When the PS3's price was announced, the world was in shock, $600 in the US and a mighty £425 in the UK.  Never before has a games console been so expensive.  So what was to blame.  Well there are loads of expensive chips and such in the machine, but the majority of the expense has to come down to the included Blu-ray drive.  Sony made a very bold move in including Blu-ray with the PS3.  Blu-ray what the hell is that...most people were asking.

Anyway enough of this.  It certainly was a very risky approach by Son, seeing as the Blu-ray drive esculated the cost of the PS3 by nearly $300 by choosing not to have a DVD instead.  Well here we are 12 months later (8 in Europe) and $200 cheaper in the US and £125 cheaper in the UK...what is now happening?

Well Blu-ray at the moment is the leading HD movie format worldwide although HD-DVD it's main competitor is certainly catching up in the US.  Current stats put Blu-ray disc sales on a 2:1 ratio in the US, 3:1 ration in Europe and around 30:1 in Japan.  HD-DVD player prices, are at rock bottom at the moment especially in the US where you can pick up a dedicated player for as cheap as $98 whereas Blu-ray is still around the $300 mark.

So what has the PS3 got to do with this?  Well because of the integrated Blu-ray player, it is the best value Blu-ray player on the market internationally although standalone players are coming down, but the PS3 seems to be helping out Blu-ray considerably at this moment in time.  Although the PS3 is primarily a games machine, it is obvious that film fanatics are buying the Playstation as their dedicated HD player.  So this happens to be a two way help each other out.  Not only are sales of the PS3 as a games machine increasing the Blu-ray buying population, but those consumers that are buying the PS3 as a standalone player are helping out the sales of the PS3 for gamers and games as well.  Is this how Sony envisaged it?

One common point brought up especially in the waring factions of Blu-ray VS HD-DVD, is attach ratios.  One one hand, the sales of the PS3 is brought up to show how small the attach ratios are for Blu-ray discs, while on the other hand, sales of the PS3 are used to demonstrate how many Blu-ray players are on the market.  Using information from September, it seemed that there were around 350k HD-DVD players (standalone and 360 add ons) in the US compared to around 150k standalone Blu-ray players and 1.6m PS3's in the US.  Seeing as Blu was outselling Red by a ratio of 2:1 based on disc sales, and we have to assume that HD movie bauyers will buy the same number of Red to Blu, it is reckoned that approximately 35% of PS3 owners buy Blu-ray movies.  So this is a far cry from the 20% number banded around for some time.  Also, as consumers start buying more LCD's and Plasma's for their homes and become more aware of HD movies, I can foresee this percentage getting bigger all the time.

So in the long run, what can be said.  Well, the PS3 has now sold over 6m worldwide, and Blu-ray has gathered a decent lead over it's competitor in the HD format war.  So at this moment in time, having Blu in the PS3 seems to be paying off for not only the PS3 but more importantly for Blu-ray.

well, BR vs HD DVD,

NA :
66 vs 33
PAL :
75 vs 25
Japan :
95 vs 5

If Warner doesnt go HD DVD exclusive and if the 100/200$ HD DVD player dont sell too much I believe the BR will win.

OH, in NA, HD DVD player (counting Xbox360) :
""""
the North American HD DVD
Promotional Group today announced that sales of dedicated HD DVD players
exceeded the 750,000 mark. The data is based on retailer reports and other
point of sale data, and includes standalone set-top players as well as the
Xbox 360 HD DVD player.
""""
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/11-27-2007/0004711631&EDATE=

SO, from september to november, about 2 months,
the HD DVd user base DOUBLED, +350 000 unit lol

you see, the war is not over, not yet.

I didn't read the entire post but your basically saying that its a good thing that the PS3 trojan horsed the Blu-Ray?

I would agree with your point that it helps Blu-Ray sales (though it hasn't broken the stalemate, merely tipped it somewhat) however I wouldn't agree that the Blu-Ray has helped to sell the PS3. This is because it has had a positive and negative effect, it helps sell the PS3 as it is a very affordable Blu-Ray player. It prevents sales of the PS3 through the price increase which while lesser (with the PS3 at $400) now caused bad press at the PS3s launch which has snowballed to cause the current disappointing sales.

So yeah, the PS3 hugely helped Blu-Ray but in my opinion Blu-Ray hugely damaged the PS3.

I agree with Rath.

good and bad effect but overall : bad effect.
except if the Br ultimately kill lthe HD DVD AND the DVD (hehe)
then VERY GOOD EFFECTS for Sony.

IMHO, it's the lack of games tha's been most negative for the PS3.  Yes, BR helped push up the costs of the PS3 by at nearly $300 and if the PS3 was released at $399 from day one, then it probably would have done better.  But I honestly think that there is a good percentage of consumers that are buying the PS3 solely or predominately for the Blu-ray player.  Although the stats point towards a 35% Blu-ray usage for the PS3, I would think that anything up to 10% of PS3 purchases are based on the fact of Blu-ray alone.

"""Yes, BR helped push up the costs of the PS3 by at nearly $300 and if the PS3 was released at $399 from day one, then it probably would have done better."""

==> WOW 300$ only on the BR ?
I dont believe that
BR player addition push the costs by 100$/150$ max.
any link someone ?

"""But I honestly think that there is a good percentage of consumers that are buying the PS3 solely or predominately for the Blu-ray player."""

==> In europe and japan : brand name is selling the console.
==> in NA, yes, the BR is helping a lot the console.

Agreeing with RATH.

My complaint is that the PS3 seems unsure of what it is. A top of the range games console, BR player or all in one multimedia system.

Typically with the Playstation brand I am looking for a games console. Not interested in all its multimedia functionality or BR so I sure aint gonna pay extra for it!!

It always feels like a huge promotional tool for BR, there is much talk/debate/arguments about the HD wars and then the lack of games for the system.

Also Sony's track record with new media isn't good: Betamax, Mini-Disc, SACD!

Sony should of focused more on the gaming side instead of escalating this pointless format war.

I would like to point out that I do not currently support HD-DVD or BR, neither do I intend to anytime soon.

after reading what you said I'm not sure if you are blinded by your love for sony or just not thinking this through. no way on earth is blu-ray a good thing for ps3. even if you are right that up 20 10% of ps3 owners bought it solely cause of blu-ray (about 600,000) that doesnt make up for the millions and millions and millions who have not bought a ps3 due to the blu-ray player being built in.

the ps3 launch was delayed for almost a year due to blu-ray problems. that gave 360 a huge head start which has really helped them with third party developers which has in turn boosted 360 sales. in addition blu ray meant ps3 was launched at a ridiculous price. this meant many who had been waiting to get a ps3 had to go for a 360 (or wii) instead. if ps3 did not have blu-ray built in and ps3 launched in march last year at let's say $300 it would have destroyed 360 (especially if they had dropped the price the way they have been doing). the console war was only sony's to lose and looks like they've lost it by including blu-ray since with repeated price drops they are barely outselling 360 world wide (despite being 7 million behind) and are being slaughtered in sales by Wii which is yet to see a price drop.

without a doubt blu-ray will win the high definition dvd war but it has come at the cost of success in the console war. even a top sony official (can't remember who it was but think it might have been the stringer chap) said in hind sight ps3 should not have included blu ray. but sony foolishly assumed they could release their console at any price and people would still buy. the playstation brand was so powerful that all sony needed to do was ensure the console was affordable and it would have sold like crazy. well blu ray is the reason that has not happened. you talk about lack of games but all consoles suffer lack of games in their 1st year and i am pretty sure you are one of those who would point out how ps3 has had better games than wii.

Great fanboyism.

To "Trojan Horse" something, you have to be unaware that it contains something "harmful".  It's written all over the box and the original ad compain featured Blu-Ray.  If it were a Trojan horse, the consumer would be totally unaware of it and it would somehow cripple the system.  Try using different words next time.

I agree that Sony decided to use the PS3 to sell Blu-ray, but as you say, if Blu-ray wins the HD war, then it could help turn the whole thing around.  No doubt if the PS3 was $300 on release, it would have sold loads more, but on the other hand, would we be seeing games like Uncharted and MGS4 and Killzone 2 on the PS3 is it didn't have Blu-ray?  Blu-ray is in the PS3, so we have to accept this and look forward.  I personally did originally thing that Blu-ray was a bad idea as, as you said, it delayed the release of the PS3 and esculated the cost of the unit as well.  But I do think that they can and will help each other out.