Blu-Ray counters HD DVD with five free movies
updated 12:50 pm EDT, Thu June 28, 2007
Blu-Ray Five Free Movies
The Blu-Ray Disc Association today raised the stakes in the HD format wars by launching a new promo it hopes will tip the balance. Countering a surge in HD DVD sales triggered by recent price cuts, the majority of Blu-Ray player manufacturers and film studios have agreed to give away five free movies with each new player. Movies can be hand-picked but will be drawn from a selection of 21 titles that varies from major releases such as Babel to older titles such as Species. The players themselves will include all models from major companies -- including the PlayStation 3, the news suggests.
The campaign begins July 1st and is expected to wrap up by the end of September, which may help clear existing players from shelves in exchange for new models. Prices for HD DVD players have typically undercut Blu-Ray, reaching as low as $300 through one discount, but have only briefly included free movies and have been seen as potentially damaging to HD DVD's bottom line.
