and went ahead with Blu-Ray
Watership @ Feb 12th 2008 12:34AM
Anyone notice that as more and more places choose Blu-ray over HD-DVD, people tend to get more hostile towareds HD-DVD. They want it gone, they want the DVD forum to give up and they blame HD-DVD for dragging things out.
History lesson. HD-DVD was the creation of the DVD forum for the specific purpose to AVOID a format war and avoid screwing consumers for years. Sony broke ranks to try again to be in control of a format.
This time they won. And they also managed to get the general public to think that HD-DVD is the trouble maker. Nice work Sony.
qo_op @ Feb 12th 2008 7:10AM
yep, competition is bad! you get an A+ in Business Ethics.
upz @ Feb 12th 2008 10:44AM
In the immortal words of Winston Chruchill, "History is written my the victors."
upz @ Feb 12th 2008 11:46AM
My god, I am bad at typing. Let me try to redeem myself.
In the immortal words of Winston Churchill, "History is written by the victors."
Korova @ Feb 12th 2008 12:42AM
Netflix decides the war for me.
I was kinda hoping that hd dvd would win because I have a 360, but actually it doesnt matter what other electronic i need to buy, its still another box in the cabinet.
Glad its over. It was a jolly good fight. Cheery-O!
Whats the best BD players out there for reasonably money?
ThornedVenom @ Feb 12th 2008 1:06AM
PS3.
Sorry, you had it coming.
jorojoserojas @ Feb 12th 2008 2:05AM
I read somewhere that the best BD player is, in fact, the PS3. There's changes made to the specs of some Blu-ray discs that make certain (newer?) movies that are not able to run as well - or at all - on earlier models of Blu-ray players. Something about the way the disc is read, I believe. But, the PS3's firmware updates allow the PS3 to constantly be tweaked in order to run all Blu-ray discs. I've never had a problem with mine.
And then, of course, is the price. There are some pretty cheap Blu-ray players out there, maybe even slightly cheaper than the PS3...but those don't play video games. And, chances are, if you're on joystiq.com, that's quite an advantage ;)
ThornedVenom @ Feb 12th 2008 1:07AM
Farewell HD-DVD, your courage won't be in vain.
As an average consumer, I really couldn't give two cents about who won or lost.
Cuja @ Feb 12th 2008 1:34AM
I search the Best Buy sales flyer every week. If it's not on sale, I won't buy it. If movies aren't on sale and mark down to admission price for one, I won't buy. As for paying 4 times the admission price for Bluray movie, forget about it, because it ain't going to happen. People need to understand, if there isn't any competition, there's no price drop. No 5 or 7 free movies with the purchase of their player. That all be gone, no more!
MasterCKO @ Feb 12th 2008 5:38AM
and yet another person doesn't understand the meaning of the word competition. *sigh*
FidliousWong @ Feb 12th 2008 9:33AM
You know, most DVDs get released at $20 nowadays. Most BluRays get released at $25-$30. Several movies on DVD are $10. Several movies on BluRay are $15. Best Buy, Circuit City, and Amazon all constantly run sales on BluRay.
This whole "BluRay is many times more expensive than DVD media" is a fucking myth.
kbomb1upc @ Feb 12th 2008 12:01PM
@Cuja
Well Amazon always has some kind of sale going on. Like right now B2G1 free
http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&plgroup=2&docId=1000196201&tag=blurayforum-20