Gamertell

In what could be considered another nail in the coffin for HD DVD, Netflix, the world’s leading Internet DVD renter, announced in a statement released on its web site that the company will be going exclusively Blu-ray over HD DVDs.

While Netflix currently carries both formats, HD-DVD and Blu-ray, Netflix cited in their statement the recent shift in studio allegiance as the main reason for the decision to go exclusively to Blu-ray.

“High-definition DVD is the next wave of excitement in home entertainment and we’ll be there at its inception,” said Netflix Chairman and CEO Reed Hastings. “With far sharper images, better sound and more features, we expect high-def will greatly enhance DVD’s consumer appeal and extend its popularity over the next decade or more.”

 
The company also referenced the statistic that of those customers who’ve opted to receive high-definition DVDs, the majority selected Blu-ray as their preference.

The phasing out of HD DVD should be complete by the end of 2008. There is no doubt that the support of a growing number of movie studios and the climbing sales of the Playstation 3 have helped prompted the growth in Blu-ray players and movies sales.

Microsoft, which currently supports HD-DVD, has recently announced a price drop for their HD-DVD player that is compatible with the Xbox 360. It is still firmly backing its HD format despite the growing evidence that the public and industry is shifting towards greener or, in this case, bluer pastures.

Read [IGN] Also Read [Netflix]