Research Firm: Blu-ray Holds 93% Of HD Market

Research Group Releases Early '08 Sales Report

CHATSWORTH, Calif. — Consumer and retail research firm The NPD Group reports that sales of Blu-ray disc players have increased following Warner Brothers' decision to adopt the format as its exclusive high-def platform.

According to NPD's early 2008 report, Blu-ray players grabbed 93 percent of the high-definition market in the week following the Warner Bros. announcement. For the year so far, Blu-ray units have commanded a 70 percent slice of the high-def console market, up from a 60 percent share in December.

Coupled with recent sales numbers for high-def discs — which show Blu-ray taking an 85 percent chunk — signs suggest, as website Engadget.com put it, that "this won't be such a slow death for HD DVD after all."