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Blu-ray bowing on May 23

Sony announces next-gen video format will launch in US in just over three months with lineup of familiar titles; first player to retail for $999.

Two weeks ago, Variety reported that many studios were cutting back on production of Universal Media Disc (UMD) home-video releases. According to the article, studios were disappointed with sales of films released on the format, which was created for Sony's PSP handheld. However, most PSP owners will say that they are themselves disappointed with the small selection of UMD movies, much of which is made up of such less-than-stellar offerings as Stealth and Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo.

Today, Sony announced that is launching another all-new video format used by one of its game platforms with an even more limited selection of movies. On May 23, the electronics giant will debut its Blu-ray Disc (BD) format, which will be used by the PlayStation 3, in North America with eight films of varying vintage, popularity, and acclaim: 50 First Dates, The Fifth Element, Hitch, House of Flying Daggers, A Knight's Tale, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, XXX, and the 1978 concert film The Last Waltz. They will be followed by a second wave of releases on June 13: Kung Fu Hustle, Legends of the Fall, RoboCop, Stealth, Species, SWAT, Terminator, and Underworld: Evolution.

Though DVD-specialty sites such as the Digital Bits predict that the aforementioned launch BD movies will go for about $24.99 each, no pricing information was given for the initial octet, which will be released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. However, the other studio shipping BD films on May 23, Lionsgate, was more forthcoming. It said that two of its initial offerings, Lord of War and the Oscar-nominated Crash will retail for $39.99, while the other three--The Punisher, Saw, and Terminator 2: Judgment Day--will go for $29.99 each. The Canada-based studio will release a second wave that will include Reservoir Dogs, Total Recall, Stargate, and the Frank Herbert's Dune miniseries for $29.99 each, and the Rob Zombie-directed schlock-horror opus The Devil's Rejects for $39.99.

Though neither Sony nor Lionsgate made any mention of what extra features their initial BD movie offerings will have, both make much of the Blu-ray Disc's ability to store up to 50GB on one disc, more than five times that of a DVD. For a full rundown on the format, which will see competition in the form of the Microsoft and Time Warner-backed HD-DVD platform later in the year, check out Sony's official Blu-ray Web site. Microsoft is also planning to release a HD-DVD add-on for the Xbox 360 later this year.

But while the variety of BD films will be limited, consumers will have even less choice when it comes to Blu-ray Disc players. Sony's announcement said that its BDs' debut will "coincide with the launch...of the first commercially available BD player from Samsung Electronics." That would be the BD-P1000, which will play HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) video at resolutions of both 720p and 1080i (720 lines progressive scanning and 1,080 lines interlaced scanning)--and will retail for around $999.

The PS3, which will come with an internal BD-ROM drive, is expected to retail for between $399 and $799. However, most analysts now expect the console won't launch in the US until Q4 2006, even though Sony has not officially changed the "spring 2006" release window it announced at E3 2005. However, Sony says the BD-P1000's release "will be followed shortly by BD players from Pioneer and Sony along with a BD-compatible VAIO PC from Sony."

432 Comments

  • Nein1no

    Posted Mar 7, 2006 1:10 pm GMT

    So Menmau, your paying for a $150 disk? Yup, ONE HVD disk will cost $150. Only big industrys will by it. This WILL flop. Plus it has almost zero support with only 10 companys supporting, and small ones I might add.

    And May 23rd looks like a good day for Sony.

  • phoenix14

    Posted Mar 7, 2006 9:19 am GMT

    sounds great but i'm not paying over a grand for it

  • menmau

    Posted Mar 7, 2006 2:48 am GMT

    For me its more like BLU-GAY!!!
    I´m waiting for the HVD(Holografic Versatile Disc) thats a true revolution and not that stupid disc from Sony!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • 1p0d3r

    Posted Mar 6, 2006 4:10 pm GMT

    So, the player is $1000, but the PS3 is $399-$599? Sony is trying to screw with us somehow.

  • T_U_M_E_G

    Posted Mar 6, 2006 3:23 pm GMT

    I'll wait for a price drop...or six

  • jamuja

    Posted Mar 6, 2006 1:19 pm GMT

    this is dumb, there is no way I'm spending $1000 on a game system that Sony has been saying comes out in May but really isnt

  • miiiguel

    Posted Mar 6, 2006 7:31 am GMT

    $999 is a lot of money for me.

  • namelex

    Posted Mar 6, 2006 7:27 am GMT

    I agree with all the folks saying that "its not looking good for Sony"
    The reason ppl bought DVd players when they first came out was because they saw the difference between VHS and DVD. Its not the same case with Blue-Ray. Sony will need to invest heavily in advertisment to convince ppl why blue-ray is better than Hd-dvd and DVDs

  • NinjaMan130

    Posted Mar 5, 2006 10:53 pm GMT

    Wow I've never seen so many ignorant people in my life. None of you people here are analysts, so stop trying to make it seem like you guys know what you are talking about. Big whoop the new BD player is gunna be $1000, dont mean you have to buy it. You guys complain its too much, but I could recall when DVD players first came out they were damn expensive too like around $700 and people still bought them. You know why people still bought them??? Because there are people out there willing to spend the money just because its new technology and they want to have the best hardware to date. Same thing is going to happen with the BD players, you guys may not buy it but there are going to be plenty of people that will buy it. And as time goes on, BD will become less expensive and take over the DVD era, simple as that. So stop with your stupid comments like "Man, it aint looking good for Sony" or "Sony is making dum moves".

  • AlMar12345

    Posted Mar 5, 2006 7:10 pm GMT

    Jeez dude quite being so negative, the PS3 won't cost a $1000 and the new blu-ray player isnt exactly supposed to be bought by the public off the bat, its supposed to be bought by big movie companies an dstuff, sheaper models will be sold to the public soemtime after the production cost becomes reasonable.

  • mirza4

    Posted Mar 5, 2006 10:29 am GMT

    SONY GOOD BYE FOREVER

  • Thuganomic05

    Posted Mar 5, 2006 10:26 am GMT

    Hmmm, I'm confused...At first I thought this was the PS3 price but errrr wrong... Now I understand that it is the *NEW* DVD?

  • mirza4

    Posted Mar 5, 2006 10:26 am GMT

    sony is gone too far now 1000$ for a DVD player that is wrong I'dont care what kind of DVD player that is but it is not worth 1000$ their console is also not worth as much as they are asking I will never buy another SONY product in my life

  • snatchypooh

    Posted Mar 4, 2006 9:35 am GMT

    I hope everyone here realizes that they will be buying an HDTV within the next 3 years anyways. That is why Sony is going in the High Def direction. Everything is going in that direction. Starting Feb. 17 2009 there will be no more analog signal sent to televisions. Everything is going digital. So everyone will be getting new digital tvs. So if you want to see some amazing looking games and movies you best accept the new generation of entertainment. And dont worry, the prices will drop, have patience. Get yourself a nice LCD HDTV their prices are dropping all the time. I myself can't wait to see the capabilites the PS3 will offer for a home entertainment center.

  • Solidesnake2004

    Posted Mar 4, 2006 7:30 am GMT

    Well the UMD disks arn't doing so well right now...but wait till the porn industry actually comes out with umds....that will give a boost for the UMD enterprise......lets..see......Blue Ray.....50 gig PS3 games...hmm....well if a game is 50 gigs...thats a lot of info for a single game itself. ....."The PS3, which will come with an internal BD-ROM drive, is expected to retail for between $399 and $799. However, most analysts now expect the console won't launch in the US until Q4 2006, even though Sony has not officially changed the "spring 2006" release window it announced at E3 2005. However, Sony says the BD-P1000's release "will be followed shortly by BD players from Pioneer and Sony along with a BD-compatible VAIO PC from Sony." ...i like to say if there are any serious PS fans out there.....im betting they are willing to pay a really high price for a system....heck take a look at the fans that bought their Xbox 360's for about $900 - $10,00 (on ebay) or from other people. Yea High prices suck....but you have to put a high risk price to make some dough....thats what Sony is trying to do....Gambling their Million Dollars on the Investment (which is PS3). Yet...its the publics choice to make a purchase or don't buy the system at all.
    ~Thank you

  • shinjio220

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 7:02 pm GMT

    I don't think you should underestimate Sony - It's like thinking that Bill Gates is stupid. They're taking into account all their marketing risks. The UMD is probably being shaded by the more advanced Blu-Ray technology, but give the UMD some time and it will prosper considerably. The PSP market is still growing, so don't give up on UMD just yet.

  • shinjio220

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 7:01 pm GMT

    I don't think you should underestimate Sony - It's like thinking that Bill Gates is stupid. They're taking into account all their marketing risks. The UMD is probably being shaded by the more advanced Blu-Ray technology, but give the UMD some time and it will prosper considerably. The PSP market is still growing, so don't give up on UMD just yet.

  • gamespotr0cks

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 5:36 pm GMT

    Sony needs to release the most basic PS3 for LESS THAN $500. I don't care if they need a Silver, Gold & Platinum package (like the Xbox). The bottom line is:
    Anything >$500 and the PS3 will flop. $ony, you have been warned.

  • Dennis2845

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 4:23 pm GMT

    $ 400 I can do, ya its no prob, well sorta. $799 umm, well we need a team of three guys, we move in at midnight, clear the banks valt, and have our getaway van ready.

  • HeyzeusNYC

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 4:19 pm GMT

    The hell with Blu Ray... Dude THis is like VHS to DVD.. I had to buy all the VHS stuff on DVD.. now I gotta do DVD to blur ray... screw you sony I'm sticking with HD DVD which still support DVDs.. I don't know about paying 30 or 40 bucks for movies... Thats a lil to pricey

  • IMTHEREALGOD

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 4:17 pm GMT

    I just dont see the point to a 50GB disk besides making it more expencive to buy. No one is going to spend 40 bucks on a movie that is only cool the fist time you watch it. Now if they made thier games on blu-ray discs that would be sweet (but EXPENSIVE)...but i forget if that is going to happen or not.

  • skyvader

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 12:26 pm GMT

    I bought the T2 high def version some time ago. Only thing was there were two discs. One was high def for pc only and other was regular for dvd. I played it on my pc and thought there was no great benefit for high def. especially on a 17" screen. I watch the dvd version on my 32" tv and like it better. I will wait for these players to come down to the $30 range like most cheap dvd players.

  • HalfLi5e

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 7:31 am GMT

    Yes, the PS3 will be backwards compatible with PS2 and PS1 games and it will also play both BlueRay and standard DVD movies.

    http://www.gamespot.com/features/6125087/index.html?type=tech

  • 0diablo0

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 7:19 am GMT

    how f***ing thick do people get they say "wow 40 bucks for a movie no way!" or if ghe blue-ray PLAYER is $1000 im agine how much the ps3 wil be??" first of all not all the movies will be $40 and second it is a THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE PLAYER NOT THR DRIVE WHICH IS IN THE PS3 THE DRIVE IS ONLY VERY BASIC LIKE THE DVD DRIVE WHICH IS IN THE PS2. JESUS PPL GET UR FACTS STRAIGHT BEFORE U SPAS OUT ALL OVER THE INTERNET U FOOLS!!!!

  • 0diablo0

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 7:07 am GMT

    i have aquestion and somebody better answer it cause i have gotten mixed thought on it..... Will the ps3 be able to play all the ps2 games and will it be able to play dvds as well??

  • dominic_daluz

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 6:07 am GMT

    way too expensive

  • Thuganomic05

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 5:45 am GMT

    There's n0 way in hell I'm paying $1,000 for a video game console...Looks like I'm gonna go with the cheap $300-$400 X360

  • MrPuzzlez

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 1:00 am GMT

    Okay. Only the well informed know that HVD (Holographic Versatile Discs) will blow both the HD DVD and Blu-Ray Disc Formats out of the water and blow them a new a-hole... Think I'm lying, check this out...

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holographic_Versatile_Disc

    BUT! It's still in the research stage...

  • Sagacious_Tien

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 12:34 am GMT

    A grand to play a movie?

    Damn, what's the PS3 gonna cost? SHould I sell my soul?

  • solus_1

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 10:43 pm GMT

    This is totally a marketing move on sony's part... release blu-ray before the ps3 and charge an outrageous amount for it, then the ps3 comes out for less and everybody thinks it's a great deal...

    yippie

  • tek-9

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 9:31 pm GMT

    I agree on the last comment, but still hopefully the success of the ps3 might bring down the cost so eventually you can burn bd rom discs. other than that it will be a waste of space for movies exept if they put the LOTR trilogy on one disc. by the way just as I suspected for all of you arguing who invented the CD, In 1979 Philips and Sony decided to join forces, setting up a joint task force of engineers whose mission was to design the new digital audio disc.

  • 0neWingedAngel

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 9:09 pm GMT

    Good for hollywood... No one is going to pay 999 bucks for BluRay Player......Movies do not take up 60 freaking gigs!!!! same for games...Who gives a $hit if you have all that space but you can't use it?

  • gskcp

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 8:58 pm GMT

    who in their right mind will pay 1000 bucks for a system that will only have abou tlike 5 decent titles for it.

  • VaryagPT

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 7:47 pm GMT

    ppl... let me just say one little tiny thing.... BD PLAYERS are.... NOT.... the... same... as..... BD DRIVERS... JESUS!!!! did you dvd driver for pc costed the same as you dvd player? NO! becouse a PLAYER need to have other things ratter than the DRIVE. The DRIVE will maybe cost betwen 150-300$ so don't fret ok? PS3 will have a BD DRIVER, the PS3 will serve as a BD PLAYER that can play games get it? By the way the BD is a Sony technology so it will cost less ok? ELOU!!?? Do you ppl have brains or what? Do you kinda, hum how should i put it.... think? :p J/K but seriously ppl you should be more informed on this things instead of placing all this false things in the net, and believing in it. (if my English is bad im sorry couse english is not my native language) Im still amazed in how did nowbody said the same thing that i did... ppl should be more informed....

  • xschlegelx

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 6:45 pm GMT

    here is something alot of you may not know sony and many other movie developers such as paramount mgm ect. are already moving to the blu-ray the reason for this is because they will save money on shiping and packaging costs and also save money on piracy this is because it will be extremly hard to copy these disks i'm not saying that it will be impossible but you may not see a blu-ray burner for quite some time. businesses see this as an oprotunity to save the money what they are loosing to the public if you think hard yes a blu-ray player will cost $1000 but the ps3 will cost $400-500 it is known that all consoles loose money on their release but think about it how many people will buy a ps3 to save money on blu-ray technology this may soon be the new dvd and by the way dvd players were about $1000 when they first came out and now every one has one. so if you don't want blu-ray now you'll have to get is sooner or later.

  • edgemtz

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 6:30 pm GMT

    Guys, if you don`t have an HDTV,do not even bother to buy movies on BR as it won`t make any improvement over dvd.

  • Rayze78

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 5:25 pm GMT

    $1000 to play movies....right. I am all set watching regular DVD's in High Def. No way in hell I am spending $1000 for a blu ray player. And then spending more for the movies in Blu Ray format? Right. Maybe I will get one in 5 years when they are a dime a dozen like DVD players are now.

  • SAJJAD1717

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 5:06 pm GMT

    sony is going to be last this time for sure.

  • iceman0569

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 4:55 pm GMT

    The fanboys vs the haters...who will win?

  • scoobypat

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 4:43 pm GMT

    DVD player were pretty unreasonable at their launch, in Japan the cheapest DVD player at the time was the PS2. Maybe the same will happen with the PS3 and the Blu Ray?

  • HighPowered94

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 4:26 pm GMT

    Nice that it's coming out, let's see how it plays the F' out.

  • chappellesshow2

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 1:30 pm GMT

    so the ps3 s gonna be 399-799??

  • goliath792000

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 1:18 pm GMT

    This is ridiculous, the high price, and these new Disc Players don't even support 1080p so they will have to be upgraded again in a few years. Also it can only be used on TVs with an HDMI connection so forget about you early hdtv buyers who don't have that connection. WoW, who ever is in charge of launching all this HD garbage has no idea what they are doing.

  • XlpranksterlX

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 1:18 pm GMT

    Well im fine with DVD as is and im not paying 40 bucks for a movie that im only going to watch once. Plus the film selection sucks, alot.

  • XlpranksterlX

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 1:17 pm GMT

    Well im fine with DVD as is and im not paying 40 bucks for a movie that im only going to watch once. Plus the film selection sucks, alot.

  • leafs_ducks

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 1:14 pm GMT

    wow. gaming now has become expenisve

  • gill9221

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 1:12 pm GMT

    I'm in college for the next 3-4 years. Revolution and PS2 will get me through just fine without all this fancy schmancy high priced technology. Great games and entertainment don't always come from the most ploygons and highest capacity storage. I could care less right now about PS3, Blu-Ray, or even the 360 right now.

  • bradjust45

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 12:20 pm GMT

    WOW TOO EXPENISVE
    I AM NOT BUYING IT NOW

  • elven_hero22

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 11:53 am GMT

    dont u noobs remeber how much a simple dvd player was when it first came out?
    (pause)...
    $999!!!!!
    yeah that's right. dvd was just as much as Blu-ray will be, except Blu-ray is gonna be great. give it 2 years to get into production, get cheaper and watch as the dvd's of today become the VHS of yesterday. the graphics will be amazing for PS3, while the max i'm willing to pay is 599, doesnt mean i won't enjoy when i get one. so all u people raggin on blu-ray usin dvds as examples better check your sources a little more thoroughly next time.

  • Dark_Synphonian

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 11:31 am GMT

    ps3 better not cost 799! the max i'm paying is 599

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