US independent hi-def disc manufacturer Blue Ray Technologies is announcing its multi-tiered entry into what many expect to be the multi-billion dollar Blu-ray games arena.

The firm will launch a new company, Blue Ray Game Technologies, to both manufacture high-definition game discs for studios and to develop its own line of games in-house.

“Even many game business professionals don’t fully understand everything Blu-ray is about to do for their industry,” said Blue Ray Technologies founder and DVD pioneer Erick Hansen. “The graphics, processing power and video texturing, not to mention the storage capacity, will be a quantum leap in the technology that will absolutely engulf gamers.”

The new generation of Blu-ray discs games will be ushered along by combo hardware like the upcoming Sony Playstation 3, priced at $599.

Hansen, who manufactured the first DVD-ROM game, Wing Commander, for Creative Labs, said his launch of a game development firm was to ensure gamers would get the full-blown possibilities of BD games that other developers may not provide. “The gamers will soon demand the full-scope of what BD can do,” Hansen said.

Regarding the in-house game division, Hansen said the Blue Ray Game Technologies would be creating strategic alliances with existing game companies as well as hiring developers, designers, artists, writers, directors and others in the production area. In addition, he said BRGT would be purchasing hi-def cameras and working on soundstage facilities. “One of our goals is to combine true 1080 hi-def video with computer animation engines for the ultimate consumer experience.”

Hansen recently announced he would be lowering the price on his Blue Ray Technologies discs for movies, and says that with his patent-pending processes he will be able to lower prices on the game discs as well.

Story filed 24.05.06