MUMBAI: Beginning later this year, Warner Bros. Entertainment will release its high-definition DVD titles exclusively in the Blu-ray disc format, Warner Bros. chairman and CEO Barry Meyer and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group president Kevin Tsujihara announced today.

“Warner Bros.’ move to exclusively release in the Blu-ray disc format is a strategic decision focused on the long term and the most direct way to give consumers what they want,” said Meyer.

Warner Home Video will continue to release its titles in standard DVD format and Blu-ray. After a short window following their standard DVD and Blu-ray releases, all new titles will continue to be released in HD DVD until the end of May 2008.

“Warner Bros. has produced in both high-definition formats in an effort to provide consumer choice, foster mainstream adoption and drive down hardware prices,” said Time Warner Inc. president and CEO Jeff Bewkes. Time Warner is the parent company of Warner Bros. Entertainment.

Meanwhile, the companies of the HD DVD Promotional Group issued a statement in response to the decision stating, “While Warner’s decision is a setback for HD DVD, the consumer has benefited from HD DVD’s commitment to quality and affordability – a bar that is critical for the mainstream success of any format. We believe widespread adoption of a next generation format will ultimately be determined by the consumer.”