Walmart started November with a bang for HD DVD by instigating the first shots in a pricing war with fellow HD DVD retailers (and the competing format). More promotions are likely in the weeks ahead, but what about months and months ahead?

It seems logical that $99 sales on HD DVD players would be followed up by stocking more HD DVD movies on their shelves. There are over 300 movies available on HD DVD, and it would be nice to see more of them in stores — but at the right price! According to a recent article in Video Business, it appears that Walmart is going to do just that. They are expanding their high-definition software support to just about all of their stores by May, 2008. Movie studios expect the retailer to dedicate large amounts of retail shelf space to high-def discs.

Walmart is credited with putting DVD on the map, and they seem ready to lead the way for mass-market high-def adoption as well. The last few days have demonstrated that where Walmart goes, other retailers are happy to follow. By offering a bunch of HD DVD discs for $15, they have hinted at prices to come. This eventually spreads to other retailers, and that’s good news for all of us.