SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) — Top US retailer Wal-Mart on Friday drove another nail a coffin for Toshiba's HD DVD video disks by announcing it would shift to exclusively selling Japanese rival Sony's format Blu-ray.
Wal-Mart's announcement comes the same week that major electronics seller Best Buy and online video rental giant Netflix declared their allegiance to Blu-ray, a new high-definition format promoted by a coalition led by Sony.
Wal-Mart says its 4,000 US stores, including those under the Sam's Club banner, will phase out HD DVD offerings in the next few months and begin selling movies only on Blu-ray disks.
"We've listened to our customers, who are showing a clear preference toward Blu-ray products and movies with their purchases," said Wal-Mart senior vice president of home entertainment Gary Severson.
"We wanted to share our decision and timeline with them as soon as possible, knowing it will help simplify their purchase decision, increase selection, and increase adoption long term."
The death of HD DVD has been heralded since January, when Warner Brothers studio -- Hollywood's largest distributor of DVDs -- pulled out of an alliance with Toshiba's HD DVD camp and switched sides in the format war to Blu-ray.
Toshiba's HD DVD format has vied for years with Blu-Ray to win a battle to become the industry standard for the next generation of DVDs.
Industry analysts and electronics makers maintain the format war has stifled sales of high-definition DVD players because consumers are waiting for a victor before plunking down money for the expensive new technology.
The loser of the battle will become a mere footnote in consumer electronics history, much the way Betamax was forgotten after VHS became the technology of choice for home video players, according to industry analysts.
Analysts say that if Paramount and Universal film studios also abandon HD DVD, the format is doomed.
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