Microsoft: No Blu-Ray for Xbox 360, focus is digital downloads
After several rumors that reported the Xbox 360 would get a Blu-Ray drive eventually, Microsoft is trying to put that notion to rest. HD-DVD lost the high-def disc format war to Blu-Ray and the HD-DVD drive for the Xbox 360 has been discontinued; existing stock will be sold until the drives are gone. The company has now said it is going to focus on digital downloads and Xbox live.
Here at GAMER, we reported several times that Sony was in talks with Microsoft about the possibility of an add-on Blu-Ray drive for the Xbox 360. Said drive would be good for movies only but there would be no Blu-Ray formatted games for the Xbox 360.
Aaron Greenberg, product manager for the Xbox 360 told Reuters in an interview, “Xbox is not currently in talks with Sony or the Blu-ray Association to integrate Blu-ray into the Xbox experience.”
It’s a little bit of “he said, she said.” Sony claims that discussions were taking place between itself and Microsoft about integration of Blu-Ray and the BDA (Blu-Ray Disc Association) said it would be glad to welcome Microsoft. It seems that Microsoft isn’t so glad to welcome them.
The company wants to concentrate on further Xbox live development with movie rentals and downloads. High-Def movie rentals over Xbox live is a great idea but I’ll pass on owning just a digital copy; I prefer having a hard copy of the movie on a disc that won’t go missing or get corrupted by a hard drive failure.
Thanks but no thanks; Microsoft, I’m going to buy a Blu-Ray player (possibly a PS3) if this nonsense of not supporting Blu-Ray continues.
Previously the company had stated that if the Xbox 360 community decided that they wanted a Blu-Ray add-on for the console, it would be provided; looks like that’s not the case.
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10 Responses to “Microsoft: No Blu-Ray for Xbox 360, focus is digital downloads”
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March 13th, 2008
I cant stand MS those guys get more and more big headed every day forgeting the consumers of there crappy hardware and faulty software.
March 13th, 2008
just one more of sony’s lies. why people continue to support such a company of liars is beyond me. Then again, as the ps3 falls farther into last place, maybe people really are getting tired of their lies and broken promises. who knows. the author obviously has heartburn with MS; why does he stil have job (if you can call ‘net journalism a “job”)? Did it ever occur to the author it’s not cost efficient to support bluray right now? MS is smart to wait for costs to plummet, which sony has already said would happen soon, even promising a $200 standalone br player next year. (another broken promise?) xbl and d/l content is a cash cow. it makes sense for them to exploit this avenue as much as they can for now. smart move by ms. stupid slant by the author.
March 13th, 2008
Sorry kevin, but i don`t think the Ps3`s falling behind…
http://www.vgchartz.com/
March 14th, 2008
kevin… get a clue. ps3 has OUTSOLD 360 for the time each has been on the shelf. you complain about sony when your parent co is microsoft, lmao. and yeah.. digital downloads are a great strategy for a console WITHOUT a standard hard drive, lol. the xbots arguments are getting weaker and more desperate with each passing day. by years end, ps3 will have moved well beyond anything 360 is capable of. even ms famed XBOX LIVE will be surpassed and for no monthly charge for users! that must kill you. i bet you will own a ps3 within a year.
March 14th, 2008
sorry there kevin, but the only stupid person here is you.
March 15th, 2008
ahem…. sorry fanboys… big screw up for M$ (1st let me say im not a fanboy of ANY console I only have a soft spot for wii)
what M$ could have done is buy the patent rights of hd dvds… this way they could continue to sell the 360 games on hd dvd (they are gonna need more space soon)… and still have their digital downloads…
Its just sad to see so many things going wrong with M$… I really wanted it to kick sony’s ass and not let it have a monopoly (like the PS2)….
so far PS3 has been one of the most stable consoles (wii doesnt have enough good third party games and their controls are shoddy)…
they were expensive… but it was a solid investment… specially in Asia (bigger gaming market than US sorry 360 fanboys again) the 360 has been modded.. so I can buy (I already have bought) mass effect and gears of war for less than $5… cus they’re pirated… but I still have to buy original PS3 games (which is a pain but still)…. and not all asian countries have LIVE… so we dont care bout getting original games and playing on LIVE…
we CAN connect to PS3 online… so overall thats a better investment…
I mean come on is it too retarded for M$ to buy the rights to hd dvds and make the games in that format… and NOT piss of the people who bought ELITE or the $100 + add on HD drive??
March 19th, 2008
Yncubus – you DO realize vgchartz (by their own admission) do not work off of factual data, but rather estimates only, right? guess not…. poor ed: he doesn’t realize the ps3 has been outsold by the 360 for the last year in a almost 3:1 ratio. Do some fact checking first there sport. digital d/l are the future. since the ps3 is supposed to be “future proof” it looks like their bluray idea is not as sound as you make it out to be. Everyone i know with a 360 has a hdd. sound pretty “standard” to me. Much more so than the several iterations sony released, then discontinued. xbox live is about 8 million users ahead of the weak and feature crippled, psn. i don’t think they have much to worry about. you sony fanboys are funny, but unfortunately why sony will never take #1 again. their userbase (fanboys) are simply too young and ingnorant to take it to #1 again. Keep thinking hype will save the ps3 from last place. when all’s said and done the only thing the ps3 has is a bluray player and a LOT of hype of things to-be. It’s just funny you clowns keep falling for sony’s lies over and over and over. thanks for making gamers look stupid.
March 19th, 2008
i’ll bet you clowns even support sony’s decision to RAISE bluray player prices after hd dvd’s surrender. that’s the kind of blood thirsty company you want as #1 again. no thanks. the gamers have spoken and 99% of the “120 million loyals ps2 users” have turned their backs on sony. Well deserved, imo.
July 1st, 2008
Oh f*ck off! so… Kevin, you’re not a fanboy rite? what was all that fuss for then? cool down mate, nobody’s attacking you… if you’re so fucking happy about you’re console, then use it, ’cause I pretty much doubt you’re surfing the web from your Web-browser-lacking-piece-of-shit Xbox.
July 1st, 2008
Oh f*ck off! so… Kevin, you’re not a fanboy rite? what was all that fuss for then? cool down mate, nobody’s attacking you… if you’re so fucking happy about you’re console, then use it, ’cause I pretty much doubt you’re surfing the web from your Web-browser-lacking-piece-of-shiit Xbox.