Sony has announced that it's to knock $100 USD off the price of its BDP-S300 stand-alone Blu-ray player, taking it to a price point of 'just' $499 (£250 / €370).

How could this possibly be relevant to gamers, we hear you cry? Simple - for the first time, a Sony Blu-ray player will be available for below $599 (£300 / €445), the cost of the (Blu-ray-equipped) PlayStation 3 in North America. According to Sony representatives, the price cut was triggered by an increasing demand for Blu-ray players, and dipping manufacturing costs.

This is hearty news for consumers, yet it could get even better, as the drop in the price of stand-alone Blu-ray players may force Sony’s hand when it comes to the price of the PS3.

Previously, the fact that Sony’s third home console shipped with an in-built Blu-ray player was something of a boon for the Japanese gaming giant, which would happily point to the inflated price of stand-alone players to justify the value offered by the PS3.

Now, if Sony maintains the PS3’s $599 price tag for too long, it could run the risk of cannibalising sales of the console, which is already lagging behind the Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii in each major region.

So, could that mean a price cut for the PS3 is on the way? Our ears are pressed firmly to the ground in anticipation - stay tuned.