The battle between HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc is over. Now it’s time for Sony to regroup and set their sights on eating into DVDs market share while fending off digital downloads.
Sony’s own Playstation 3 will play a big role on Blu-ray’s growth over the next year. Sales of the next-gen console have already seen a spike at Amazon.com after news of HD DVDs demise circulated. You can bet Sony will more actively market the console as a Blu-ray player heading into this upcoming holiday shopping season.
Retailers are already scrambling for ways to better integrate Playstation 3 into home theater bundles. According to an article at Videobusiness.com, Sony has teamed with Best Buy to offer the ultimate Blu-ray bundle including a 40-inch Bravia LCDTV, a 40GB PS3, professional installation services and a choice of BD and PS3 game titles for $1889.96.
The article goes on to quote Sony Pictures Home Entertainment president David Bishop as stating over 100 Blu-ray Disc titles will be released by their studio this year. For reference, only 93 have been released by Sony since the summer of 2006.
Bishop goes on to name some big theatrical releases that will find their way to Blu-ray later this year including The Other Boleyn Girl with Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson, Hancock with Will Smith, and Don’t Mess With the Zohan with Adam Sandler.
You can bet we’ll publish those announcements, and many more, as soon as they are made.
