So Best Buy announced earlier this week that they’d be giving away $50 gift cards to those of us unfortunate enough to buy into the HD-DVD format. This just landed in my inbox:

Our records show that you may have purchased an HD DVD player from Best Buyâ„¢. Recently, Toshiba announced that they will no longer produce HD DVD players, and movie studios decided they will no longer release new movies in HD DVD.

At Best Buy, we are dedicated to making sure you always have the right technology for you. That is why purchasers of an HD DVD player are eligible to receive a Best Buyâ„¢ gift card. To confirm your purchase, please call us at 1-888-BEST BUY (1-888-237-8289) with your receipt handy.

If you are interested in trading in your HD DVD player and HD DVDs, check out our technology trade-in service at BestBuyTradeIn.com where we will accept HD DVD hardware and software in exchange for a Best Buy gift card based on its market value.

We truly appreciate you as a customer. If you have further questions, please go to BestBuy.com/hddvd.

I called and asked a few questions. Anyone who purchased the HD-DVD player with a Rewards Zone card should automatically receive the Hah Hah Wrong Format Sucker Here’s Fifty Bucks Gift Card in a month or so. Everyone else, as the email above states, can call with their receipt (yeah, the same receipt they probably sent away in the envelope for the free movies offer) and get things sorted out for a free card.

Maybe I’ll use the gift card for HD-DVD movies.