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Sony prepping hybrid Blu-ray movie/game discs

PS3 maker plans to offer two to three titles that include both feature-length film, interactive tie-in this year.

Sony is facing an intense uphill battle if it hopes to catch up to its rivals in the current-generation console sales race. Hamstrung by a dour global economy, the $399-$499 PlayStation 3 is consistently outpaced month to month by Microsoft's Xbox 360, the cheapest of which sells for $199. And that's to say nothing of Nintendo's market-dominating $250 Wii, which has outsold the PS3 45 million units to 21 million through December 2008, despite the fact that both consoles have been on the market for a comparable period of time.

Sony isn't without an ace up its sleeve, however. From its inception, the PS3 has been marketed as much as a high-definition Blu-ray Disc media player as a gaming machine. By the end of the year, Sony will begin to better synergize the two defining elements of its system by releasing discs that contain both a Blu-ray movie and a game, reports Video Business.

"We are actively pushing, and the way that we see the future is that the movie and the game are placed on the same disc," John Koller, director of hardware marketing for the PS3, told Video Business. "There are a lot of developers who say, we have this game based on a movie, wouldn't it be great to marry these concepts? We will definitely see this stuff this year."

Video Business reports that details on the initiative have yet to be ironed out. As it currently stands, Sony reportedly plans to offer an entire movie on the same disc as a PS3 game. PSPs would also factor into the proceedings, as gamers could transfer and then watch the film on their handhelds. Sony expects two to three titles to ship using the hybrid method this year.

179 Comments

  • TehUndeadHorror

    Posted Feb 18, 2009 2:09 am GMT

    That would be awesome if they did it.

  • Rockman_00X

    Posted Feb 16, 2009 11:28 pm GMT

    Not to say this isn't viable, but look how short most PS3 games are even on a BD-50 disc at 720p. A HD movie by itself with a DD+ audio track is around 18GB on it's own. Now, even with the higher capacity Pioneer BD discs, cost is gonna shoot way up even by one more layer. With brand new BD movies starting at $30 and PS3 games at $60, there's going to have to be a compromise in price or else this will flop, both Sony, other movie and game studios, and everyone else in the BDA is going to lose money on this gamble and it will be another nail in the PS4's coffin. This is what happens when there's no competition and one format gets the monopoly and tries to milk people for even a sub standard product. DVDA got it right when they lowered prices of DVD movies after the market share for DVD players gained momentum and was easily adopted. Not to mention when extras and special features were introduced, the prices of DVD movies stayed relatively the same. If BD doesn't catch on, especially Sony because they have the most ridding on this, they're going to lose money and possibly tank. Don't get me wrong, I love HD in all of it's iterations. I own a dual format player cause I have BD and HD DVD. But even when HD DVD was still in the game, HD DVD movie prices were dropping and started to become level with regular DVDs. Now people are still buying DVDs at rock bottom prices. I know all the blu fanboys will sing and praise hybrids, but how many of the will actually fork out the cash to buy these especially with a worldwide economic disaster going on.

    A word to the wise: We can easily become a third world country in a matter of days. All it takes is one person or thing to screw things up.

  • runstalker

    Posted Feb 16, 2009 1:34 pm GMT

    If they managed to put new-ish games on the same disc as new Blu-ray releases (full versions of both) for a compromised cost of $39.99, this idea may go over rather well. Obviously it would be pretty effective to have, let's say, a Spiderman 4 PS3 game and Spiderman 4 Blu-ray film on the same, single BD disc.

  • prioritymail

    Posted Feb 15, 2009 11:00 am GMT

    With all that space on the Blu-ray disks, this is a no-brainer. If Iron man the movie came out on the same disk with Iron man the game, it would have been a much greater value. (I use Iron man for lack of better example...)

  • Glade_Gnarr

    Posted Feb 14, 2009 6:02 pm GMT

    Not a bad idea but it had to cost the same as a game itself for it to sell. Nobody would pay $80 for Iron Man.

  • puppiemaster

    Posted Feb 14, 2009 5:12 pm GMT

    How much will these cost?

    At the moment my Blu-ray collection is small, this is because of 1 factor only, the Price.

    Even re-released films can cost up to £25, when you can get them on DVD for a fraction of the cost.

    I was looking in Blockbuster today and they wanted £14.99 for an ex-rental Iron man on Blu-ray, but only £8 for it on a new DVD.

    Now I'm all for Blu-ray and even have a 1080p TV to watch them on, but I'm not going to waste money.

    The price of the films needs to come down to an affordable price, I'd rather buy a game for £15- £25.

    With game prices coming down after a few months why are film prices staying high? Surely more would be sold if the price was reduced to slightly higher than that of a DVD.

    The last Blu-ray I bought was Starship Troopers and that was on www.play.com in the sale at £10 and only because the copy I own is so old it's a double sided DVD.

  • puppiemaster

    Posted Feb 14, 2009 5:12 pm GMT

    How much will these cost?

    At the moment my Blu-ray collection is small, this is because of 1 factor only the Price.

    Even re-released films can cost up to £25, when you can get them on DVD for a fraction of the cost.

    I was looking in Blockbuster today and they wanted £14.99 for an ex-rental Iron man on Blu-ray, but only £8 for it on a new DVD.

    Now I'm all for Blu-ray and even have a 1080p TV to watch them on, but I'm not going to waste money.

    The price of the films needs to come down to an affordable price, I'd rather buy a game for £15- £25.

    With game prices coming down after a few months why are film prices staying high? Surely more would be sold if the price was reduced to slightly higher than that of a DVD.

    The last Blu-ray I bought was Starship Troopers and that was on www.play.com in the sale at £10 and only because the copy I own is so old it's a double sided DVD.

  • NTP4T3

    Posted Feb 14, 2009 3:54 pm GMT

    weak

  • Chief_Kuuni

    Posted Feb 14, 2009 12:43 am GMT

    sounds like a gimic, kinda stupid, spending too much for a movie and probably a bad game together

  • Zerosumgame

    Posted Feb 13, 2009 9:15 pm GMT

    "consistently outpaced month to month by Microsoft's Xbox 360" lol, if xbox360 drops to $50, the gap will then be really widen! ROFL. That explains why you see more Ford Torus than Lexus GS430 on the road. gg.

  • lordrave

    Posted Feb 13, 2009 7:57 am GMT

    @MaNiKore
    who wrote :
    "No that doesn't sound right, and not only that. If your disc gets damaged, that means you will lose both." Wow.. the best point I've seen yet.
    Spend on 1 BD.. 1 scratch.. ruin.. both movies and games gone..

    Sony really did think outside of the box.. LOLOL
    Why cant they spent money creating more games?

  • remark666

    Posted Feb 13, 2009 4:28 am GMT

    epic fail, and i love my ps3

  • MagicOneUp

    Posted Feb 13, 2009 1:40 am GMT

    another crap and desperate idea from sony... thank you so much for the UMD, great idea don't you think? movie-game disc... nice try but i want the game, not the movie.

  • Poedon

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 10:36 pm GMT

    What are these discs going to cost $90-$100? And the vast majority of games based on movies suck anyway. maybe a game and movie intertwined where you have to play a certain amount of sections and watch a certain amonut of sections to get teh whole story is in the works.

  • viewtiful_jay

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 3:17 pm GMT

    As a PS3 owner, and a fan of everything HD, I don't like this. In fact, if anything, it makes Sony look like a bunch of idiots pushing the Blu-Ray format this generation, saying modern games needed all the space BR provides. So now they're saying "Oh gee, we got all this extra room left, let's put a movie on there." Weak. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure the NEXT gen WILL need all the space a BR provides, but it just annoys me that Sony shoved an expensive, slow (at least as far as the PS3's drive speed goes) format down our throats and it turns out we don't even reap it's primary benefit which is lots of space.

  • MaNiKore

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 2:25 pm GMT

    Noooooo, thanx. I have enough friends & family to who I lend out my games or DVD/BR. This means now I'm gonna miss both my movie & game if I lend something out. No that doesn't sound right, and not only that. If your disc gets damaged, that means you will lose both. And paying €60 to €65 (and its gonna b more, I'm guessin at least €80) to get a new one, is like ripping out a new rib.......

    This is from a collector of movies and games

  • AngelCage-2

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 12:30 pm GMT

    What have to do Lair with movie-movie based game???

    I'm loosing something? is Lair a movie based game??? Dragon hearth maybe, but that movie is kinda old.

  • rage-demon

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 12:06 pm GMT

    I've been looking forward to this idea ever since they announced a playable demo of FFXIII on the blu-ray version of FFVII:Advent Children Complete. It makes sense to me to put free game demos or other such stuff that the PS3 can take advantage of.

  • lstprpht890

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 12:02 pm GMT

    good idea in concept, but i'm reminded of that game Lair that everyone was praising until it was released....

  • enoslives7

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 11:34 am GMT

    Neat, but a lot of people are like me and refuse to spend more than 300.00 on a system. Drop the PS3 to 299.00 or no deal.

  • AngelCage-2

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 11:26 am GMT

    i don't manage to see the incredible in all this... i mean: BR disc, 50 GB, a share of it have binary data -movie data- wich can be accesed by any BR player, and another share have more binary data -the cheap movie-based stinky game- in PS3 format that -duh, how clever sound this- can be accesed by the Ps3

    Aniway, the people will buy this for the movie alone, case the majority of movie based games are pure crap, BUT i will NEVER pay $60 for a movie... even a pixar movie. no way.

  • beekayjay

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 11:22 am GMT

    Stupid. Games based on movies suck ass generally, why would I want one. And the movies themselves I usually buy on DVD for less. There is no appeal here.

  • iuns

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 11:14 am GMT

    This sounds immense.
    It means you can watch a great movie; and then straight afterwards dive right into the terrible game. "ET" Anyone?

  • mtnjak

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 11:13 am GMT

    Clever idea. Yet another benefit to owning a PS3.

  • Hvac0120

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 10:54 am GMT

    atopp399 wrote:
    I would like to add that if you could still purchase both separately I wouldn't care. I just don't like being forced into the package deal.

    Agreed. If they do it, they better not force it upon us. Make it an option.
    _

  • r_gam3

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 10:34 am GMT

    more interactive movies?

    no thanks

  • cajunstrike

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 10:14 am GMT

    Agreed. Movies don't sell gaming consoles, good games do. Furthermore, the overwhelming majority of movie-based video games are subpar. That said, consumers are not likely pay a premium price above the standard Blu-ray disc or PlayStation 3 game MSRP to get both.

  • makemeweak

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 10:00 am GMT

    I don't think this move will have a huge impact. Game/movie tie ins rarely move a large amount of units. On the off chance that both the game and the movie are actually good, then I could see them taking some sales away from the 360, but I don't think it would be enough for the sales to be split evenly between the 360 and PS3 - just enough to slim the margin.

  • Get_Shorty

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 10:00 am GMT

    Hey a movie and the game at a discount bundled price.. I might just check it out.

  • akiwak

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 9:58 am GMT

    Most HD movies require about 20-25GB storage space and game developers are barely beginning to use the storage space available on bluray. MGS4 is the only one to use that storage place so far. This hybrid method is a good way to ensure that maximum storage capabilities are being taken advantage of. Stranglehold took advantage of it by doing the same so this isn't new.

  • jinn366

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 9:49 am GMT

    Only way I would support this is if there isn't an extra charge over the 60.00 cost of a game and that the option to purchase separately were offered.

  • atopp399

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 8:50 am GMT

    I would like to add that if you could still purchase both separately I wouldn't care. I just don't like being forced into the package deal.

  • Hvac0120

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 8:45 am GMT

    I like the idea. Wouldn't you pay $10 more to get Resident Evil: Regeneration on the Resident Evil 5 game disc?

    Or the Wanted game with the Wanted movie included?

    I think it would be a good idea, just to bundle game with random movies too. For example, the greatest hits games are only $30. So bundle wipeout HD with the movie Hancock. Or Resistance: Fall of Man with the movie Aliens. Then sell the game/movie disc for $40-50.

    I think this can work. I worry about additional costs being added to games, but in some cases it could be worth it.

  • Rect_Pola

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 8:36 am GMT

    I guess that makes sense. PS3 has been lauded as the Blu-ray player of choice for various reasons. But what sort of cross do they have in mind?

  • DrKill09

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 8:26 am GMT

    That's actually really cool!

  • chapan17

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 8:05 am GMT

    @atopp i have to disagree a bit, i mean they havet exactly said how much more its gonna be but for example if tis 70 bucks for a game+ movie not at all a bad deal, if it goes higher than that, then yeah bad desicion.

  • wahyudil

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 7:50 am GMT

    wow thats a really cool idea .....
    but I never buy (and play) a game from a movie before ... and I see no difference between a dvd and a blue ray movies .... so I don't care ....

  • atopp399

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 7:18 am GMT

    Wow, what a waste of money. They continue making business decisions that will keep them in the red. I would never spend $70+ or however much these things are going to cost. Video gaming should be separate from movies. If they would have accepted this from the beginning the PS3 would be doing just as well as the PS1 and 2 did.

  • puablo

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 6:31 am GMT

    This would be a pretty cool idea if movie-tie-in games were ever actually any good. If it was a good game and they included the Blu-Ray movie at a bundled reduced cost, then it would be a great idea. I'm thinking how Iron Man would have been pretty sweet like this... if, you know, the Iron Man game didn't suck.

  • majere613

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 6:24 am GMT

    Interesting. I don't have Iron Man on BR yet, so maybe that'd persuade me to give the game a shy- though it'd need to be pretty cheap
    If nothing else, it's a smart use of the extra capacity of the disc, and sets up the possibility of film tie-ins just using the actual film footage as cut-scenes- for example the LOTR games. You could also extend the concept to games with a tie-in anime, like SFIV or Eternal Sonata, or even Dead Space.

  • Xaviersx

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 6:17 am GMT

    Problem is finding a good movie that has a good game tie in. What PS3 owner would want Iron Man the game to come with their Iron Man the movie, and footing the bill. IF not for the downturn in the global economy, PS3 could tout BluRay, but what's selling BluRay I would think is HDTV to display them, and both are getting harder to push IMO. If you don't have a job or fear that it's going to go away, Sony's hard press to get a huge consumer base to really want to look at the dismal news on widescreen hi def with a somewhat expensive PS3 sitting beside it with the Iron Man dual disc?

    Hybrid disc is a great usage of the disc space. I do hope they can find the right content to make it an attractive purchase.

  • David_Kniffin

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 6:16 am GMT

    My big concern is, will the discs cost more than $60? I loved the way Stranglehold was handled. If Silent Hill: Homecoming came with Silent Hill movie and RE5 came with Degeneration, I could definitely see this work. But that only seems like a good idea for some games/movies. Street Fighter IV coming with the Street Fighter movie would not make me happy at all.

  • OldWiseBob

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 6:13 am GMT

    Sounds interesting, hopefully they'll be able to keep it at the 50-60 dollar price tag with this.

    Seeing as Blue-Ray already costs around 30 bucks this concept does seem sketchy. Great idea though if they can pull it off successfully.

  • bengino

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 5:01 am GMT

    Ehggsz: i never said it should or would be on the same disc, but it's just as easy to release a package with 2 discs included as it is to have one giant disc to have it all. I can understand that BR is huge, but so far very little in the way of movies or games has reached anywhere close to the limit of that format.

    I don't know why people gave my comment a thumbs down though, because the reality is, i AM the average consumer. in terms of exclusives, there are not too many that would make one person sway. The only thing that makes one person decide is word of mouth most of the time and despite the 260's flaw, and the fact it has been on the market for longer then the PS3, the exclusives are not staggering on either consoles. Price is a big deciding factor. How many people can afford the whole kit of the big screen LCD TV and movie and surround sound? Not too many, so far starters most will go out and buy the console first, and despite the BR capabilities and whatever else, the price tag of the PS3 is a turn off. plain and simple.

  • Teyon

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 4:52 am GMT

    Was mentioning the Wii really needed for this article or did the writer want to start off saying how bad the PS3 is doing to make the positive news more interesting? This isn't the first time a game and film came on the same disc - the PS3 Collector's version of Stranglehold came with a movie on its disc. I'm looking forward to the three (WarDevil is one) that are on their way.

  • Elestat88

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 4:20 am GMT

    @kiramasaki
    I think you are forgetting that most console makers sell their consoles at a loss and expect to recover the money from games. If i remember correctly nintendo makes a profit from every sold wii while the ps3 sells at a loss. so your statement is kinda wrong. Sony actually loses money with every Ps3 sold.

  • rckildare

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 4:20 am GMT

    Abandon ship, this one's running out of options!

  • Dazanos

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 4:14 am GMT

    Movie games are bad. This doesn't convince me (or anyone outside the casual market for that matter) to buy a PS3. Then again... its all about the casual market these days anyway right?

  • KBABZ

    Posted Feb 12, 2009 4:14 am GMT

    wkociol said:
    "I would rather see a next-next gen game that will use the unleashed power from ps3 platform."


    The problem with that is that most movie-based games are rush jobs, unless they turn out to be gems like Peter Jackson's King Kong. But in most cases, the developer needs a lot of time to make a game use all of the power of a console like MGS4 does. That took several years to make, and movie-game developers just don't have the time for that, as they need to make a game in about one year. Unless you use the same engine for each game you do, like Insomniac does, then you won't really take up enough space to not have the movie on it.

    And I think that'd be a really kickass idea. Certainly better than having a trailer for the game that you have to buy separately and is kinda jarring (I'm looking at you, 2004 Classic Star Wars Trilogy). Being able to buy, to give a current example, Iron Man on Blu-Ray as a movie AND as the game on one disk would be a bargain.

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