Sony launching PlayStation 3 video download service tonight
Sony Corp. is finally launching its long-awaited video download service for the PlayStation 3 video game console.
The company said it would start selling and renting movies and TV shows through its PlayStation Network tonight. MGM, 20th Century Fox, Lionsgate, Warner Bros., Disney, Paramount, Turner Entertainment and of course Sony Pictures are making titles available.
PlayStation 3 owners will be able to buy TV shows for $1.99 and up. They can also rent movies for $2.99 to $5.99 and buy them for $9.99 to $14.99. For example, “Cloverfield” can be purchased for $14.99 or rented for $3.99. A high-definition version rents for $5.99.
Videos purchased through the PS3 can be transferred to Sony’s PSP hand-held game console.
Studio executives told us in April that the online video service was coming as soon as this summer. We wrote then:
It would follow two other disappointing online ventures backed by Sony in recent years: Movielink, which attempted to become the online equivalent of the video store for mainstream Hollywood movies before being sold last year to Blockbuster Inc.; and Sony Connect, the company’s response to Apple’s iTunes download service. It shut down in March.
The latest service, provided through the online PlayStation Network, is Sony’s attempt to stage a comeback in digital entertainment distribution. The maker of the once-dominant Walkman portable music player is still smarting from its defeat by Apple in the online music revolution.
Sony’s service does have a leg up on the Apple TV set-top box, because ...
... there are 10 million PS3s attached to television sets in the U.S. and they also play video games. "If they can get content comparable to Apple's, there's no reason to buy Apple TV over a PS3,” said Michael Pachter, an analyst with Wedbush Morgan Securities. “The movie offering was impressive.”
But Microsoft is out in front with its Xbox Live service. The software company said Monday that its members had spent $1 billion on downloadable games, movies and TV shows since the game network was introduced two years ago.
Hoping to entice millions of PS2 owners to upgrade to the PS3, Sony said today that it would introduce an 80-gigabyte version of its PS3 for $399.99 this fall. It currently sells a 40-gig version for the same price. Sony is struggling with the high cost of components for the console. Its games division lost billions during its last fiscal year. By providing a bigger hard drive, Sony is trying to give buyers a reason to choose its machine over less expensive rival consoles without cutting its price.
Jack Tretton, head of Sony's PlayStation business in the U.S., declared, "2008 is the year of the PlayStation 3."
Sony has lagged behind its rivals in the console war. Though still behind Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii, the PS3 has started to gain ground with the help of games such as Metal Gear Solid 4 and Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, which can be played only on the PS3.
"The PS3 is selling itself now," said John Taylor of Arcadia Investments. "Their momentum looks pretty good."
-- Alex Pham
Image courtesy of Sony
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Why does sony charge so much more for HD rentals. I understand the size of the file is much larger but I doubt the transferring of larger file justifys the price. I think it's just that Sony knows people with an HD set-up are willing to pay more. I think that is geniunly unfair.
Posted by: Some one | July 15, 2008 at 03:54 PM
Sony should know that that price is too high for HD rentals. You can rent a blu-ray from blockbuster cheaper and faster.
Posted by: Jack | July 15, 2008 at 04:48 PM
Just get a netflix account. Get all the blu-ray's you want for $14.99 a month. I love my PS3 but I will never use this service. Sony should do what Microsoft just did and sign a contract with Netflix to use its "Watch it Now" feature.
Posted by: Jeremy | July 15, 2008 at 06:47 PM
Microsoft has been flailing around with the right acquisition to allow monetization of digital content for years. The key to success is already within their reach. It is MSNBC !!! Microsoft should acquire the entire network, lock, stock and barrel and than used the gigantic media asset to build their videography business model. We'd love to halp.
SONY would be a great partner in this endeavor. Hardware wise and endowed with the Blu-Ray royalties. When Yahoo sees the writing on the wall they will stop courting Google . . . a dead ender proposition.
Mahaloha --Videography Lab
Oceanside, California, USA
Posted by: Vid Opiná | July 16, 2008 at 11:07 AM
Price comments agreed, I have Apple TV and the HD can be flaky, Bourne looked no different whilst Die Hard 4 looked awesome. I bought my PS3 in the UK on launch day so have a bigger HDD, not sure why they made them smaller (price war?). Comparisons between consoles are over-rated as I have a Wii too, doesn't mean I prefer one or the other. The Wii is a revolution, nothing can touch it for what it does, you still need a proper games console though and it's PS3 all the way, especially with the forthcoming PlayTV. Couple this with my amazement after defecting to Apple (iMac and Macbook AIR) and I can't understand why Microsoft hasn't died yet?
Posted by: mark rawcliffe | July 16, 2008 at 02:50 PM
will this service be available in canada
Posted by: Lee | July 25, 2008 at 01:02 AM
Why would anyone pay $1.99 for a TV show when they can watch the same show online for free? It's funny I looked on the PS3 NETWORK for episodes of Just Shoot Me, and they wanted me to pay $ 1.99, I then punched it in on the PS3 Machines own internet search, and found it for free. I watched it on my PS3 Anyway's but "for FREE SONY ON YOUR MACHINE". "GIVE ME A BREAK"!!! Make your money Sony, but don't nickle and dime us to death. Plus i watched it instantly, without the two hour download it takes just to watch a HALF- hour download.
Posted by: BERNIE MANDEVILLE | July 31, 2008 at 06:57 PM