By Stevie Smith Feb 20, 2008, 10:40 GMT
As the dust settles on Toshiba’s sudden decision to withdraw its HD DVD format from the protracted HD battle with Sony’s rival Blu-ray platform, analyst reaction would suggest that the PlayStation 3 is set to experience a considerable market boost now that Blu-ray is the industry standard.
Analysts expect Blu-ray-equipped PS3 sales to jump following demise of HD DVD format. Credit: Nigt/Flickr.
With the PlayStation 3 providing users with an onboard Blu-ray player as standard, and recent price cuts making Sony’s videogame platform much more pocket-friendly, it is believed that consumers holding back on a HD purchase during Toshiba and Sony’s fight for supremacy will now shift towards Blu-ray and boost PS3 sales.
Speaking with GamesIndustry, Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter has indicated that short-term sales of the PlayStation 3 console could improve by around 10 percent following the demise of HD DVD. He also sees long term effects emerging as even more positive for Sony’s powerhouse platform as retailers push the Blu-ray standard alongside the increasing sales of high definition TVs.
Pachter, renowned for his hit and miss videogame predictions, is supported in his belief by Ed Barton and Richard Cooper of Screen Digest, who also see the PlayStation 3 blossoming now that the HD war is over. Barton and Cooper offer that, while standalone Blu-ray players are expected to replace the PS3 as the best entry level HD player in 2009, “video consumers are likely to purchase the PS3 as the most cost effective, future proof Blu-ray player,” until then.
In related news, the Blu-ray-equipped PlayStation 3 this week moved past 10.5 million worldwide sales, which, when viewed from the HD perspective, looms large over HD DVD’s total installation base of 1 million. No wonder Toshiba finally decided to concede defeat.
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