Netflix goes Blu-ray exclusive
by Andrew Yoon 
{ Feb 11th 2008 at 9:55AM }
Popular internet video rental service, Netflix, has just announced it is dropping HD DVD support. Blu-ray over the past few months has gained the exclusive support of a majority of major Hollywood studios, such as Disney and Warner Bros. The embattled HD DVD format is essentially "dead," and Netflix agrees. According to a report by Reuters, "Netflix said that with such a clear signal from the industry, it will only buy Blu-ray discs going forward and will phase out stock of HD DVD by about the end of the year."As our friends at Engadget said, "good luck renting an HD DVD." With both Netflix and Blockbuster removing HD DVD from their shelves, it's clear that Sony's movie format has won the war.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Chris Rah Osiris @ Feb 11th 2008 10:02AM
Netflix, you chose right. Good job
HAAS599 @ Feb 11th 2008 12:46PM
That is the final nail in the coffin
XDragon @ Feb 11th 2008 10:09AM
Every business day seems to have another Blu only story! You have to wonder why Paramount/Dreamworks and Universal are taking so long considering Universal no longer has exclusive commitments and Paramount/Dreamworks has a exit clause based on Warner. Go Blu!
DSR7997 @ Feb 11th 2008 1:51PM
I know, I can't get rid of my HD-DVD add-on until they release Transformers on Blu-Ray. Come on Paramount!
Simstim @ Feb 11th 2008 10:26AM
I expect Paramount and Universal to go dual format before the year is out now. This is a real kick in the balls for HD-DVD.
Stef Geiger @ Feb 11th 2008 10:29AM
This is good, but it's annoying to think that the war won't be officially "over" till probably the end of the year. Not that it really matters at this point - there's about... three Universal titles worth owning, so I don't feel like we're missing out on much. Though I guess there are a bunch of Dreamworks titles like Transformers...
mattclarkie @ Feb 11th 2008 11:55AM
The problem is that that press in the mass media still don't call it. The BBC still insists that you shouldn't buy a player because the war could go either way.
So as a result Joe Public in the UK buys either the cheapest, a combo player, or in most cases neither.
Way to go stupid Mass Media.
mattclarkie @ Feb 11th 2008 12:05PM
The problem is that that press in the mass media still don't call it. The BBC still insists that you shouldn't buy a player because the war could go either way.
So as a result Joe Public in the UK buys either the cheapest, a combo player, or in most cases neither.
Way to go stupid Mass Media.
Popfrogs @ Feb 11th 2008 1:35PM
Sounds like the BBC is retarded and stuck in the past. Has anyone told them WW2 is over?
Stef Geiger @ Feb 11th 2008 1:53PM
Well, you have to understand that these massive corporations are going to do what's in THEIR best interests, not the consumer's. I'm pretty surprised that National Geographic etc have actually gone exclusive, because unlike the big studios, the little guys should be interested in keeping both formats alive as long as possible. By going blu-ray exclusive, they hurt their own sales, since they won't make a penny off of the HD DVD crowd now. Not that they SHOULD trick HD DVD supports into buying stuff, it'll be like owning Betamax cassettes soon enough.
Perhaps in the end, when the HD DVD forum concedes (I don't think I'm being overly presumptuous - it's just a matter of time now), they'll allow Blu-ray player manufacturers to buy the HD DVD licensing for cheap, just so that those who invested in HD DVD don't have libraries of useless discs.
edboy @ Feb 11th 2008 10:31AM
now the people with 360's can buy another expensive add on that doesn't play games...
James @ Feb 11th 2008 11:24AM
Probably explains why they just re-re-cut the price on the HD-DVD addon box (now 130, down from 150, down from 200). The way I see it, you'd have to be retarded to buy a Blu-Ray addon, though -- unless it launched for under a hundred bucks. If it launched at 200 like the HD box, you'd be more than halfway to a used PS3...
David @ Feb 11th 2008 11:06AM
Blockbuster still rents HD-DVDs online and your article makes it seems as if they aren't renting HD-DVDs at all. Physical stores are no longer carrying the format but their online store still does. Also 250 of their 1,700 stores still carry the format.
I own a ps3 and I want the format war to end as soon as possible but when writing a piece of news you should do the proper investigation.
Jay @ Feb 11th 2008 11:24AM
Microsoft can't bribe Netfix on this one. They are busy trying to buy Yahoo!. Well put your HD-DVD player on a shelf next to you Betamax and Divx players.
edboy @ Feb 11th 2008 11:31AM
its up there with my laser disk player and my Action Max...
linebeginstoblur @ Feb 11th 2008 12:43PM
Well, Microsoft doesn't own HD DVD (Toshiba does), and also, remember, places like Sony and Microsoft have different divisions. But really, like I'm sure a lot of people are hoping, maybe the HD DVD group will give in someday and they'll realize that, if all they do is give out money for exclusivity, it's still not making them much money. Blu-ray sells more and it's been said that companies like Warner Brothers didn't even have to be paid off for them to go ex-blu-sive. (Sorry, I had to do it.)
mattclarkie @ Feb 11th 2008 11:53AM
Five cheers for Sony.
One Million Jeers for Toshiba.
never$$hort @ Feb 11th 2008 1:00PM
Any HD-DUD fanboys who cant see the writing on the wall now must either be:
A) mentally disturbed
B) mentally disturbed!!
mattclarkie @ Feb 11th 2008 1:10PM
HD-Demented
HD-DVLoopy
Popfrogs @ Feb 11th 2008 1:27PM
My favorite: HD-Epic-Fail
Slayer15 @ Feb 11th 2008 1:48PM
and now universal has gone neutral.
http://www.thegamersthought.com/2008/02/breaking-news-egm-confirms-universals.html
Stef Geiger @ Feb 11th 2008 4:46PM
Yeah, I think this is bogus, seeing as it's more than three hours old and no one else has reported the same thing.
Deathrace King @ Feb 11th 2008 1:54PM
It's over. Throw in the towel. Now can I please have a complete Star Wars Blu-ray box set? Please?
The Aggie CEO @ Feb 11th 2008 3:13PM
You it Took Lucas like 5-8 years after DVD became popular for him to release Star Wars on there.......
so I'd think we have to wait until at least 2010 for that on Blu-ray
DSR7997 @ Feb 11th 2008 4:32PM
2010? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Daizyujin @ Feb 11th 2008 9:59PM
Originally I really didn't care as I only bought a blu-ray player because I wanted the PS3 for games. To me it was nothing but a nice bonus, especially since Netflix charges the same rate for Blu-ray as DVD. At any rate I am glad to see this situation finally coming to an end. The only thing I still am saddened by HD-DVD loosing for is I was really pleased Toshiba took a region free stance with the format. While it isn't nearly as bad as the region structure on DVD, it still stinks.
Stef Geiger @ Feb 11th 2008 4:45PM
...And now Best Buy says they're going to "recommend BRD over HDDVD":
http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Industry_Trends/Best_Buy/Best_Buy_to_Recommend_Blu-ray_over_HD_DVD/1455
That's a second big blow in one day.
Nate @ Feb 11th 2008 6:20PM
Kind of a weightless statement, really, but the fact that they're saying anything one way or the other is a good sign. More companies need to start telling the masses that the $130 HD-DVD player on the shelf is little better than the $50 up-converting DVD player next to it.
Stef Geiger @ Feb 11th 2008 7:50PM
Read the article. It's NOT a weightless statement when the largest electronics and media retailer in North America says "We're completely phasing out HD DVD in the next few months", also, considering most people who shop in big box stores are completely ignorant to what they're buying, Best Buy's "recommendation" of Blu-ray will lead to HD DVD sales tanking chain-wide.
Riley Freeman @ Feb 11th 2008 8:01PM
ok im in bed typing on a laptop. im sorry i dont see the need to type like im typing a letter to a client. it has nothingto do with being a fanboy. i hate that term so annoying and childish.
xbox makes nice visual games but the fact of the matter is it was a rushed system. 33% of them get bricked thats nto fanboyism thats FACT.
same could be said for nokia not making cdma phones? hyet they are the number 1 manufacturer so i dont think it hurts anything when one base outnumbers the other by a huge margin
had xbox put hddvd in their system and actually used it for their games. they probably would have won since they had a year headstart and would now have about 17 million customers.
Stef Geiger @ Feb 11th 2008 9:17PM
There's just something to be said for preserving the English language. It's because of people who say "cuz" and "4" because it's apparently so much easier than spelling things correctly that our kids are going to talk and type like complete retards. People would get looked at funny if they talked the way they typed. Why not start SPEAKING without punctuation and proper grammar too?
linebeginstoblur @ Feb 12th 2008 10:04AM
Stef Geiger:
First of all, I did read your comment before PS3 Fanboy made a full post about the story. Thanks, that's great news!
Second of all, your last comment about spelling, grammar, and punctuation is something I wholeheartedly agree with. I never use any of those abbreviations and every day that goes by makes it harder to read certain websites, because someone's making acronyms of even more strange phrases. I'm actually becoming very worried of the future if almost every kid in the nation is growing up on chat-speak, text-speak, 1337-speak, or whatever that stuff is called. People excuse themselves of horrible grammar by blaming it on the fact they're using the Internet or a cell phone, but really, it just makes them look eight years old. Just thought I'd let you know I agree with you. ;)
Stef Geiger @ Feb 12th 2008 10:22AM
Well, that makes....two of us.
Riley Freeman @ Feb 11th 2008 6:10PM
Stef Geiger
im sorry it is in their best interest to pick a format. itcost money to manufacture in both formats so moving to one side helps push the odds in one direction to help end this stupid format war.
bluray was always going to win not just cuz it can hold more. but sony put it in their machine by default more people wil have it. the 360 was rushed and thats why it will not have a long lifespan and the ps3 will. sony is catching up 360 will soon be behind. theres only so many halo's they can make
Stef Geiger @ Feb 11th 2008 7:48PM
Judging by your horrible grammar, numerous typos and rabid fanboyism, I'm pretty sure I can safely discount your statement as "uninformed opinion".
When a little "studio" or division of a studio decides to go exclusive (like National Geographic), they and everyone else knows that they make just about NO difference in swaying people in the format war. And yes, it IS in their best interests to make their product available to both the HD DVD and the Blu-ray market. By going exclusive, they lose a good portion of potential revenue, because they're not selling to the entire market anymore. And considering the fact that these discs are stamped in the thousands, I highly doubt outside of the authoring costs that it's more expensive to produce on two different formats.
Riley Freeman @ Feb 11th 2008 11:07PM
stef. i type this on a blog site for video games pls dont bring kids and the way children learn into this. its completely off topic and has nothing to do with what i said.
i deal with multimillion dollar clients all the time. i dont type this way with them. its a website LIGHTEN UP
ck @ Feb 12th 2008 9:23AM
FFS, It's not hard to use decent grammar and punctuation all the time. Being in bed is no excuse, and your insistence on writing like that makes you appear just like the all the other retards online.
What's the problem? Does your IQ drop when you take your pants off?
Akamaru @ Feb 12th 2008 10:08PM
Hey man just wanted to say that I think the other commenters are being a bit harsh. I can understand you just fine and it's not like you are typing ten letter acronyms.
Anyway, I think it might be more expensive for a small studio to license both formats and pay both factories to print the discs than to just get one license that you are pretty confident in and buy more volume to lower your cost.
Metoo @ Feb 11th 2008 11:11PM
This is fine and all, but I wish I could get a popular Blu-ray movie (like RE: Extinction) from Netflix sometime soon. All of my queued Blu-rays are "Short Wait," Long Wait," "Very Long Wait."
Riley Freeman @ Feb 12th 2008 11:20AM
ck another idiots comments. u dont like the way i type too bad. i could care less what u think. if u choose to spend ur time complaining about typing on the internet blong site for video games well then kill urself now since its clear u have NO LIFE
Riley Freeman @ Feb 12th 2008 10:15PM
thanks Akamaru i appreciate someone that takes the internet for what it is especially when talking about video games. and i agree with you.
i think my nokia example with cdma phones is a perfect example. cdma has over 120million customers in north america. nokia doesnt make any phones. and they are STILL number 1 manufacturer in the world.