I’m a few weeks behind on this one, but those pesky Xbox 360
Blu-ray rumors came back into the spotlight early this month. Spotlight might actually be the wrong word to
use, as the usual tech blogs didn’t even bother to cover the rumor. I’ve made it quite clear over the past year
that I
don’t think Blu-ray for the Xbox 360 makes sense for Microsoft, but X-bit
Labs hears different.
According to the October 8th article Microsoft is
working with Toshiba-Samsung Storage Technology Corp (TSST) to manufacturer
external Blu-ray Disc drives for the Xbox 360.
According to the article the target price is would be $100 – $150 with
an unknown release date. Microsoft
yet again denied the rumor with “We have no plans to integrate Blu-ray into
the Xbox experience.”
Interestingly I’ve actually heard more information behind
the scenes (read: non Microsoft behind the scenes) about this rumor than any
other. Some are saying they have
word from retailers that the product is a-go, but I’m hardly going to believe
that when the source article doesn’t have an expected release date and nothing
from TSST has leaked out.
The only opinion I have to add to this is that with the recent
Xbox 360 price cuts Microsoft could compete with Sony head-to-head by
offering a Blu-ray Drive, but I still fail to see why they would want to. I’ve said several times in my other posts
that the Xbox 360 would benefit from a price cut (and fixing RROD issues) more
than it would from getting Blu-ray, and I
think that was proved a few weeks ago.
The “it has Blu-ray” factor of the PlayStation 3 has kind of died down,
and Blu-ray is hardly busting into the market and likely will not move much in
the next few months given the current global economic outlook.
It’s interesting to note that the XBox is beating the PS3 in Japan for weeks now. I think it is because most of the PS3 purchases have been for a BluRay player. Now that other BluRay players are cheaper, people are starting to ignore the PS3.
How about this: they’re willing to ‘start’ supporting Blu-Ray in Vista SP2. If they’re willing to do it on one product, why not another?
Peter, you need to read two storied below on my main page and you will see they are not “supporting” Blu-ray in Vista SP2 the way most think. SP2 will add BD mastering, and has nothing to do with BD playback or anything involving movies for that matter.
Chris, I’m definitely up to pace on that, hence I put quotes around ‘start’. To clarify, I wouldn’t have thought MS would have ever put anything involving BD on Windows, even if it is just burning. So maybe they’re willing to move forward with BD on more than one front (Even if it’s not everything we want right now)
Its makes alot sense in these economic times to focus on affordability. XBox team did exactly what they needed to do with the price cuts, new bundles and coming revamp of XBox UI/Feature Set. It should prove to be another successful holiday season for XBox in comparison to PS3.
Chris,
I’m with you… I still can’t imagine that MS can gain any advantage by making BR available for the 360. Unless there’s been some under the table payment from Sony to MS (seems a stretch but BR wouldn’t hurt MS and Sony could see it as a big strategic initiative) can’t see it happening.
From what I have read, the biggest market for the PS3 to date has been the AV guys..as its not only been offerdable, in Blu Ray terms, but also the only one that has been future proof from the start, in Blu Ray terms.
The Xbox has always been seen as a games machine, admittedly with extender technology tagged on, so why would it go after the Blu Ray market. Download is where its at..
If MS did any sort of BR, let it be an add-on. Myself? Most of the movies I want to see are already on Xbox live. It may be smarter for MS to look at putting a BR drive into the next gen console… at that point, we should know how much BR adoption there has been and if it’s worth it.
I’m of the opinion that MS should have had changed the elite version of the xbox to include blu-ray when they did their price drops.
They would have still had the lowest priced console in the market, and they would have had something that competes w Sony’s PS3’s.
They could have eaten Sony’s lunch and been the dominant #2 console… the games and online play of the 360 are for the most part better than what the PS3 offers.
I don’t understand it. Seems perfectly clear to me from a business standpoint.
Has anyone heard anything about a Blu-ray drive for the 360 ? Any new news on it ?
Saw a PC Blu-ray player on newegg for $90 today, so prices are coming down…
A BD add-on would almost certainly be a low volume, money losing initiative. What with royalties (remember BD-J?), support costs, development costs, etc. it doesn’t make any sense. Apple is on the BDA Doard of Directors and SJ called blu-ray a “bag of hurt”.
The only way MS would do a blu-ray add-on is to get some concessions from Hollywood on HD downloads.
This would be a great addition to the 360. I would definitely purchase this if this came to fruition.