The Blu-ray Xbox 360 rumours just won't die. Chinese newspaper Economic Daily News is the latest publication to point towards the union of Sony's format and Microsoft's console. Apparently assembly deals for the Blu-ray 360 have already been signed.
According to the publication, Pegatron, a subsidiary of electronic component giant ASUS, has won the order from Microsoft to assemble the Blu-ray-enabled Xbox 360 and shipments are expected to begin in Q3 this year.
It's unclear whether the paper is pointing towards a HD-DVD-style add-on or an entirely new console, but either way it seems to make sense now that the Xbox 360 is left supporting none of the current HD media formats (all one of them) in the shops.
Would Microsoft be able to get away with another Xbox 360 SKU though? Certainly, as PS3 owners, we wouldn't bite.
Microsoft UK was unavailable to comment when we picked up the phone.
In it's latest Blu-ray rumour debunk last month, a company spokesperson said: "As we have stated, games are what are driving consumers to purchase game consoles and we remain focused on providing the largest library of blockbuster games available."
if they add a blue ray drive then will games be produced on this format leaving the old user base unable to play these games. no i don't think so. this would basically be an entirely new xbox for a new market.
Probably due to the fact that they realized that Digital download a and internet infrastructure would dramatically reduce their market segment!! It makes sense, and I hope they do as it will push Blu ray Disk prices down, and then all the consumers are happy!!
if they add a blue ray drive then will games be produced on this format leaving the old user base unable to play these games. no i don't think so. this would basically be an entirely new xbox for a new market.
It would have to be stand alone drive surely for that reason!!
Seeing as they didnt make a built in HD DVD version i doubt they will do the same here. Regardless of whether they do or not they still wont play blu ray disk games so its pointless for me as i already own a ps3 as well.
Blu-ray will probably be included in the next gen 360 but an add-on will be pointless for most 360 users!
Pricing could be an issue as the cheapest one I believe is still a PS3 right now. And the HD-DVD add on just looked s**t, you dont want to start plugging things into the 360 to clutter it up.
But would Sony really do it anyway. Yeah, on the one hand they make money allowing Microsoft to use it but wouldn't they be shooting them selves in the foot giving the competition one of their own consoles biggest selling points.
But would Sony really do it anyway. Yeah, on the one hand they make money allowing Microsoft to use it but wouldn't they be shooting them selves in the foot giving the competition one of their own consoles biggest selling points.
So anyway it's probably not gonna happen
I dont think so. The royalties would probably make them as much as selling a PS3 and pushing their Technology.
Every game/Film on Blu Ray would give them royalties!!
To not include a HD format in the 360 was a massive mistake and will lead to the defeat of the 360!
Why are people talking about the new MS console???? 360 has just come out1o we really want a new console being released every few years??? i certainly dont!
I expect a good 8 years out of a console and it would be just typical of MS to do this and rip us all off!
Who knows what goes round Microsoft's head (and Sony and Nintendo's for that matter)?
I don't see the point in an integrated Blu-Ray drive, because it won't aid the core utility of the console, which is playing games. PS3 games, on the other hand come on BDs. I don't see the harm, I just don't really see the point. Also, would the price be prohibitive compared to the PS3? An add-on a la HD-DVD drive? Maybe. Add-ons, however are dumb.
Releasing a new SKU would be a stupid mistake on MS part I think if they are going to give 360 users the option of Bluray this gen then it will be in the form of an add on drive like the HD DVD one.
i for one would welcome a 360 with a blu-ray player so long as it was not too expensive. i could then have it in my lounge where i tend to watch most of my films and play games on a bigger screen when the missus is not hogging sky tv.
they have already stated they would not allow devs to write games on any hd format they supported so there's next to no chance of that happening. you don't want to alienate 19-20 million users after all.
if Microsoft wants to own your living rooms perhaps it's wise to support the most common formats of entertainment.
Firstly I don't personally care! For now I'm more than happy watching nicely up-scaled DVDs on my 360. I don't even have surround anymore because I didn't like having speakers all over the place. I've watched Hi-Def films and a good as they are, I don't believe its as vital a jump for an average joe who just isn't bothered (like me) as DVD was from VHS.
DVD offered many far more practical beneftis over VHS; you don't need to rewind them, they're less likely to degrade, you have access to different sections of film/series instantly. All this in addtion to the much clearer resolution and sound.
Blu-Ray over DVD at the moment really only offers benefits to the enthusiast; even higher resolution and sound quality and larger storage space for hardcore games. Even then, given that Wii and to a lesser extent the 360 are proving very popoular without these benefits, it questionable as to how profitable it would be to integrate such high end technology at this point.
Maybe when every man and his dog has a HD TV Blu-Ray will be a natural upgrade as peoples' DVD players kick the bucket, but right now I definitely think its more a luxury than a mass market standard. When things change I reckon MS will jump on the band wagon.
To not include a HD format in the 360 was a massive mistake and will lead to the defeat of the 360!
Why are people talking about the new MS console???? 360 has just come out1o we really want a new console being released every few years??? i certainly dont!
I expect a good 8 years out of a console and it would be just typical of MS to do this and rip us all off!
As far as I was aware M$ are still on the 5year plan and isn't the 360 in the start of its 3rd year now? It was released in Europe on 2nd Dec 05.
I would be surprised if they change their minds now, they definitely won't make the 360 last 8yrs, plus I doubt that they would even run that long without being repaired.
My original 360 has been repaired 3 times, then replaced with a new console and now the replacement has just come back from being repaired (died in one week!). Still hoping my elite doesn't die any time soon, but the way things are going it will die sooner or later.
Blu Ray isn't exactly taking the world by storm so why bother MS. It's not like you could alienate everyone who has a DVD 360 and put games on it. If it's just for movies why bother. If MS wants DLC movies to take off then this wouldn't help at all.
It's got to be an add-on drive, MS allways said it could happen, but what's the point? It's not like Blu-ray has really couught on yet(outside of the PS3 anyway), and if they make games that use it, what will that do to their installed user base?
Bottom line is, if I wanted Blu-ray I'd buy a PS3, and I don't.
Christ, if the worst thing in your life is that your copy of the latest f**ktard Hollywood ballbuster isn't in eye-bleeding 1080p high-res-o-vision, then you really need to get out more.
Christ, if the worst thing in your life is that your copy of the latest f**ktard Hollywood ballbuster isn't in eye-bleeding 1080p high-res-o-vision, then you really need to get out more.
If this messing starts with a new xbox360 with a built in bluray drive and they decide to make games just on bluray there is no way im buying a new xbox360. Im after forking out €400 at christmas for an elite.
If this messing starts with a new xbox360 with a built in bluray drive and they decide to make games just on bluray there is no way im buying a new xbox360. Im after forking out €400 at christmas for an elite.
Only a fool would believe this story in the first place. You're not a fool, are you?
I wouldn't be surprised if they did release an external BD movie-player in the states at some point, at least, as there's a f**king huge X360 userbase over there who'd probably jump at the chance to shell out for a cheap player.
And to correct a couple of incorrect facts that have been posted above:
Sony doesn't directly make money on each Blu-Ray disc and drive that's made, as the royalties go to the "Blu-ray Disc Association", of which Sony is only one of the 250 members.
They do make money eventually, but in a strange twist of fate they actually lose money on each Blu-Ray player included in the PS3, because they themselves have to pay a royalty fee to the BDA, and the share they get back is only a fraction of what they pay in.
That's allegedly one of the big reasons why they're still about six months away from being able to turn a profit on the PS3.
On a personal note, I'm not going to be touching Blu-Ray until either the market for it is at least 15 times bigger than it currently is, or Lucas re-releases the Star Wars trilogy on it...
To be honest I don't care one little bit, i cant afford to bother with HD films and games, so I'll stick to spending my extra pennies on games.
I do love films and Total Film harp on about HD films non-stop but it really isn't all that for how much it costs, both in set up and buying the discs. Not saying that if i was loaded I wouldn't have a cinema type set-up in the living room but i'm not so there you go.
From a gaming pov, I read a post on here the other day and someone* was saying that you would never need to use a blu-ray disc' capacity for a game in this generation** (except he said for Metal Gear Solid and it's however many hours of HD cut scenes)so not grabbing me that way either.
*Really can't remember who it was so I apoligise to original poster although in my defence, I may have been drunk and it may not even have been on CVG!
**is this right? I'm not that much of a tech-head and I cant be bottomd looking it up.
Last week R*'s Sam Houser was complaining about storage capacity problems with the 360 and that "their games are only going to get bigger" - leading to "I'm sure MS will find an intelligent solution".
Something says in the back of my mind: Could Rockstar be looking towards leading the next GTA on Blu Ray? If that turns out to be the case, MS have a problem. And if true, any failure of MS to adapt to Blu Ray means the next GTA would almost certainly lead on PS3.
This week: 360 Blu Ray back on agenda - out of nowhere it seems...
Could it yet be Rockstar themselves that force MS's hand in supporting Sony's Blu Ray disc tech? Think about it. Suddenly GTAVC built from the ground up on Blu Ray doesn't sound such an outrageous idea.
If this messing starts with a new xbox360 with a built in bluray drive and they decide to make games just on bluray there is no way im buying a new xbox360. Im after forking out €400 at christmas for an elite.
oh my god - jesus they wouldnt make games on blu ray - its simply for movies -- blu ray isnt for games imo its for films thats all i care about it for
I need a blu ray drive as im not buying any more films on dvds as frankly the quality sucks and sod buying cloverfield on dvd
if they add a blue ray drive then will games be produced on this format leaving the old user base unable to play these games. no i don't think so. this would basically be an entirely new xbox for a new market.
Not true, Most pc based BluRay drives use 2 lens a Red for DVD/CD and a Blue Lens for BluRay discs so its very easy to build the drive and make no impact on the previous capabilities of the Console.
If microsoft where going to include a bluray into it's console i believe it would be for it's next console.
agree with you totally, the 360 is now half way through its life as microsofts premier console, not long now til the next one comes out so they would be stupid to launch another 360 sku now....
To not include a HD format in the 360 was a massive mistake and will lead to the defeat of the 360!
Why are people talking about the new MS console???? 360 has just come out1o we really want a new console being released every few years??? i certainly dont!
I expect a good 8 years out of a console and it would be just typical of MS to do this and rip us all off!
its been 2 1/2 years since they launched the 360, its not like it came out yesterday anymore, the next one will be out i think in 2 1/2-3yrs time, the average person will change their car more often, why moan about a new console coming out???
This is unlikely to ever happen, even as an external drive. Microsoft only supported HD-DVD to throw a spanner in Sony's works. Releasing a Blu-ray drive wouldn't make financial sense, it would only ever be able to play movies, so is unlikely to be a major seller, or drive console sales.
People are saying the 360 has to support an HD disk format, why? The Wii doesn't, and it seems to be selling pretty well despite that fact. Also its worth noting that very few 360 games actually use more than 7.3gig on a DVD9, even GTA 4 falls bellow this size. So with that in mind I really don't think theres an issue with storage capacity, and if there is then I have an idea how to solve it....use more than one disk, they are cheap as chips, and its not like its a major effort to get up and change a disk after hours of gameplay.
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