Rumors persist on Blu-ray drive for XBox 360

CNET's Gamespot posted a news blurb today on a report that, "Microsoft has entered into talks with Sony to bring Blu-ray to the Xbox 360." The report comes from a Financial Times story that quotes an unnamed "senior executive," who says that Sony and Microsoft "are not simply discussing a successor to the Xbox 360's now discontinued, dirt-cheap external HD DVD drive," but that "there is also the possibility of an internal Blu-ray drive being incorporated into a new, more expensive 'premium' 360 model."

Cocept art for MGS4, which won't fit on a DVD.

(Credit: www.azeemalim.co.uk)

At the Consumer Electronics Show in January Xbox group marketing manager Albert Penello alluded to the possibility of a Blu-ray option for the 360. However, Penello wasn't talking today and Microsoft denied that it had made any official move to Blu-ray.

While you could argue that having a built-in Blu-ray drive is now a competitive advantage for the PS3, Sony stands to make millions in licensing fees for the technology if Microsoft adopts it. That possibility presumably trumps the potential edge Blu-ray might give the PS3. As for Microsoft, at a certain point it has to consider going Blu--partially because premium game titles are beginning to push the limits of a DVD's 8.5GB storage capacity. The PS3-exclusive Metal Gear Solid 4, due out in June, apparently fills an entire Blu-ray disc, though it's unclear whether it's a single-layer 25GB disc or 50GB dual-layer disc.

What do you think? Will disc capacity force Microsoft to make the move to Blu-ray--or is it just so that it can say it's game console also plays Blu-ray movies? Let us know by posting in the comments.

[Lamb08]

Not this generation...

It would be best for all involved if they did pool their resources and make only one game machine for the next generation. <br /><br />Game developing is where the money is at and porting from one console to another is a tremendous waste of time and resources that could be better spent on the next big hit and actually making the game feel next gen.<br /><br />Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony should agree to a defacto standard for the next generation. Because so far only Nintendo has succeeded in doing something different, yes with less power but WII Sports is popular and Super Mario Galaxy feels next gen. <br /><br />The 360 and the PS3 both still feel like Xbox 1.5 instead of next gen. Games like Grand Theft Auto are delayed because programmers at gaming companies have to port to different consoles.<br /><br />Toshiba waved the white flag too early on HD-DVD, and Microsoft never gave them a fair chance by making the games mandatory HD-DVD.<br /><br />So Sony won but they won't make a profit without mass adoption until they match prices to dvd and make it back on volume.

[yankeesfanX10]

Obviously it's for the movies.

If a blu-ray player gets built into a high end xBox 360, then it would have to be just for movies, otherwise you would have some games that can only be played by the select few that bought the super-high end xBox.

[7aji88]

If the future of gaming in the next few years

is blue ray, then Sony has a big chance since its format won to keep the technology only for PS3 and not for XBOX. I know it sounds childish, but Sony is who said before PS3 came out "The new PS3 will come out when we say it will be" (they said something like that) So my point is that if they can do such a thing, and willing to lose a lot money from selling the license to Microsoft, then it would kind of funny to see what happens to the XBOX.

[planblove]

Wait til next gen...

Its too late for MS to include Blu-Ray into the 360. Even an add-on drive might be too late. But the next XBOX would be extremely wise to incorporate a blu ray drive. Standard DVD won't cut it anymore for the next generation.

[Interpolnyc]

Too Little, Too late.

I think the sad fact is, that the 360 is going to be out in another 2 years MAX, i <br />mean look at the patterns, consoles seem to rollover every 5 years or so, and i <br />have a pretty good idea, that at this years E3 we will probably see some concept <br />gaming machine slated to release 2009 or 2010, so for them to completely re-<br />configure the hardware from the original, is impractical, they may just throw <br />another add on, to it, but as far as being built in, i cant see it. now i would say <br />that the "next xbox" would assuredly have blu-ray built in, its a given, but to <br />me, for them to do everything so late in the game seems. Too little. too late.

[dragonkal8000]

Not going to happen

First of all, it is way too late for Microsoft to make a move like that. They released their console a year earlier so I can understand that they did not have Blu-Ray in their game plan at that time. However, releasing a newer system with an internal Blu-Ray drive is going to be ridiculous. Using the drive for the purpose of movies is understandable, but for games....thats a different thing. If Microsoft switches their games to Blu-Ray that will leave all the 18 million Xbox 360 owners in the dust. If they ever want their games on Blu-Ray they have to release an external drive so that current 360 owners can use it. Also, you have the fact that newer 360's only use HDMI 1.2 which does not allow for high def sound and higher video bit rates from Blu-Ray as well as the currently defunct HD-DVD drives. Blu-Ray at the moment is simply a waste for Microsoft.

[brandonh33]

Might happen

If microsoft wants blu-ray for the 360, sony will give it to them, that is not really a question considering they would have to by law. If they do get blu-ray, it will NOT be used for games because of obvious reasons that have already been posted. <br /><br />It has been stated many times by the makers in different articles that MGS4 has filled more than the capacity of the 50GB disk and they are thinking of actually putting the multiplayer on a seperate probably lower capacity blu-ray disk. Sony shouldnt have this problem a year from now because the disk is upgradable to a high of 200gb with a simple firmware upgrade.

[chio182]

add on would make little sense

Considering the price point of the HD-DVD add on, I think it's unlikely a blu-ray add on will have much appeal. It would cost almost as much to simply buy a PS3.<br /><br />You also have to keep in mind that MS is probably beginning development on their new x-box, given the average console generation life-span. You can probably bet it will have blu-ray capability.<br /><br />The bottom line, however, is that if it makes financial sense to do so, MS will give consumers a blu-ray add on.

[cyberDJ-2038765336053745013836]

I don't understand this story

Blu-ray is the only game in town right now and until MS provides HD downloads to the X-Box, they HAVE to add Blu-ray.<br /><br />If MS swercs around and delays Blu-ray adoption too long, people will leap to the PS3.<br /><br />MS can't afford another Vista-like debacle with the X-Box.<br />I'm not sure they have fixed the overheating problem yet.<br /><br />It will be like the way people are running to the Mac because Vista sucks so bad.<br /><br />If you wait too long to fix a problem, there won't be anybody left to appease. They all be using your competitors' stuff.<br /><br />I think it's time for MS to be knocked down several pegs so it can regroup and re-emerge as a fresh company that cares about the end-user and not profits.

[Hob Roblin]

A summary of some of the realistic opinions

It would be to Microsoft's advantage to let the 360 play movies (but only with the add on). To make the most money, which they are good at, they will probably release a Blu-ray add on player, letting a good number of people with a 360 grab the add on. Since the war is over, they stand to sell quite a few. For Sony, they can make money from the sales of the blu 360 add on, while still claiming a big advantage of using blu's for gaming in the PS3 (for the console war). Microsoft won't leave gamers high and dry by releasing blu only games because it doesn't make financial sence for them. As a 360 owner, I would just buy a PS3 and switch over if microsoft forced me to buy a new blu-ray 360. As long as the pricing is well thought out, keeping the $500 price of the 80gig ps3 and possible future price drops in mind, microsoft could stand to improve their position in the console war, while making a few bucks, and letting people like me rent HD movies again

[jev55]

Probably for the next system.......

I HIGHLY doubt that Microsoft will adopt a Blue Ray attachment to the Xbox <br />360. For one, they aren't going to release games on it, because then not <br />everyone could play them. You fall into the "oh well....you need the blu ray <br />drive and this special thingy to play that game." This has never worked for a <br />console, non techie people just don't get it. And second, why give the Xbox <br />360 the ability to play Blu ray movies when they sell hi def movies on Xbox <br />live? Wouldn't that potentially hurt there sales? Why would they do that? <br /><br />P.S. What ever happened to just using two or three discs if you needed more <br />space for a game?? I remember the first Metal Gear game had two <br />discs......that seemed to work just fine!

[webterractive]

Don't count on Xbox 360 Blu-ray Addon

I don't think MSFT will adopt Blu-ray, think of it, its one of the selling points of the Playstation 3, so why would Sony be offering in it up like a cheap tramp? Unless Sony is desperate to get those HD DVD adoptors onboard, and Blu-ray is actually a failed format that won the HD battle in a losing war because its sales figures were based on free movies it gave it with this consoles.

[webterractive]

Playstation 3 Console

Its been marketed as a Home Entertainment System more then a console for playing games.

[nickNiowa]

webterractive your funny

It's funny you mention that they talk about sales of discs being counted that came with the PS3. They included what one disc with their players and counted it. Whereas Toshiba included two discs with every player and has had a 5 disc send away they have counted as sales also. And they still couldn't match the blu-ray disc sales. Now that is sad.

[CooperSWorks]

Sony not required for XBOX to add BluRay

As far as I know Microsoft doesn't need Sony's agreement to add BluRay to the XBox360. The "owners" of BluRay are a consortium of companies who control the licensing and receive royalties. Sony is one of the members, not the de facto sole proprietor.

[will2348]

Microsoft Won't Go Blu-Ray

As far as i know Microsoft said they were going to try to push game downloads and movie downloads and if you haven't got a fast enough interent connection well thats your problem. In my opinion Sony should not let Microsoft go blu-ray no matter how much money they could make. Blu-ray is almost one of the only things i think that is keeping PS3 sales going and anyway why not be mean to them after all Microsoft did back HD DVD and lost let them face the loses and lose. Even though it will never happen i wish Microsoft would give up making game consoles i would never buy Xbox even if it was the last game console left in the world. Yes thats right i hate Xbox that much. Microsoft are computers stick to what your use to. I played on an Xbox 360 elite the other day and personally i wasn't that impressed and think the PS3 is miles better. Sony shouldn't let Microsoft go blu-ray PS3 sales are expected to rocket in the next 6 months and completly batter sales of Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360 if they let Microsoft have blu-ray this may be the end of the PS3. However look at it from another view the money they could make from letting Microsoft go blu-ray could give them enough to research and develop the next best gaming console ever and finish Xbox and Nintendo off once and for all.

[Pathogens]

What dude????

"Microsoft are computers stick to what your use to"<br /><br />Ummm. No. Microsoft is a software company. They make software that runs on other peoples hardware. <br /><br />So the xbox is basically a computer as well as the playstation with each companies own software driving the games. Wouldnt it stand to reason that a software company make a decent gaming machine? You are stupid.<br />On those same lines of thinking, Sony is a hardware manufactuer. They dont make anything software. So why you want them to make you a computer with their own software on it? I dont get it.

[dreamfree]

TECH MOVES FORWARD, NOT BACKWARD NOR STAND STILL

Considering, HD DVD is dead, and HD downloads are not realistic and the need for more memory space needed for games. Logically it would make sense for MS XBOX 360 to adopt Blu-ray. <br /><br />Better hardware incorporated, least a whole lot quieter then the DVD drive 360 has now, and more space to boot. Blu-ray is a proven and winning format. Sounds like a god send for a system that suffers 16% failure rate even after latest improvements.<br /><br />The current 360 owners fear such a move would leave current owners behind but even they cannot play all older Xbox games, and those that can need a download patch. <br /><br />Sounds like MS is coming out with a new gaming system, much to the fear of current 360 users, who fear change and their system obsolescence.

[norcalrivercat]

Would be awesome

I hope microsoft releases a blu ray add on for the 360, id love to get another blu ray player for our second tv but dont really want to pay 500 to get a nice one that supports the 2.0 update, and i already have a ps3 so its kinda a waste to buy another, and even 400 is expensive. so if microsoft could release a 2-300 dollar blu ray add on i think it would help sales.

[lord vegas]

He's right. MS doesn't need Sony.

Blu-Ray Assoc. is a group of companies. Microsoft's secret buddy Apple (MS owns lots of Apple stock) is one of the companies, along with heavy weights HP, Dell, Disney, among others. So MS probably doesn't need Sony's approval.

[brandonh33]

Someone look into it,

It really depends on the market share value sony has. I believe it is a very large sum but if someone has a link showing percentages feel free to share it. Even if they do have to go through sony they still cant keep blu-ray away from microsoft.

[buskatier]

No good connections

No an X-Box guy but unless the external player has a way to connect to the 360 by way of HDMI and the 360 can output HDMI aren't you left with nothing but some analog signals?

[whoadude1]

An answer for Will2348

will2348.......WAKE UP....Let me set you straight...PS3 has incorporated a new motto...."Play Behind"...BEHIND the Wii, and the 18 million 360's....They are the ones that should go back to their roots. Make games and stereo equipment, thats where they belong. Just ask one of the SEVERAL game makers they have lost to MS. the GTA series, MGS4's LAST ps game in the making, etc.....If they made a QUALITY game, it would sell, sell sell and be played on a 360. They will NEVER, "finish off XbOX, once and for all" Good luck with that.

[GreyOcelot]

xbox blu-ray

will i agree with you the xbox 360 is inferior compared to the ps3 i have all three next gen systems and in my opinion the ps3 is a powere house its sales would be much better if it were released a year before but anyways onto the topic i think sony shouldnt let microsoft use the blu-ray microsoft can suck it.