Blu-ray picking up steam?

[Attebery]

According to HMR research, BD unit sales for the first 11 weeks of this year lodged 3 million units, adding to the 6 million the format had sold previously since its launch in mid-2006. The year's strong sales pace thus far puts Blu-ray solidly on track to top at least 15 million units sold for 2008.

What does everyone see happening with the market?

[Dyers Eve]

I honestly believe that 15 million units is reasonable. I see it being around 6 million units sold around end of June - Early July.

By the end of the year, I could easily see it at 15 million units or further based on three things:

1) Holiday season
2) Support from all Studios
3) Lower priced and complete players.

So it wouldn't shock me at all to see 15 million units or more sold.

[PhileingFunkie]

Amazon bogo

[eL HaXo]

By units do you mean blu-ray players?

If yes, do PS3 sales count in those numbers?

[XL83]

I don't have any numbers for you, but I know that where I work Blu-ray is picking up a lot of steam. We sell out of players that used to just gather dust, we sell out of all the new release Blu-rays on day one or day two (can't find I Am Legend or Michael Clayton anymore, missed my window). I know this is anecdotal, but I am of the opinion that it is only a matter of time before Blu-ray becomes the standard. I really don't think DD is anything to worry about.

[Dyers Eve]

We're talking software numbers here, not hardware.

[Ph8]

Originally Posted by Dyers Eve

I honestly believe that 15 million units is reasonable. I see it being around 6 million units sold around end of June - Early July.

By the end of the year, I could easily see it at 15 million units or further based on three things:

1) Holiday season
2) Support from all Studios
3) Lower priced and complete players.

So it wouldn't shock me at all to see 15 million units or more sold.

I pretty much agree with the above. I would say that the quality and quantity of releases will also matter. If studios dont release titles then people cant buy them. Once Universal and Paramount\Dreamworks start releasing titles regularly I think we will get a better idea of where sales will end up.

[Perssian]

Am I the only one that doesn't see too many scheduled titles worth owning in the next couple months or so?

[Stingray1967]

Originally Posted by Attebery

According to HMR research, BD unit sales for the first 11 weeks of this year lodged 3 million units, adding to the 6 million the format had sold previously since its launch in mid-2006. The year's strong sales pace thus far puts Blu-ray solidly on track to top at least 15 million units sold for 2008.

What does everyone see happening with the market?

I see Blu skies ahead. Blu-ray in 11 short weeks just sold 50% of what it previously took a year and a half to sell.

[Windows V]

The recent Best Picture Oscar-winner moved a stellar 68,000 Blu-ray copies in its first week, and handily outpaced the 10,000 to 30,000 units that top-sellers in previous weeks had averaged

You know, maybe those fake coupons were a good thing after all.

[Nighthawk]

68,000 copies of Old Country in its first week is impressive, but does anybody doubt the week 1 numbers for I Am Legend are not only going to blow away Old Country - but probably eclipse the week 1 record set by 300 last July?

Just look at how many new Blu-ray owners there are since last summer.

While 300 sold 160,000 on Blu-ray its first week, I predict I Am Legend will hit 250,000

EDIT:Just saw this at HMM:

The week’s top Blu-ray Disc seller was I Am Legend, which sold four times as many copies as Enchanted — not surprising, given the fact that the next-generation format is still in the early adopter stage, a demographic of mostly young adult men.

http://www.homemediamagazine.com/

Can't wait to see the actual numbers.

[Gordeux]

Software wise I can say from my experience in trying to get my hands on "I am Legend" that it hasn’t been as easy as walking into any store and picking up a copy I have tried 3 different Futureshops and have not found a Bluray, I am going to have to go to BB...I'm sure they'll have it. Also I have noticed that movies like Independence Day and I Robot are pretty non-existent in some stores and in others one or two copies at best, the sales guys tell me they are selling out of them but they don’t tell me how many they had to begin with, so its hard to know if its a kind of "artificial hype" they are trying to build.

[winklepr]

Originally Posted by Windows V

You know, maybe those fake coupons were a good thing after all.

I firmly believe if Blu-Rays were $15-$20, like people could get NCFoM with the coupon, then these numbers wouldn't be a "surprise" or newsworthy. Maybe these numbers would even be considered "low" if that happened. I think they're are plenty of Blu-Ray players out there for these kind of numbers regularly, just the prices of the discs need to come down to the ~20 range. Not so much of a problem with Disney (as NCFoM proved) but I hope Fox/Sony are listening with their $39.95 MSRP releases (which becomes about $27.95 at sites like amazon). I'm fine with discs that cost $25 or less at Amazon, but I'm much more likely to Blind Buy (like NCFoM) or buy something I normally wouldn't (like a lot of titles I got from the BOGO this past holiday season) if the titles are (or under) $15-20.

[MNTWISTER]

Originally Posted by Nighthawk

68,000 copies of Old Country in its first week is impressive, but does anybody doubt the week 1 numbers for I Am Legend are not only going to blow away Old Country - but probably eclipse the week 1 record set by 300 last July?

Just look at how many new Blu-ray owners there are since last summer.

While 300 sold 160,000 on Blu-ray its first week, I predict I Am Legend will hit 250,000

Don't forget that "Enchanted" came out the same day as I Am Legend, I think this will be a record-breaking week for blu-ray. I own both of them and they are both prestine quality discs! I am amazed at the soundtrack on Enchanted, wow, one of the best musical recordings I have heard yet on BD (orchestra, vocals, ect!) The same goes for Legend as far as quality.

[Cherish]

Originally Posted by Nighthawk

68,000 copies of Old Country in its first week is impressive, but does anybody doubt the week 1 numbers for I Am Legend are not only going to blow away Old Country - but probably eclipse the week 1 record set by 300 last July?

Just look at how many new Blu-ray owners there are since last summer.

While 300 sold 160,000 on Blu-ray its first week, I predict I Am Legend will hit 250,000

EDIT:Just saw this at HMM:



http://www.homemediamagazine.com/

Can't wait to see the actual numbers.

I wouldn't doubt it if I am Legend sold more than 300 either but I wouldn't bet on it too. I think Enchanted might have outsold what Disney projected it would sell too, I doubt it broke records but it probably exceeded what they thought it was going to sell.

Just saw your link after I posted, pretty cool.