Sony preps Blu-ray boosting PS3 bundle

And a separate package for gamers

Now that HD DVD is effectively dead, Sony is going on the Blu-ray offensive and targeting potential customers with a specialist PlayStation 3 starter pack for film fans.

According to a number of online reports, the pack consists of a 40GB console and Blu-ray versions of the films Spiderman 3, 300 and Casino Royale. Sadly, Sony’s only throwing one SixAxis controller into the bundle rather than the upcoming rumble-enabled DualShock 3 unit.

Sony has confirmed that anyone who's all gamer will soon be offered a 40GB bundle pack based on the Gran Turismo 5 Prologue game. The bundle doesn’t come with any films, but at least the Blu-ray drive’s there if you fancy buying some at a later date. The GT5 bundle also comes with the SixAxis controller.

If the film fanatic pack is legit, then it's expected to appear on 19 March for €400 (£305/$610), while car-crazy gamers will have to wait until 29 March to hand over the same fee. It’s worth noting that US customers already have a 40GB PS3 bundle for $400 (£200/€295), but it only includes one Blu-ray film, Spiderman 3.