HD DVD re-takes the lead!

[CochiseGuy]

I just checked the Amazon sales stats on eProductWars this morning, and was a little surprised:

Sales Rank of the Top 10 Products:
HD DVD: 108.8
Blu-ray: 264.1

Sales Rank of the Top 25 Products:
HD DVD: 308.44
Blu-ray: 753.8


Sales Rank of the Top 100 Products:
HD DVD: 3630.71
Blu-ray: 4192.43

Funny what a few good releases and cheap players will do for a product. And I guess we know why Sony decided to release it's "Executive Summary" with sales only through March 18.

Attachments: From Left to Right
Far Left: Top 10 Products
Next: Top 25
Next: Top 100
Far Right: Top 100 Products, with Red Line showing the March 18 date Sony used to report sales.

 

[navychop]

Yep. Let's see how long it lasts.

 

[vurbano]

I thought it would happen slower than this. Sony shot is wad with the PS3 and now boxes upon boxes of them are not moving in the stores. HD DVD would gain slowly with cheaper priced players. I expected the lead to erode leading to BD's death, but not this sudden.

 

[CochiseGuy]

I thought it would happen slower than this. Sony shot is wad with the PS3 and now boxes upon boxes of them are not moving in the stores. HD DVD would gain slowly with cheaper priced players. I expected the lead to erode leading to BD's death, but not this sudden.

Well, in all fairness I should point out that there has been a "Buy HD DVD on Amazon Day" on AVSforum for today to help boost the sales data. Today is the 1 yr. anniversary of the launch of HD DVD. But I'm not sure how much an influence that is having - a campaign on one internet forum vs. the whole country and those millions of PS3 owners.

And anyone who visits the War Zone forum here knows I am one of the most . . . . "consistent" supporters of HD DVD (I think that's what Navychop called me ). But I only bought 3 today. I already had 6 on pre-order from Warner Home Video's online promotion I posted about in the HD DVD Bargains thread.

As Navy posted, we'll see how this holds up. But we've come along ways from the dark days February when everyone was posting that HD DVD was already dead and wouldn't make it through the year.

 

[navychop]

That's nothing compared to what someone else might be calling you....

Actually, let's keep in mind these are #s of titles in the top -whatever-. Actual # of discs sold might well still favor Blu-ray. Or not. Next Friday's release of numbers will be interesting.

I doubt that an AVS setup to boost #s would have much effect- but who knows, the numbers sold are still small.

Sony might have to move quick to drop player prices. But didn't someone post a few months back that Sony promised the Blu-ray camp no cut-rate players the first year?


Soooo- should I talk to you or joesp about getting together a "buy a Blu-ray today" campaign? Or maybe Vurbano?

 

[vurbano]

Well, in all fairness I should point out that there has been a "Buy HD DVD on Amazon Day" on AVSforum for today to help boost the sales data. Today is the 1 yr. anniversary of the launch of HD DVD. But I'm not sure how much an influence that is having - a campaign on one internet forum vs. the whole country and those millions of PS3 owners.

And anyone who visits the War Zone forum here knows I am one of the most . . . . "consistent" supporters of HD DVD (I think that's what Navychop called me ). But I only bought 3 today. I already had 6 on pre-order from Warner Home Video's online promotion I posted about in the HD DVD Bargains thread.

As Navy posted, we'll see how this holds up. But we've come along ways from the dark days February when everyone was posting that HD DVD was already dead and wouldn't make it through the year.

But how could a handful of AVSers possibly put a dent in what those millions of PS3 Bluray movie buyers could do?

 

[CochiseGuy]

But how could a handful of AVSers possibly put a dent in what those millions of PS3 Bluray movie buyers could do?

'Cause those millions of PS3 owners are too busy playing games to buy movies?

There was a big deal when Casino Royale was the first high def release to reach the Top 10 in Amazon sales. It topped out at #8 I think.

The BBC Series "Planet Earth" on HD DVD just hit #5 on Amazon today, at $69.95! The standard DVD set is #1, at $53.99. The Blu-ray release is #23, at $69.95. Who'd thunk?

 

[teachsac]

I know I didn't buy anything today in either format. Will get Smoking Aces Tuesday, though.

 

[Jamey K]

I bought Dream Girls

 

[jgantert]

I picked up Million Dollar Baby HD DVD at one of the closing CompUSA stores for $15, but that didn't help the Amazon effort. Oh well...

I think this is just temporary for the AVS buy, they really do have a large enough following to affect the amazon sales. Especially since HD sales (both HD & BR) are very small overall.

-John

 

[JAG72]

The BBC Series "Planet Earth" on HD DVD just hit #5 on Amazon today, at $69.95! The standard DVD set is #1, at $53.99. The Blu-ray release is #23, at $69.95. Who'd thunk?

I don't think that these numbers mean very much until the product is released. The only thing that it tells me today is more people with HD DVD preorder their disks.

 

[vurbano]

'Cause those millions of PS3 owners are too busy playing games to buy movies?

Oh they have games to buy for that thing now?

 

[BobMurdoch]

They hung their hat on Motorstorm touting it as the next big game to finally give PS3 owners something to play besides Resistance....

And XPlay and Electronic Gaming Monthly yawned.....

Meanwhile XBox360 announces the Halo3 Beta launch date and people go batsh*t. Guitar Hero 2 is a big hit (A few with "defective" whammy bars, are fixed with a software update) As far as the serious game machines go, the 360's lead seems secure.

Meanwhile, the Wii, which had been written off as gimmicky continues to win over non-gamers and kids (I hosted a birthday party for my son last week at my house, and these kids played three games..... Halo2 multiplayer, Dance Dance Revolution (??!!???),. and Wario Smooth Moves.

I was shocked they were so into DDR.... I never understood that fad, but my kids both love the game...

Plus I keep hearing stories about places like senior citizen centers where the bowling game is played in community rooms.... Then again many feel content to stick with the Wii sports and Wii Play games as sales have been tepid for anything not named Zelda or Wario Smooth Moves....

That being said, Paper Mario dropped this week at stores and hit #1, so there is pent up demand for new content. I think most publishers grossly underestimated the appeal of the console....

 

[JoeSp]

I can tell that none of you have played Motorstorm. If you had you would realize the only reason that EGM wasn't thrilled is because of number of tracks and no split screen -- more tracks are on the way. As for XPlay, that is like the Playstation Mag stating that Gears of War sucks because it was totally linear in construction and was a very short game. XPlay is a M$ Fudzine, their comments on PS3 games is useless just like coments for PSM on 360 games is useless.

Find someone with a PS3 and play the game before you knock it. Play something yourself before you bash it fanboys.

 

[jgantert]

I tried the Motorstorm demo. It was ok, but not worth the $60. Keep in mind, I'm only a casual gamer and bought the PS3 for BR.

-John

 

[navychop]

More To The Story

Short link about the coordinated effort to boost HD DVD on Amazon. Just goes to show how few titles are actually selling, per this link.

 

[whitewolf8214]

One month its hd-dvd next month its blue-ray lets get an independent person to put out the real results.Both sides are going to push there sales higher thats why we dont know who the leader or who is winning in this battle.Until we get an independent person whos not on either side to put out the clearer sales figures we dont know.I wont buy one until we get a clearer picture on who is winning or closer to end this war.I would like to know the exact amount of sales for both sides not just figures that are put out there to make one look better than the other and that inlcudes figures for players and dvds sales.

 

[JamesJ]

They hung their hat on Motorstorm touting it as the next big game to finally give PS3 owners something to play besides Resistance....

And XPlay and Electronic Gaming Monthly yawned.....

Meanwhile XBox360 announces the Halo3 Beta launch date and people go batsh*t. Guitar Hero 2 is a big hit (A few with "defective" whammy bars, are fixed with a software update) As far as the serious game machines go, the 360's lead seems secure.

.

I was suprised at the amounts of reports that people were buying Crackdown just for the limited Time trial beta of Halo 3, even though I was one of them (I dont have my 360 now, but I am telling you what, I am this close to going back as I was really really convienced that blu ray was going to win this thing hands down, but I am starting to change my opinnion, if disney released on HD DVD, I would probably be back.) Also I was suprised Guitar Hero 2 was a big hit, I do love the game, but no multiplayer on one of the better online systems right now? come on!

Back on topic (sorry just had to put that.)

 

[navychop]

One month its hd-dvd next month its blue-ray lets get an independent person to put out the real results.Both sides are going to push there sales higher thats why we dont know who the leader or who is winning in this battle.Until we get an independent person whos not on either side to put out the clearer sales figures we dont know.I wont buy one until we get a clearer picture on who is winning or closer to end this war.I would like to know the exact amount of sales for both sides not just figures that are put out there to make one look better than the other and that inlcudes figures for players and dvds sales.

On eProductWars (Amazon) and from Nielson Videoscan, numbers of title sales have favored Blu-ray since Xmas 2006. The charts on Amazon are pretty consistently Blu-ray this year. These two folks are pretty independent.

But your gist is certainly correct. Actual sales figures are mostly hidden, and low (from the ones actually released). Any time a group on a forum can get together and sway the numbers, you know sales are low. But will they stay low all summer?

I guess my recent expenses will help keep me from making a mistake and spending money foolishly.

 

[navychop]

In a related vein, read this link about sales in Europe. So much for claims that HD DVD is winning in Europe.
[UPDATE: Amazingly, this writer at Game World Network used the US data, not the European data. The EU data actually shows Blu Ray kicking the piss out of HD-DVD in terms of title sales]