The BDA is reporting that sales of Blu Ray players have topped 2.7 million units to date.

 

Figures include both stand-alone players and Playstation 3 videogame consoles. The HD DVD Promotional Group had reported last week that HD DVD player sales had hit the 750,00 mark, that figure including Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on units. On the software front, Blu Ray has sold over 4 million discs since inception through November, with HD DVD accounting for 2.5 million units in disc sales. HD DVD has enjoyed the upper hand in stand-alone player sales throughout the Format War, and with the BDA not claiming a victory in stand-alone player sales, it's safe to assume that Playstation 3 videogame consoles still account for the majority of Blu Ray hardware sales.

 

It's business as usual this week in the Format War, with both sides trying to dress up weak PR announcements as trumpets of the other side's apocalypse. Neither side has begun to act like they really want to win, and we're still stuck with a fractured HD media market.

 

In a press release issued this morning, the HD DVD Promotional Group states that HD DVD owners are utilizing HD DVD's online interactivity, and coming back for more.

 

"We've only scratched the surface in offering web-connected experiences to fans of hit movies and TV shows, so it was great to see so many connecting online for these titles," said Universal's Ken Graffeo, also co-president of the HD DVD Promotional Group.

 

"As more titles from the HD DVD studios include access to downloads, trailers and community pages, the owner of any HD DVD player can take advantage of these web-connected experiences. Seeing the fan base rally around 'Transformers', 'Heroes' and other key titles on HD DVD was validation that there's an interest in extending the movie watching experience." stated Chris Saito, Paramount Home Entertainment's vice president of worldwide HD DVD marketing. "Growing and feeding the fan communities is a critical piece to evolving home entertainment, and this is an example of where HD DVD is meeting the challenge."

 

Transformers saw 80,000 of it's purchasers check out it's online features, with nearly a third of them returning for more visits to download additional content as it was released.  Universal reports that nearly a third of consumers who purchased Heroes: Season One, Knocked Up and Evan Almighty came online to download content.

 

Reuters has reported that the BDA released a statement Tuesday announcing that Blu Ray Disc sales have passed the million mark in Europe.

 

In Europe the software sales lead commanded by Blu Ray is indisputable: 73% Blu Ray, 27% HD DVD for YTD HD disc sales. Spider-Man 3 and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End both enjoyed strong sales that secured Blu Ray's 3 to 1 advantage over HD DVD in Europe for 2007 disc sales.

 

With the war in Japan and Europe all but conceded by HD DVD, one has to wonder what rabbit they can pull out of their hat to keep their format alive. Lots of cheap HD DVD hardware is flying off store shelves in the US this holiday season, but HD DVD needs to launch an offensive on the content front as well and start releasing some titles that will bolster sales numbers. 

 

The HD DVD Promotional Group announced big sales figures over the Black Friday weekend have pushed the number of HD DVD standalone plus Xbox 360 add-on players to over the 750,000 mark.