Blu-ray will help ensure PS3's success, says Harrison

Sony executive Phil Harrison has told GamesIndustry.biz that he is confident Sony will retain its position as market leader in the new console cycle, predicting that PS3 sales will be boosted by the success of Blu-ray.

Speaking in an interview at GDC last week, the Worldwide Studios boss said, "I think we have everything that we need to compete, not just relative to the other players in the market but also to grow the market. This is something that is part of our corporate culture."

He pointed to the games and network services on the way for PlayStation 3 as factors which will ensure high sales of the console, and also highlighted the growth of the Blu-ray movie market.

"That is a positive factor which will play more into the consumer psyche as the year goes on, as more consumer electronics firms launch standalone disc players, as more Blu-ray disc movies become available, and as more shelf space is dedicated to the category at retail," Harrison said.

According to Harrison, Blu-ray is likely to become the most popular movie format within a short space of time - just as DVD quickly overtook VHS.

"In America, where PS3 disc is already out, Blu-ray disc is surging ahead as the next-generation movie format of choice. It's absolutely trouncing any other formats, and I think we'll see the same in Europe and the UK," he said.

It's not the first time Sony has claimed that Blu-ray is already proving more popular than HD-DVD, the next-gen format supported by Microsoft and Toshiba. Last month, the company quoted Nielsen VideoScan research which found that Blu-ray discs are outselling HD-DVD by a ratio of more than two to one.

Part one of the interview with Phil Harrison is now on GamesIndustry.biz. Visit the site tomorrow to read part two.