Warner Bros is hedging its bets in the High Definition (HD) format war with the introduction of HD discs compatible with Blu-ray and HD DVD players.

Warner is calling its new solution ‘Total HD’ and spokespeople for the company have said that major retailers across the US have agreed to stock the discs.

The hybrid HD Discs will be available in US in the second half of this year with the launch of MI:3, Batman Begins and Superman Returns. If the format proves to be successful in the US, expect to see them on these shores some time in the new year.

Executives from Warner have indicated that the price of Total HD discs will not differ substantially from standard Blu-ray or HD DVD. This will come as a relief to consumers who feel they have been pawns in the HD format wars.

Some industry insiders have criticised Warner’s approach, saying it prolongs the HD disc battle by creating a third format. Letting Sony and Toshiba do battle would lead to a quicker resolution, some critics say.

However, Kevin Tsujihara, president of Warner Bros. Entertainment stated that 'From our perspective, it's good for consumers. It's more flexible and it takes away the whole fear of buying the wrong format’.

The only thing certain at the moment is that the HD disc format war is not about to cool down just yet.