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[Mxrz]

Nintendo now running MS.

Seems pointless. But after the 3DS thing, anything is possible. I expect Sega to announce a new console next.

 

[professor_t]

I'm gonna hold off until there's a clear winner between Blu-ray and HD-DVD.

 

[AlmostMilk]

I'm gonna hold off until there's a clear winner between Blu-ray and HD-DVD.

I thought blu-ray already won? I don't think you can buy HD-DVD's anymore.

 

[Emitan]

I thought blu-ray already won? I don't think you can buy HD-DVD's anymore.

WHOOOOOOSH

 

[OldJadedGamer]

I think it's useful for games like Uncharted where they store in-game pre-recorded video on the Disc without having to compress it really. But yeah you're right there aren't a ton of games that take advantage of it.

It has never really been useful for gameplay. Just different languages and bigger movies.

 

[OatmealMu]

I thought blu-ray already won? I don't think you can buy HD-DVD's anymore.

The true warriors continue the fight!

 

[Black Republican]

am i the only one who doesnt see a problem with this?

 

[Huevos de Oro]

For 360? Hell no. There's absolutely no advantage to be gained from that, since standalone BluRay players are cheaper than ever and bound to become even cheaper as time goes by, and using the format for actual gaming aplication this far into the generation is utter madness. It makes no sense from any possible standpoint.

Next generation will be another thing entirely, with Microsoft's new console either using BluRay (doubtful) or a completely new proprietary format taking advantage from the blue laser technology, as another poster has already pointed out.

 

[Gravijah]

I don't see the big deal since it would just play movies. Why you would buy it over a standalone player, I have no idea.

 

[quickwhips]

so Sony is going third party?

 

[Gravijah]

so Sony is going third party?

You didn't hear? Do you not watch Fox News?

 

[quickwhips]

You didn't hear? Do you not watch Fox News?

Fox news said it? Sony third party confirmed!

 

[McLovin]

Knowing Microsoft, they would charge somewhere between unreasonable and insane. So it will probably be between 150 and 199.. so probably $175ish. For a little more you could get a ps3. It wouldn't make sense for them to do it.

 

[jeff_rigby]

I think Bluray IS the new standard, it's already at the point where nearly every new movie is released on DVD and Blu-ray and more commonly the combo pack so that people can get it as an investment for the future if they just want the DVD now and will get bluray later, or more likely a DVD to lend and play on other systems in a household.

In the next few years - decade we might start seeing Computers (and more likely laptops) properly supporting Bluray as standard for the movies and for PC/Mac games requiring the space on the disc. Yes you can argue that DD will stop this but there are still many people that want physical media and people and other countries don't have fast internet or have bandwidth limits.

It's not a foregone conclusion no, but its the most likely option by a big big way. Only other real alternative would be the dual player idea with a blu-ray and a new system or I think more likely than that (If Microsoft make the next big leap) SSD 'cartridges'.

Yes; several points to add:

1) Blu-ray is the standard and GE plastics division has released an ecosystem for 500gig to 1Terabyte drives using Blu-ray drive technology (with minor changes) and a new plastic for disks that makes it possible. Blu-Ray drive costs using this tech to not change.

2) Collabora/Fluendo now have DVD and Blu-ray software for drives providing a cheaper alternative for the Software part of a player.

3) Blu-ray drive Hardware costs have been dropping.

4) If Microsoft is going to be pushing Media access using their platform then having to turn off the Xbox and turn on a PS3 or blu-ray player to play a blu-ray disk kills any potential claim that the Xbox is a Media player in the same class as a Sony PS3.

It's a marketing decision and Xbox will go Blu-ray if the numbers are right. We can only speculate and the numbers have to be getting closer to the decision point over time.

Rage will require 3 Discs on 360, 8 GB Install on PS3
At Eurogamer Expo, the creative director for Rage confirmed that the game will release on three discs for the Xbox 360, and for PS3 owners, require an 8 GB install.

The three-disc release wasn't exactly a surprise. At QuakeCon, Joel reported that the game would require 21 to 22 GB of hard drive space if you installed it to your 360. That hinted at a multidisc form for sure. The 8 GB installation on the PS3 had been rumored. id's Tim Willits confirmed it for Eurogamer's Digital Foundry, and complimented Sony for its help in managing the installation and permitting one of that size.

"Sony was great. Kudos to Sony for letting us do that," Willits said. "They don't allow every game to do that. So definitely, hats off. What we were able to do is install all the textures to the highest level."

This is the future of the current consoles and future consoles, Blu-ray & faster blu-ray as well as more RAM and More HD Space needed.

 

[JaseC]

Smarthouse are not a reliable source.

Edit: For clarification, I know the site supposedly quotes the Italian X360 magazine, but chances are it's bullshit stemming from Sh's original article.

 

[Dead Man Typing]

Since this has already been bumped I'll chime in this:

Microsoft wants to keep the top tier 360 at $400. That's what the 250GB Kinect Bundle currently costs, and when that drops to $300 they'll have the new Blu-ray movie enabled Xbox 360 with Kinect for $400.

This way the top tier 360 will have cost $400 dollars for 6 years in a row.

I'm not saying it will happen, but it definitely wouldn't surprise me. Releasing a separate drive would shock me as pricing it against standalone players would make it unmarketable.

 

[JJD]

Since this has already been bumped I'll chime in this:

Microsoft wants to keep the top tier 360 at $400. That's what the 250GB Kinect Bundle currently costs, and when that drops to $300 they'll have the new Blu-ray movie enabled Xbox 360 with Kinect for $400.

This way the top tier 360 will have cost $400 dollars for 6 years in a row.

I'm not saying it will happen, but it definitely wouldn't surprise me. Releasing a separate drive would shock me as pricing it against standalone players would make it unmarketable.

You know, this actually makes sense!

 

[BocoDragon]

A few years ago I thought this rumor was insane... but these days it seems more plausible. Back in the HD-DVD vs. Blu-ray heyday, Xbox support for one of the formats was a very strategic corporate battle, as the HD-DVD add-on symbolized. But these days.. it would be just an accessory. Why not enable the de facto HD movie format playback in 2011?

 

[Mungular]

i dont think it i will happen. they will probably do a blu-ray type drive though with there next console. similar to what nintendo is doing with the wii u

 

[mrklaw]

this would be odd. To me at least, it'd validate the benefit of bluray built into PS3.

so if you're a new customer and choosing between the two, it might actually sway you slightly towards PS3.

And if you're a 360 customer MS have done their job anyway, not sure they feel the need to get you to buy more accessories.

And and if you were into bluray you'd have just bought a cheap standalone player that also does streaming and catch-up TV.

 

[CrocMother]

It's going to get to the point where even people who own ps3's are buying blu-ray players soon. 5 years is a lifetime for technology.

 

[Shnookums]

PS3 has a price cut and gains momentum, so instead of countering with a 360 price cut Microsoft decides that a Blu-Ray add-on is the way to go. Makes perfect sense.

 

[tsab]

*insert-xbox-360-hddvd-joke-here*

 

[TheOddOne]

"counter the PS3′s rising momentum – following the highly publicized price cut announced by Sony at Gamescom 2011."

...

The lolz keep on coming.

 

[mocoworm]

This is way too late and unnecessary.

- Blu-Ray for movies is not needed. Put it in the next console.
- Blu-Ray for gaming will fracture the user-base and add unnecessary costs and headaches.

 

[herod]

I prefer a standalone Blu-ray player to the ps3. It starts up quicker, doesn't have lengthy firmware updates, can stream mkv and subtitles, makes no noise and doesn't have Cinavia crap interrupting me when I'm streaming my stuff from my NAS. Little things like having an IR port so I can use my Harmony remote for everything are just the icing on the cake.

 

[jonremedy]

This is way too late and unnecessary.

- Blu-Ray for movies is not needed. Put it in the next console.
- Blu-Ray for gaming will fracture the user-base and add unnecessary costs and headaches.

Yep. This is why this "rumor" is bunkum.

 

[Ruud_Luiten]

This is way too late and unnecessary.

- Blu-Ray for movies is not needed. Put it in the next console.
- Blu-Ray for gaming will fracture the user-base and add unnecessary costs and headaches.

Exactly, why would they do this? What would be the benefit?

 

[mrklaw]

I prefer a standalone Blu-ray player to the ps3. It starts up quicker, doesn't have lengthy firmware updates, can stream mkv and subtitles, makes no noise and doesn't have Cinavia crap interrupting me when I'm streaming my stuff from my NAS. Little things like having an IR port so I can use my Harmony remote for everything are just the icing on the cake.

this. Its so much nicer having a standalone player. Having said that, I got it free with my TV - not sure i'd have gone out and spent money on one.

 

[thuway]

I prefer a standalone Blu-ray player to the ps3. It starts up quicker, doesn't have lengthy firmware updates, can stream mkv and subtitles, makes no noise and doesn't have Cinavia crap interrupting me when I'm streaming my stuff from my NAS. Little things like having an IR port so I can use my Harmony remote for everything are just the icing on the cake.

I've never actually thought about it like that. You might have just sold me on a standalone.

 

[FStop7]

Link
This would be cool but if this is true, it is probably going to be next years "big new console launch" for Microsoft at E3. If it is the big launch is a new old console it would be highly disappointing because lets face it, technology has evolved and games could be way better than they are now if we had some better hardware for consoles. We need a "new" new console now, not another revamp.

With Halo 4 in the pipe I don't think MS will be announcing a new console until well after that game is released. Maybe next year they'll announce a "360 2.0" with a Blu-ray drive and a USB based add-on for older consoles. But not an Xbox 720.

 

[Monty Mole]

- Blu-Ray for movies is not needed. Put it in the next console.

This, and also MS is more interested in pushing Zune Marketplace for HD movies.

 

[SpongeBob NoPants]

Who cares? Blu-Ray's good for now but, with the increasing viability of streaming and hard-drive storage, it's only going to be a transient technology anyway.

 

[a.wd]

RE5 coming to xbox 360!

QFT

 

[reggie]

.

 

[itsgreen]

Yeah uhm won't happen.

The added value for the 360 is limited.

360 has already passed the halfway mark of its life and most likely 75% of it's 'exclusive' xbox console life.

They have their own HD Download service already... Netflix is available and Hulu...

If they wanted to do it, they should have done it in 2009.

Also there will never be games on Bluray 360 because that would split their userbase severly.

 

[jeff_rigby]

Yeah uhm won't happen.

The added value for the 360 is limited.

360 has already passed the halfway mark of its life and most likely 75% of it's 'exclusive' xbox console life.

They have their own HD Download service already... Netflix is available and Hulu...

If they wanted to do it, they should have done it in 2009.

Also there will never be games on Bluray 360 because that would split their userbase severly.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-2...ith-comcast-verizon-on-xbox-tv/#ixzz1Yi4chnMP

The blog Digiday, citing anonymous sources, reported today that Microsoft is nearing a deal with Comcast that would allow Xbox 360 owners to sign up for the cable provider's service, and watch its programming from the game console. Digiday says that Microsoft is also in talks with Verizon Fios to form a similar deal with that company.

I assume this is RVU

Movies on blu-ray guys....... MS is positioning the Xbox as a media player for the living room! Without blu-ray it is competing against the $99 Apple TV and Sony boxes.

And of course everyone knows that both Sony and Microsoft are creating an ecosystem this year centered around the PS3 and Xbox......with large changes in the OS for both needed to support this.

 

[specialguy]

Can't believe this rumour still pops up. It's never happening, ever. It makes no sense.

It would make some limited sense if the add on was $50 or something. I'd be interested at that price, as it'd be cheaper than any stand alone BR player that I've seen. I think cheapest BR player at Wal Mart I've seen is 69, and generally they seem to be more like 99 at the low end. Key word here is limited, even at 50 it wouldn't just be a slam dunk. All this would be for movies only of course, no reasonable person would think otherwise.

However, MS only charging 50 for such an add on is unlikely. Of course, the whole thing isn't happening.

Anyways the whole thing is fairly unnecessary, given todays emphasis on streaming, which just shows that Blu Ray itself is marginalized.

 

[OldJadedGamer]

I can see them doing something next gen like last where they charge for a remote pack to cover the fees of Blu-ray. That way they can use the blue laser for games but don't have to eat the cost of the "bag of hurt" licensing fee.

 

[Aguirre]

isn't blu ray, as a product, owned by a number of companies including Sony? So if ms were to sell this, wouldn't sony have to get a cut of the profits?

i cant see ms doing this.

 

[walking fiend]

isn't blu ray, as a product, owned by a number of companies including Sony? So if ms were to sell this, wouldn't sony have to get a cut of the profits?

i cant see ms doing this.

not that rumor is going to happen in anyway, but you think 360 plays DVD for free? think again. MS is not Nintendo.

 

[OldJadedGamer]

isn't blu ray, as a product, owned by a number of companies including Sony? So if ms were to sell this, wouldn't sony have to get a cut of the profits?

i cant see ms doing this.

Think of it when Sony puts MS Windows on the computers they sell or exclusivly only support Windows for Vita stuff. These companies work together as much as they compete.

 

[Metalmurphy]

isn't blu ray, as a product, owned by a number of companies including Sony? So if ms were to sell this, wouldn't sony have to get a cut of the profits?

i cant see ms doing this.

Both companies have worked with each other in the past. Nothing new here.

 

[zomgbbqftw]

I can see them doing something next gen like last where they charge for a remote pack to cover the fees of Blu-ray. That way they can use the blue laser for games but don't have to eat the cost of the "bag of hurt" licensing fee.

Blu-ray licensing isn't that bad. Jobs has his own agendas as we've seen with Flash on iOS. I fully expect the next Xbox to support Blu-ray movies and games.

 

[DeMeester]

Not this rumor again. It's just not gonna happen. Period.

 

[jeff_rigby]

isn't blu ray, as a product, owned by a number of companies including Sony? So if ms were to sell this, wouldn't sony have to get a cut of the profits?

i cant see ms doing this.

And why not, Sony just signed a deal to purchase the rights to use Playready DRM out of Silverlight for, guessing Mono-PS Suite, starting with the Sony 2011 networked blu-ray player which currently has Gnome libraries and a JSC engine.

 

[Monty Mole]

isn't blu ray, as a product, owned by a number of companies including Sony? So if ms were to sell this, wouldn't sony have to get a cut of the profits?

i cant see ms doing this.

Business really doesn't work like this. But as you're the 1000th person to bring this argument up, I'll be the 1000th person to respond with: Sony Vaio laptops.

 

[Valnen]

Absolutely pointless.

Not really, DVD is seriously holding Xbox 360 back.

 

[KageMaru]

isn't blu ray, as a product, owned by a number of companies including Sony? So if ms were to sell this, wouldn't sony have to get a cut of the profits?

i cant see ms doing this.

Both companies have no problem working together outside of the video game industry. Windows in Sony PCs being an obvious example.

Also, unless I'm mistaken, the Blu-ray Disc Association has to pay MS to license the VC-1 codec used in the format. So if this is true, Sony has already been [partially] paying MS for some time now.

 

[OldJadedGamer]

Blu-ray licensing isn't that bad. Jobs has his own agendas as we've seen with Flash on iOS. I fully expect the next Xbox to support Blu-ray movies and games.

The persons company who made the "bag of hurt" comment is on the Blu-ray board of directors.