Sony's New Blu-Ray Player: PS3 Alternative?

This new Blu-Ray player, the BPD-S300 should hit stores in the Summer (in North America at least) and will compete against the PlayStation 3 for next-generation Blu-Ray playing. If you're looking to get into a real Blu-Ray experience without the bells and whistles (and gaming) on the PlayStation 3 this might be a good alternative.

"The BDP-S300 will go on sale early this summer and is priced the same as the recently released PlayStation 3. The previous model BDP-S1 currently retails for US $999."

One must wonder, "is this a marketing tactic?" Why would we purchase a BDP-S300 for USD $599 when we can get a PlayStation 3 for the same price? Perhaps Sony is using this product to show the alternatives and their lack of additional features?

Would Sony mass produce a product in order to boost sales of the PlayStation 3 as the better alternative? Or are they really trying to satisfy customer demand for a game-less Blu-Ray player?

source:
gamesindustry.biz evilavatar.com