Woolworths go Blu-ray exclusive. Drop HD-DVD Options

[PS3Scene]

Woolworths go Blu-ray exclusive. Drop HD-DVD Posted by XanTium | 26-7-2007 14:34 EST

From playthree.net: [QUOTE] Woolworths found that sales for both HD-DVD and Blu-ray had been virtually non-existent, however since the PlayStation 3 release, Blu-ray movie sales have seen a modest but steady increase, and they are now rolling out Blu-ray movies across all their medium to large stores. The company believe this market will increase as the proliferation of HDTV across the UK becomes more widespread over Christmas. However they will be dropping HD-DVD lines completely. [/QUOTE] Full Story: playthree.net

[Chancer]

This is now starting to stack up against HD-DVD.

[twistedsymphony]

it would seem their Trojan horse plan is working.

Though I wonder how many PS3 owners are just renting/buying BR movies to hold them over until their favorite franchise finally arrives.

The console on a whole doesn't seem to be doing well and I wonder if the PS3 never achieves more than a distant 3rd but helps to solidify Blu-Ray as a format will it have been worth it?

Alternatively, if Blu-Ray runs HD-DVD out of the market soon enough it could help bolster PS3 sales which would fall in line with Sony's "Slow burn" sales prediction, but then the question is whether or not that will occur soon enough for Sony to catch up to the other consoles.

This post has been edited by twistedsymphony: Jul 26 2007, 08:06 PM

[Chancer]

I am gathering a fair collection now but I suspect not too many will be willing to part with £17.99 for BR discs and sometimes more.
I need a price drop on the discs

[KaRiL]

The console on a whole doesn't seem to be doing well and I wonder if the PS3 never achieves more than a distant 3rd but helps to solidify Blu-Ray as a format will it have been worth it?

I actually think including blu-ray is the only thing thats saving them right now.
I think everyone agrees the biggest turn-off for the PS3 is lack of, and poor ports of games which has more to do with the cell processor than blu-ray
even a $400 price point, with no blu-ray, wouldn't be enough to challenge the 360 if the software isn't there.

[twistedsymphony]

I actually think including blu-ray is the only thing thats saving them right now.
I think everyone agrees the biggest turn-off for the PS3 is lack of, and poor ports of games which has more to do with the cell processor than blu-ray
even a $400 price point, with no blu-ray, wouldn't be enough to challenge the 360 if the software isn't there.

Interesting point

though if they had not included blueray I think many more people would have bought it at launch and as a result they wouldn't have lost so many games. While I agree that the quality of the game is an issue due to the programming complexity. the PS3 was unable to follow in the PS2's footsteps of a popular launch despite the games due to the costs that blue ray added.

it's hard to speculate how things would have been had BlueRay not been included. Did it really delay the console so many months or was that just the excuse for other problems (due to the fact that other things like the online service weren't ready at launch I tend to believe it was just a cover)... it's hard saying but as much as blue ray is helping them have what little market share they have I think it's also in part to blame for the sticker shock most people have over this thing and thus the reason we haven't see those 5 million people that Sony though would have bought the console no matter what the games were.

[bucko]

I would like to see if Sony is using Marketing (I mean money bribing) in this case, as in if you sell Blu-Ray only we will give you exclusives/money/advertising the like, it sucks because it doesn't mean fair competition.

There are some great HD-DVD movies coming out, but with Blu-Ray it seems to be all about money, like if your a movie publisher and you join Blu-Ray camp you get more bang for buck.

It's a shame because HD-DVD is a great format, and it's not being treated fairly. I simply don't believe it's because of sales and PS3 helpers.

[Thraxen]

Yeah, but they are both fine formats. So I really don't care if one is being given a fair shot or not, the format war needs to end.... and the sooner the better.

This post has been edited by Thraxen: Jul 28 2007, 02:21 AM

[stevenalvarado]

the sooner the better!

Totally agree!
Both formats are great too and it is really soon to think of ps3 failing to get a 3rd place in this "war" but normally when i read your posts i always think: what if the ONLY objective of this ps3 is to get consumers into blue ray. i mean im not the first person to have said that but what i really think if you understand me is that what if the ps3 as a console fails miserably as to sony lose millions of costumers and they go to the 360 and wii sides, but at the end blue ray succeeds in the format war against HDdvd?

whats better for sony PS3 fails and blue ray succeeds or blue ray fails and ps3 succeeds?

This post has been edited by stevenalvarado: Jul 29 2007, 09:26 PM

[Chancer]

whats better for sony PS3 fails and blue ray succeeds or blue ray fails and ps3 succeeds?

If Blu-Ray succeeds it will be partly due to the PS3 not despite it.
PS3 may not be selling as they hoped at the moment but it will not fail. Too much invested in it for that to happen.

[j3y q]

i have a ps3 and i think that the system has potenional but its mainly my bluray player, now only if the 360 had a blu ray attachemnt there would be no reason for a ps3 at leatst for me anyways

[Jase Winter]

Personally, I bought the PS3 as a blu-ray player since it was the cheapest available at the time and also had some pretty good reviews compared to the other hardware available, I see it as a bit of a bonus that it's a console as well and my blu-ray titles far out number my games collection. However, I also bought myself the HD DVD drive for my 360 as there are titles exlusive to HD as well as those that are exclusive to blu-ray. I do believe though that the lack of studio backing for HD DVD along with the fact that PS3 has built in blu-ray will eventually force the consumer to side with Blu-Ray. Although i'd be quite happy with both or either myself

Let's hope at any rate that the format war atleast pushes the cost of discs down sometime soon!