Both the Microsoft-backed HD DVD and Sony’s Blu-ray have struggled to take any sort of lead in the DVD market. However, Blu-ray has been pulling ahead of HD DVD according to Nielsen VideoScan, the DVD and VHS consumer research arm of Nielsen Media Research.
According to data gathered by Nielsen VideoScan, Blu-ray outsold HD DVD by a margin of about 2:1 during the first week of January. The second week of January saw that rate increase to nearly a 3:1 margin. Sony has stressed that this sudden increase in Blu-ray sales is directly attributed to continued sales of the PS3. A Sony survey of 100,000 PS3 owners showed that 90 percent of these users have viewed a Blu-ray movie on their PS3.
One of the marketing strategies used by Sony to sell the PlayStation 3 was that it served as a cheap solution for playing Blu-ray movies–most standalone players retail for more than $1000. It’s difficult to ascertain whether or not this has helped sell PS3s, but it is clear that Blu-ray seems to be ready to take over the leadership position in the market. This is a big plus for Sony–regardless of the PS3’s implications–due to its heavy investment in Blu-ray.
With additional reporting by Chris Pereira.
