CasinoRoyale
Latest
007: Casino Royale Collector's Edition first Blu-ray Disc to double-dip
Studios just love to re-release older titles just before a follow-up film hits the silver screen, and Sony's making darn sure it milks the 007 franchise for every dime it's worth prior to Quantum of Solace landing in theaters. Not only are six Bond classics slated to hit Blu-ray on October 21st, but now one of Sony's best-selling 007 BD titles will be joining 'em. Yep, 007: Casino Royale will be re-released in a Collector's Edition with seven hours of new material, free e-Movie Cash to catch the aforesaid QoS in cinemas, Bonus View picture-in-picture visual commentary with Director Martin Campbell and Producer Michael G. Wilson and a "Know Your Double-O" BD-Live-enabled multi-player trivia game. To our knowledge, this is the first Blu-ray title to double-dip, as we're not counting the whole Fifth Element fiasco as a true double release. Prepare to spend $38.96 for the 2-disc Blu-ray set or $29.95 for the 3-disc DVD package.[Thanks, Chris]
Two years of battle between HD DVD and Blu-ray: a retrospective
It's hard to believe it's actually over, but for more than two years we've followed what has come to be one of our favorite topics as Blu has faced Red in a battle to be the next physical home media format. In the end it came down to studio and consumer electronic industry support -- not to mention the PS3 -- but it was by no means an easy victory, and just because it was more popular than HD DVD, doesn't mean Blu-ray can win over the hearts of millions of DVD fans. But while we wait to see how well Blu-ray is adopted by the masses, we wanted to take a second to look back at how it all ended up working out. We'll start this story way back in the Summer of '05 where the talks to create a unified format broke down: this is the moment most of us realized we were in for some fun. Sure, this thing got started way before that, but we have to start somewhere and this is when it really began to get interesting. As HD DVD approached the BDA to join forces and demanded too many changes to the Blu-ray disc format, the BDA told them to pound sand.
Transformers HD DVD sets new high definition sales records
Paramount couldn't wait for the Nielsen numbers to announce that Transformers has become the best selling day one and week one HD title on Blu-ray or HD DVD. Blu-ray or HD DVD is important, because it appears even its 190,000 HD DVDs sold in the first week is still behind 300's week one mark of 250k combined. Still, over 100,000 of those sold on the first day and definitely make this the biggest exclusive release since Sony's Casino Royale broke the 100k copies shipped barrier back in March. Two things appear to be confirmed, that the lack of lossless audio wasn't that big of a deal to many buyers, and that HD sales are still miniscule when compared to the 8.3 million Transformer DVDs that sold in the first week.[Thanks, domerdel]
Sony Pictures talks format war numbers at IFA
250,000. nearly 1 million. 69%. Those are Sony Pictures Home Entertainment's Blu-ray sales in Europe, the U.S. and Blu-ray's share of the total HD market in Europe. Apparently someone knows the PlayStation 3 plays Blu-ray discs, as the company touted weekly Blu-ray sales of two to five times that of its competitor, HD DVD since the console made its European debut in March. Sony Pictures was first to carry the Blu-ray banner in Europe and plans on bringing Spider Man 3 and Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind this fall to join the #1 best selling HD title in Europe, Casino Royale (no word on if that includes all those PS3 pack-ins). With or without StudioCanal, Sony's moving forward in Europe and around the world, hardware, software and all.[Thanks, Tom]
The Departed, 007: Casino Royale films snag more awards
As if moving over 100,000 units wasn't enough, those involved with the making of The Departed have yet another reason to celebrate -- right alongside the equally successful crew involved with 007: Casino Royale, of course. At the first Entertainment Merchants Association's Home Entertainment Awards to hand out honors for high-definition titles, Scorsese's latest gem managed to take home the awards for HD DVD Title of the Year as well as DVD Rental Title of the Year, while the latest in the Bond series took home Blu-ray Title of the Year. Unfortunately, these two films (Casablanca notwithstanding, which nabbed the Hall of Fame Award) were the only notable winners residing on an HD format, but we'll be interested to see how all that changes on the next go 'round.[Via HighDefDigest]
Euro Blu-ray sales up 1000% since PS3 launch
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has announced (via Pro-G) that more than 180,000 Blu-ray titles have been sold across Europe following a sales increase of over 1000% since the PlayStation 3's launch in March of this year. Sony is convinced that the surge in success for the high-definition format can be closely linked to the arrival of its all-singing, all-HD Console Royale. "The launch of the PS3 had a tremendous impact on Blu-ray software sales across the board," notes Matt Brown, VP International of Sony Pictures, who goes on to confirm that the PS3 is indeed an entertainment device. "Recent sales figures are a clear indication that the PS3 is seen as an entertainment device." Expect these figures to be cited in the shouting match between Blu-ray and algebraically-proven HD-DVD, shortly before old-fashioned DVD threatens to turn the car around.
PS3 European launch helped sell over 180,000 Blu-ray movies
The HD war over real estate in your living room just hit a new milestone with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment's recent claim of just how successful the European launch of the PS3 was. Citing a 1000% increase in Blu-ray movie sales since the European launch of the PS3 in March, the boys (and girls) in the Sony camp are certainly smiling. Sony Pictures also mentioned sales of their movies account for 50% of all Blu-ray movies sold in Europe, thanks in large part to the permeation of their strongest release to date, Casino Royale. Other top-selling HD discs include The Departed, which previously enjoyed the top-selling Blu-ray movie slot prior to Casino Royale's runaway truck-like sales growth, and the fantastic BBC documentary Planet Earth. Both highly recommended, no matter what side of the HD fence you happen to fall on.
Sony: Casino Royale first HD release over 100k shipped
Sony just announced that Casino Royale has become the first high definition release to ship over 100,000 units, with over 50% of those sold through to consumers. Apparently its success surprised even Sony, according to The Hollywood Reporter, it only shipped 50k initially, resulting in a complete sellout after only a few days. Following up on its quest to not only surpass rival HD DVD, but supplant the existing DVD format, Sony Pictures counts only 9 months since Blu-ray's launch to the first 100,000 unit shipped mark, compared to eleven months for the first DVD to hit that number (Air Force One). With a 700 percent increase in disc sales since the PlayStation 3 launched, and all of its just-announced upcoming releases on the once rare 50GB discs, Sony sees all this as a clear sign Blu-ray is pulling away in the format war, not only in the U.S. but worldwide, as the U.K. release of Royale sold 10,000 in the first week despite being the PS3 pack-in bonus. Blu-ray was a slow starter last year, and now with one big title under its belt, we'll see if the format war is as close to being over as the BDA keeps telling us it is. Read - SPHE press release Read - Hollywood Reporter
Casino Royale given out to first 500k European PS-Network users
A long time ago we said that it would be really neat if Sony packaged the Blu-ray of Casino Royale with the European PS3's upon launch. Well, that's not exactly the case, but a little birdie tells us that Sony has been listening! What's the deal, you ask? Well, SCEE (Sony Computer Entertainment Europe) came out the other day and announced that the first 500,000 purchasers of the PlayStation 3 who also register for the PlayStation Network will snag their own copy of the, arguably, best James Bond film in the last twenty or thirty years (some may say ever).You guys in Europe got lucky! Casino Royale is going to have quite a few extra features (supposedly) and will, of course, be in full 1080p glory. We at PS3Fanboy would have loved to get this movie packaged in our consoles, but alas, we got to stare at Will Ferrell's pores. Not saying Talladega Nights was a bad movie... but... we'd rather have some Bond-like explosions.
Euro PlayStation 3 buyers get a James Bond bonus
After the somewhat disappointing Talladega Nights pack-in with the U.S. release of the PlayStation 3, Sony has announced that the first 500,000 people to buy a European PS3 and register it on the PlayStation Network will get a free copy of the James Bond flick Casino Royale. Sony's been pimping Blu-ray synergy with the movie from the start, as it prominently features a Blu-ray player in one scene, and is headlining Sony Pictures 2007 lineup of releases. Casino Royale is slated for U.S. release on March 13th while the PS3 hits Europe on March 23rd.[Via Joystiq]
Sony incentivizes Euro PS3 with Casino Royale Blu-ray
He's dashing, he's debonair and most importantly, he's packing a very large gun. Clearly, this is exactly the kind of man you need to persuade gamers to pick up a PlayStation 3 when it launches in Europe next month. His name is James Bond, and according to GamesIndustry.Biz, his latest outing on Blu-ray will make its way to the first 500,000 gamers who register their consoles on the PlayStation Network.Sony's VP of brand and consumer marketing, Darren Carter, calls Casino Royale a "phenomenal incentive" for gamers to join the PS3's online service, no doubt drawing attention to the fact that it's a hell of a lot better than Talladega Nights. Catch all the reckless driving, lustful double-crossing and unashamed Daniel Craig-ery on your European PS3 when it launches on March 23.
Ubisoft brings PSP Free Running
Ubisoft and Reef Entertainment sent out a press release stating they will be bringing Free Running to the PSP (and other systems) in the UK in March. The game focuses on the alternative sport of free running that involves jumping across building tops, climbing over obstacles and generally using the city as your playground. Sebastien Foucan the creator of free running was recently in the Bond film Casino Royale and in the game you'll compete against him to become the greatest free runner of all time. Free Running will feature more than 60 challenges spread over 10 different levels in 3 distinct time zones, each with their own style of gameplay. 9 single and multiplayer modes like freestyle, time attack and ground zero. As you progress, you'll unlock characters, clothes, tricks videos and music. [Via DCEmu]
Sony Gamer's Day reveals new PSP-PS3 details
Sony's Gamer's Day has just wrapped up, and we're learning new details from around the web. Unfortunately, details of new firmware didn't seem to be revealed. Highlights from the event include: Demonstration of Remote Play at work: the PS3 started playing the trailer to the upcoming Bond flick Casino Royale. Then, the video was interrupted and then resumed on the PSP. It sounds exactly how it should've worked. John Smedley from Sony Online Entertainment demonstrated PSone download functionality (pictured). The games, as expected, can be transferred to your PSP. Mr. Smedley hinted at future PSone emulation on the PLAYSTATION 3 console. Downloadable games will $14.99 or less. To compare, N64 Virtual Console games on the Wii will cost about $10, so we're hoping Sony prices the games a little bit lower to be a little bit more competitive. That seems to be it for now. Stay tuned to Joystiq to see all the PLAYSTATION 3 news from the event.[Via 1UP]
Treyarch developing Bond game
Those already picturing the mesmerizing possibilities of an action/adventure set in the world of financial loans will have to face disappointment yet again, as Ultimate Spider-Man developer Treyarch has been tapped by Activision to create a game starring the other and recently less valuable Bond. James Bond. Likely based on the upcoming film franchise reboot, Casino Royale, the game is targeting next-generation platforms and the general consensus that Bond games aren't worth a (Money) penny.Having rescued the Bond license from the metallic hands that programmed Goldeneye: Rogue Agent, Activision will no doubt attempt to do right by Fleming fans if they wish to reap the rewards from their investment. Giving Treyarch the job seems like a good decision, certainly superior to that of placing a permanently disgruntled, blond man into the suave spy's shoes. Indeed, it seems preferable to place the gamer in those rocket-propelled shoes instead. Who wouldn't want to be a man of mystery (like, which STD does he have?) traipsing across the world, bedding foreign beauties and then killing said foreign beauties when they inevitably betray you? Also -- casino minigames!
