NPD: Blu-Ray Rise Bodes Well For PlayStation 3

According to a new NPD report, adoption of next-gen video format Blu-ray is on the rise, with familiarity with the format up 10 percent to 45 percent over last year, and 43 percent of PlayStation 3 owners watching Blu-ray movies at least once a month. NPD says that while only six percent of consumers plan to purchase a Blu-ray device in the next six months, the number was higher (nine percent) amongst HDTV owners, which it says "translates to a pool of almost 4 million potential BD player buyers." NPD also found that 80 percent of dedicated set-top player owners planned to purchase Blu-ray discs rather than standard DVDS, citing “leading-edge technology” and a “superior viewing experience.” Said NPD analyst Russ Crupnick, “The door is open for studios to feed the consumer’s appetite for Blu-ray content, and we expect sales to increase, as prices for hardware and software moderate in the coming months." He added, however: "Even so it will take a concerted effort by manufacturers and retailers to ratchet awareness even further and convince all of those potential buyers of the superiority of Blu-ray Disc versus standard DVD.”