Sony offers Casino Royale Blu-ray film to PS3 buyers

[Paul2]

Link

Sony has announced that the first 500,000 consumers to register their PlayStation 3 on the PlayStation Network after the console\'s European launch will receive a free copy of James Bond film Casino Royale on Blu-ray.

Sony\'s Darren Carter, VP of brand and consumer marketing, described it as a "phenomenal incentive" for consumers to sign up to the console\'s online service, which allows for free online gaming as well as downloadable content through the PS3 Store.

"Casino Royale not only makes the most of the features and capabilities of the Blu-ray format, but is one of the most exciting and entertaining movies to debut on Blu-ray this year," Carter added.

The film will play back in 1080p resolution, having been encoded with the MPEG-4 AVC codec and stored on a 50GB, dual-layer Blu-ray disc, offering consumers a chance to sample one of the console\'s unique selling points - its high definition Blu-ray movie playback.

The platform holder implemented a similar scheme for the North American PS3 launch, offering Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby on Blu-ray with the first 400,000 units sold.

PlayStation 3 launches in Europe on 23rd March.

Interesting...

[Evi]

So that\'s like what...20 something dollars? This is their big plan?

I think BR movies are more expensive than that

[GmanJoe]

We got Taladega Nights. And a really bad HD tansfer at that! Well, at least the Europeans get a better deal for waiting so long.

So that\'s like what...20 something dollars? This is their big plan?

Casion Royale BD is $27

That\'s $13,500,000 for 500,000 Casino Royales

Not a big plan?

It\'s an excellent plan to get new PS3 owners into Blu-ray movies.  Considering it is on a BD50 and MPEG-4 I doubt there will be any picture quality problems

Sony doesn\'t pay $27 to copy one Blu-Ray disc. Check your math.

Remind me where I said it did

Try and spin this with your hatred all you want, but this is a great thing for them to do.  

It\'s a sad day when people complain about what they receive for free

I don\'t have hatred. I\'d be psyched to get it. You just insinuated that Sony was spending or losing or investing 13.5M in this project, and that\'s not the case.
 
In fact, if they can hook people on Blu Ray, they\'ll make more for their investment. Which is why they\'re doing it.
 
Though, what do I know, I suppose my blind hatred is spinning out of control.

A BD50 cost $2.25 to replicate so thats $1,125,000 to copy all 500,000 discs.  That\'s not including packaging,  shipping etc.

On the otherhand Sony could make $500,000 of profit off of every 20,000 casino royales  sold at normal price

Like it or not they are taking a bigger hit then the mere $1 million spent to make the discs

Again what upset me was the idea of people complaining about the movie being sent for free.  Evi\'s "that\'s it?" didnt make sense to me and I tried to throw up some quick numbers to show how large scale this was.  I will give you that,  my initial numbers were misleading and probably not appropriate for the situation.

[Viper_Fujax]

sucks they make you register to get it though. I never register anything just so i get less junk mail.

clowd it\'s a drop in the bucket compared to the money they will make by getting people into Blu-Ray.
 
This is a bonus for consumers, but it\'s just a marketing expense for Sony. Another day at the office for those guys. Not a "big hit", not a "little hit" but just a line item, budgeted marketing expense.
 
And it\'s a good idea which is why it will be fruitful for them. I just don\'t think it makes Sony this benevolent corporation. It\'s just a different method of advertising the format, and only emphasizes that that is the PlayStation 3\'s main purpose, at least right now.

Hmm? It emphasizes that too as one of its purposes not as its main purpose

I hear ya. As a gamer, I agree.
 
But in the shoes of a Sony exec, I\'m definitely concerned with buouying the company\'s HD line of DVDs.

Personally if I were in those shoes I d have been concerned about the PS3 and the BR format
 PS3 is as important and for BR to move PS3 have to do well too.

[Evi]

I think BR movies are more expensive than that

Check again.