Blu-Ray launch date set for May 23rd in North America

Players and discs finally in the shops in late May, but where's the PS3?
Rob Fahey 14:43 28/02/2006

Sony has announced that its Blu-Ray next-generation DVD format will launch in North America on May 23rd, giving a clear timeline for the first time for the arrival of the media format which will be used by the PlayStation 3.

Eight Blu-Ray titles will launch on that date from Sony's two major film studios, Sony Pictures and MGM, namely 50 First Dates, The Fifth Element, Hitch, House of Flying Daggers, A Knight's Tale, The Last Waltz, Resident Evil Apocalypse and XXX.

... However, the initial choice available to consumers in terms of what to play their shiny new high definition movies on will be very limited - with only one player, Samsung's costly BD-P1000, set to ship for the May 23rd launch. Further players will appear from Sony and Pioneer shortly after launch.

... Several media outlets have recently reported on comments from an unnamed Sony source, who was cited on the BBC News website some weeks ago as saying that the console's launch could be delayed due to a hold-up in agreeing final specification details for Blu-Ray discs.

The fact that players and discs are now slated to appear in mid-May seems to suggest that these hurdles have now been overcome - although a launch for the PS3 in the planned Spring timeframe still looks highly unlikely given that no details of any such launch have yet been shared with consumers or with the retail channel.

I found this at: neowin.net
Full story: GamesIndustry.biz