Looks like Blu-ray is going to beat HD-DVD

I’m a bit sad to write this but it looks like Blu-ray is going to win the HD DVD format war now that Warner Bros. has gone Blu-ray exclusive. Now, Blu-ray has a large majority of the studios supporting it – the only exclusive studios supporting HD-DVD are Universal Studios and Paramount. However, there have been rumors that they will also go neutral or Blu-ray exclusive but I don’t think we’ll see them go Blu in the near future since Universal publicly stated that their ‘current plan is to continue to support HD-DVD’ (notice how they used the words “current plan” which tells me they’re starting to think in Blu).

Let’s make this easier, here’s a list of what’s happened since Warner Bros. went Blu-ray exclusive:

• Paramount also says their “current plan” is to stick with HD-DVD
• New Line says they are also going Blu-ray exclusive
• HBO is going Blu-ray exclusive
• The HD-DVD booth at the CES show was desolate. There were also reports that at CES Blu-ray had all of the mojo.
• Constantin Film goes Blu-ray exclusive
• The HD-DVD group fires back and slashes hardware and software prices
• Nielsen VideoScan reports Blu-ray market share for the week ending January 13 = 85% compared to year to date of 74%. It was also the first time where no HD-DVD title was in the top 10 sales for a given week.
• Rumors of Target going Blu-ray exclusive

Yeah, these are very dark times for the HD-DVD consortium and mostly for Toshiba since they are the primary backer of HD-DVD…and these are great times for the Blu-ray Disc (BD) consortium – especially Sony since they’re the primary backer of Blu-ray. However, I don’t think it’s gonna be a cake walk for BD to win the format war due to various reasons – the primary being that Universal and Paramount are still HD-DVD exclusive and the high BD player prices.

Personally, since the Warner Bros. announcement (Jan. 4) I broke down and bought a Blu-ray player (Playstation 3). I bought it about a week after the WB announcement. Needless to say, I think the writing’s on the wall for HD-DVD and it will die a slow death, which is very unfortunate because I’ve been a HD-DVD supporter from the beginning and I am NOT a Sony fan by any stretch of the imagination. I supported HD-DVD for various reasons that I won’t list because this post on Gizmodo sums it up almost perfectly.

Needless to say, I’m tired of this format war and am ready for it to end. Blu-ray has around 75% of Hollywood studios supporting it…and it hurts to say this but “go Blu.”

Filed under: Blu-ray, HD DVD, HDTV, Home Theater, Playstation 3

U.S. sales of video game consoles during March – Wii still #1

The Nintendo Wii was the #1 selling next-gen video game console in the U.S. during the month of March.  Following the Wii were Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Sony’s Playstation 3.

The specific sales numbers were:

1. Wii: 259,000
2. Xbox 360: 199,000
3. PS3: 130,000

Interestingly, the PS2 outsold all next-gen consoles by selling 280,000 units.

Total dollar sales for video game consoles in March was $257 million.

So, we see the PS3 being outsold by the Wii and Xbox 360 – nice!  🙂

[Reuters via Digg]

Filed under: Gaming, Nintendo, Playstation 3, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360

Sales of PS3 fall 18% in Japan from Apr. 9 – Apr. 15

The latest sales data is out and the news for Sony is not good – the PS3 continues its ‘thud.’

During the same week Nintendo saw the Wii increase in sales by 44% while Microsoft’s Xbox 360 has declined 2%.

Here are the weekly sales numbers:

– DS Lite: 133,325 22,480 (20.28%)
– Wii: 75,759 23,176 (44.08%)
– PSP: 24,850 6,653 (21.12%)
– PS2: 12,872 1,362 (9.57%)
– PS3: 11,948 2,572 (17.71%)
– Xbox 360: 2,900 63 (2.13%)
– GBA SP: 654 179 (21.49%)
– Game Boy Micro: 617 105 (20.51%)
– Gamecube: 167 88 (34.51%)
– DS Phat: 146 56 (62.22%)
– GBA: 26 14 (116.67%)

Frankly, I’m happy to see these results because I am not a fan of Sony or the PS3.

[via Joystiq]

Filed under: Gaming, Nintendo, Playstation 3, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360

Brits get a free 46-inch HDTV with the purchase of a PS3

Sony gave a free 46-inch HDTV (I’m assuming a LCD HDTV) to the first 100 people who purchased a PS3 on launch day. The PS3 has had a lot of negative press since it’s launch and it isn’t selling as well as the Xbox 360 and the Wii in the States…this seems like a big indication that Sony is unhappy with sales of the PS3. After all, if the PS3 was selling well, they wouldn’t be giving away HDTVs, on launch night, that will cost them an estimated £250,000.

[via Kotaku and BBC News]

Filed under: Gaming, HDTV, Playstation 3, PS3

European PS3 Launch Confirmed: March 23, 2007

Sony has officially confirmed the PS3 launch with some deets: only the 60GB version will be available and priced at 425 GBP in the U.K. ($840 USD) and 599 Euros for the rest of Europe ($779 USD). With all of the negative mojo (Kotaku, NY Times) surrounding the PS3, who’s willing to bet PS3 sales will mirror the lackluster numbers in the U.S.?

Is it just me who thinks the PS3’s pricepoint is a bit ridiculous? Yes, I know the addition of the Blu-ray player adds a significant cost but $600 USD for a 60GB PS3 is a bit absurd and forcing gamers to pay for something they may not want is a bit unfair.

Filed under: Blu-ray, Gaming, Playstation 3, PS3