The Blu-ray disc format accounts for nearly three quarters of all HD movies sold in Europe and is contributing to an overall lead for the format, according to new reports from manufacturers. The Blu-ray Disc Association says it has sold about one million movies on the continent compared to about 370,000 HD DVD titles, giving the former standard a 73 percent marketshare. The wider adoption of the format becomes even clearer if PlayStation 3 games are factored in at 21 million units total for Europe, the Association boasts. No games are currently made for the Xbox 360’s HD DVD attachment as the drive is considered strictly optional.
The update is only partly countered by a new report from the opposing HD DVD Promotional Group on the same day. The firm claims to have sold 750,000 players this year, edging out Blu-ray in terms of stand-alone players; however, including the Blu-ray-equipped PS3 tilts the figures in favor of Blu-ray. The HD DVD Group frequently contends that the Sony system is only a game console and does not matter in the final tally despite its ability to play Blu-ray movies.
The console is becoming increasingly crucial to Sony’s attempts to influence the conflict over HD video formats in recent weeks, as the company’s new 40GB PS3 is temporarily bundled with a Blu-ray copy of Spiderman 3 and has seen sales of the often-maligned console almost triple since its introduction at a relatively low $399 price. The Xbox 360 costs $349 and has sold far better to its gaming audience, but requires an extra $180 extra to gain HD DVD playback.
