Blockbuster expands Blu-ray but not HD DVD

Blockbuster announced it is expanding Blu-ray Disc rentals to 1,700 stores by mid-July.

The company will continue to offer both Blu-ray and HD DVD through its online rental service and in its 250 stores that have been carrying both formats since November.

The company said it made the decision to expand just Blu-ray because Blu-ray rentals were “significantly outpacing HD DVD rentals at Blockbuster stores.”

The 1,700 additional stores will offer more than 170 Blu-ray titles and will add more as they are released.

The added locations are “in those stores where our research indicates there will be the most demand,” said Matthew Smith, Blockbuster senior VP of merchandising.

The company hasn’t given up on HD DVD. “Obviously, when customers are ready, we can expand the Blu-ray offering to more stores and add HD DVD to more locations if that’s what customers tell us they want,” Smith said.

Executives from studios that release only in Blu-ray have been saying that retailers will begin favoring Blu-ray over HD DVD. Blockbuster’s announcement is the first official acknowledgement.