Blu-ray taking Europe by storm

  • Posted December 22nd, 2008 at 14:26 EDT by
  • 4,481 views
  • 31 Comments

It's hard to figure out how so many companies and websites can promote titles that lead people to believe Blu-ray is a dying format, or even that it's already dead. Month after month, Blu-ray sales increase, with months like November where the format outsells DVD completely. In November, there was a 165% increase in Blu-ray movies in Europe alone. On top of this, Blu-ray players outsold DVD players as well, though that includes sales numbers for PS3.

According to a Futuresource press release, "sales of Blu-Ray disc movies are defying the odds and bucking the credit crunch." Jim Bottoms, Managing Director of Corporate Development at Futuresource, said, "The Blu-ray disc format offers an unparalleled home entertainment experience. We fully expect Blu-ray to continue its rapid growth, stimulated by falling prices and even more bundling deals with large screen TVs."

We just so happen to love our PlayStation 3's Blu-ray player and can completely agree with that assessment of entertainment value. It goes without saying that Sony has benefited beyond measure with the success they've achieved by including Blu-ray disc players within each PlayStation 3. It'll be interesting to see how the format fares against DVD in 2009.

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What are your thoughts?

  1. Wallin | Wallin

    • 2:23pm GMT - December 22nd, 2008

    What ive been thinkin adn saying for a long time

    In years to come i strongly belive that we will see the blu-ray format phasing out the dvd-format.

     

  2. TheRealCarbonfibre | Carbonfibre

    • 2:30pm GMT - December 22nd, 2008

    Yes good news, dvd to ps2 is what blu-ray is to ps3(or something along those lines). I bought Batman Begins and The Dark Knight blu-ray box set, Its sitting patiently under my christmas tree as we speak. I haven't seen either yet but everyone has told me they're both off tap, im rambling now, time for bed i think. Peace out.

  3. Rehype

    • 2:34pm GMT - December 22nd, 2008

    I feel that here in the US there will be a steady increase in blu ray sales. Primariliy because the sales of high def televisions continues to increase.  With all tv service becoming digital in early 09 many people have felt the need to upgrade their television sets as well. and if your tv can support it why wouldnt you upgrade to bluray as well. It only makes sense...

  4. Anth67 | Peej86

    • 2:35pm GMT - December 22nd, 2008

    The only thing stopping me from buying BR films, si that I don't have a HD ready Tv. Once I purchase one of those, I'll make an effort to start buying BR over DVD. Prices can be a bit steep, but the deals we are seeing these days(2 for 20 etc) are making them more appealing.

  5. Doogal_UK | Doogal_UK

    • 2:46pm GMT - December 22nd, 2008

    download media will definatly rise in the future but it will take a long long time for it to take over and even after that physical media such as blu-ray will still exist and continue

  6. empirex | Empire X

    • 2:57pm GMT - December 22nd, 2008

    Ha! So much for those that say not a lot of people have HD tv's.

  7. brumi

    • 3:04pm GMT - December 22nd, 2008

    @anth67 u can stil watch blu-ray movies on a non hd tv i do i buy blu-ray movies and i right now i dotn have an hd tv so that when i get 1 i would already have movies on blu-rays when i do get an hd tv

  8. Anth67 | Peej86

    • 3:18pm GMT - December 22nd, 2008

    Brumi, Can look at that both ways really. I see the point of why not start the collection just now. But, I'm a money poor student at the moment, so it is a lot cheaper to buy the DVD version lol. I'll be content with the slight increase that the DVD will have on the HD tv, and will slowly build a back catalogue of BR over the next few years. Don't reckon that I'd ever rebuy films just to have them in BR though.

  9. teevanator | teevanator

    • 3:40pm GMT - December 22nd, 2008

    "It's hard to figure out how so many companies and websites can promote titles that lead people to believe Blu-ray is a dying format, or even that it's already dead"

    Becoz they are paid by microsoft to spout nonsensical c@ck all over the internet.

  10. sorrow880 | Sorrow880

    • 4:08pm GMT - December 22nd, 2008

     Blu-ray is my favorite feature of the ps3.  I own a lot more blu-rays (200+) than I do ps3 games (20+).

  11. zakruz | zakruz

    • 4:19pm GMT - December 22nd, 2008

    We're awesome ;)

  12. TaMszz | TaMss

    • 4:55pm GMT - December 22nd, 2008

     only problem is that not so many have hd tv's yet. And dvd to blu-ray is not that big change as vhs -> dvd was.

  13. chilledbreeze7

    • 4:57pm GMT - December 22nd, 2008

     I know downloading movies will be a thing for the future. However, call me old fashioned, but frankly I will always prefer to have my films on my own personal Blu-Ray Disc, something I can feel, touch and see on my book shelf. Not some file on a hard drive somewhere which could fail and I would lose my whole collection. Go Blu-Ray!

  14. shmupmaniac

    • 5:04pm GMT - December 22nd, 2008

    1080p High Definition is sooo much better than dvd.  Since Hi def discs are now solely Blu-Ray, I'm all for increased sales.  This means more releases of new and old movies alike, since studios are more likely to turn a profit.  Mmmm, Blu-Rays nom, nom, nom. 

  15. SpyroViper

    • 5:30pm GMT - December 22nd, 2008

     I'm glad I'm part of this amazing format and helping it become more dominant.

     

    The people over at N4G prefer M$'s Next thingy about digi download.  For some reason I don't want to wait for a 10GB 1080p movie to download.  BLU FOR THE WIN!

  16. Oatmeal | NEJI64

    • 5:38pm GMT - December 22nd, 2008

    Sony&companies came up wth the best way to go to war with Digital download movies. Blueray disc movies now starting to come with Digital copy now that give you both the hard copy upload it to your pc etc. and take it to go.

  17. Limmex

    • 5:56pm GMT - December 22nd, 2008

    not all blu-ray films look a lot better than upscaled dvds... but the ones that do, really are a cut above and show what the format can do. personally i love blu-ray, i own a few films, the dark knight being exceptional along with transformers. blu-ray will equal dvd in the next year or so, maybe.

  18. terminator12259 | tacitassassin25

    • 6:14pm GMT - December 22nd, 2008

    people only think Blu-ray is going down is because microsoft says it will, bluray is the best

  19. Odium_Generis_Humani

    • 6:42pm GMT - December 22nd, 2008

    That's because "Blu-Ray Fails" gets more web hits than "Blu-Ray's incredible, go get one you cheap bas ta rd!"

  20. D3seeker

    • 6:45pm GMT - December 22nd, 2008

    As I said earlier progressing into the future with blu ray is becoming easier & clearly more evident. I cant wait till DVD i no more.

  21. cowboy828 | cowboy828

    • 6:45pm GMT - December 22nd, 2008

    ps2 format versus ps3 format i like blu ray

  22. ryuken

    • 7:09pm GMT - December 22nd, 2008

    awesome news, I was so happy when Blueray beat HD-dvd  haha

  23. warstrider | Advosze

    • 7:29pm GMT - December 22nd, 2008

    I understand the value of downloadable media as a replacement for physical media, however I don't think that the facilities are yet in place for it to become dominant. Download speeds are too slow at the moment, at least they are in 95% of the world, and you cannot ignore the value that holding a solid object in your hand has. Yes I believe that we will eventually all sign up to own a media form as opposed to physically buying it, but it will not happen for a long while yet. The infrastructure is not yet ready. Whether it be download speeds or the (currently large) risk of losing all your data when you lose an account or some other balls-up.

    Them: "I'm sorry but you cannot watch 'Batman 3000' at the moment, We seem to be experiencing technical difficulties. Please try again later."

    You: "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

     

  24. darthrazorback

    • 7:47pm GMT - December 22nd, 2008

    That is the thing, and why I argued against the notion of digital distribution for so long: only a small percentage of the planet can even utilize it for HD content.  We will not see widespread high-speed Internet, with NO CAPS, for a decade.  BD will survive at least that long, if not longer.

  25. thekingtut | thekingtut

    • 8:13pm GMT - December 22nd, 2008

    If you are including ps3's sold as blu-ray players, are you including 360's sold as DVD players? Just aking.

  26. BlueDragoon0 | Lionheart0

    • 8:30pm GMT - December 22nd, 2008

    How about being the actual hardware or system next time eh Sony?

  27. iberianpower

    • 10:26pm GMT - December 22nd, 2008

    Good ,Blu Ray is amazing.

    Blu Rays will reach 400Gb ....it will always be cheaper to have a Blu Ray that to store very big movies in HDD ....

    Lets say I have a 240Gb HDD ....I have place for 4 or 5 movie at best ,and I would have to pay the download AND the HDD to store them .I could never lend those to friends without giving them the HDD .....

    Phisical media FTW!

  28. tuanny

    • 12:21am GMT - December 23rd, 2008

    smart ps3 dumb xbox360

  29. jigglespsu

    • 5:05am GMT - December 23rd, 2008

    farewell dvd ... you did us proud but blu-ray just sounds cooler

  30. gingo | gingo

    • 8:48am GMT - December 23rd, 2008

    psn id: gingo.... i always laugh when i see these 'doom' articles on the blu ray and how it will very manage to survive when month on month there is increased sales and now even outselling dvd which is unheard of

  31. Maxkiller | Maxkiller0

    • 8:54am GMT - December 23rd, 2008

    i love sony and all but even tho here where i live EUROPE sells more there stuff they still give more to the US then anything :( enter Home for one lol and your see then enter the US and your be like ooh lol Europe Home Sucks but hey hopefully they will change this soon as many people are going nuts on the Forums for new stuff on the European Home

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