The PlayStation 3 was Blu-rays Ultimate Trojan Horse
(N4G PS3)

As the PlayStation 3 came to market in 2006, prices of HDTVs were falling. More consumers were looking to upgrade the big screen in their living rooms. And so the entertainment industry was eager to move on from DVD and rerelease films in hopes that people would double dip and repurchase their favorites in high-definition quality (and at a higher price). But instead of a straightforward transition to a next-generation disc format, the home media business found itself in a format war that reminded many of the battle between VHS and Betamax in the 1980. The PS3 made all the difference in putting Blu-ray ahead for good. Sonys console was always factored into overall Blu-ray player sales (even if people werent buying it for that reason), which put HD DVD at a significant disadvantage when it came to market share. Microsoft released a $199 external HD DVD player for the Xbox 360 but Sonys strategy of direct integration won the day.