Sony accounced this week that, in addition to the extensive line-up of launch games, the first 500,000 purchasers of Playstation 3 who register on the Playstation Network will receive a Blu-ray disc movie of Casino Royale. A blatant effort to highlight the extra entertainment credentials of the PS3, Casino Royale should show off the High def capabilities of Blu Ray and the in-built reader in the PS3.

Darren Carter, VP Brand and Consumer Marketing said, "The Playstation Network unlocks the broad range of interactive entertainment features of Playstation 3. It's easy to set up, offers free online gaming, has great tools for staying in touch with friends and family, and includes a wide variety of content for download through the Playstation Store." "All this, and more, will enable users to experience a whole new world of interactive entertainment, and that is why we are offering the phenomenal incentive of Casino Royale, on Blu-ray disc, to PS3 owners who register on the PLAYSTATION Network. Casino Royale not only makes the most of the features and capabilities of the Blu-ray format, but is one of the most exciting and entertaining movies to debut on Blu-ray this year."

Well, brilliant if your planning on buying a PS3 anyway, but is it really enough to tip the balance of deciding to buy one or not? We think probably not but this is surely evidence of the Sony Marketing Mammoth starting to move in the UK for the build up to launch of the PS3. This kind of offer will undoubtably grab a lot of media attention, in which we will be cleverly, if not inadvertently, told that the PS3 can play high def, blu-ray movies. A great marketing move by Sony, now everyone will want to write about this offer and in so doing tell everyone about Sony's High Def DVD capabilities. I mean honestly, what kind of games journalist would do that...