External Xbox 360 Blu-ray drive on way – PS3 gets HD competitor
There may be rumors that Blu-ray is already a dying format, but that hasn’t stopped intense speculation over a Blu-ray drive being developed for the Xbox 360, ever since HD-DVD went the way of the dodo. Could Microsoft finally be giving its customers what they want, and offering a true HD gaming alternative to the PS3 to boot?
This story, or at least ones similar to it, have been brewing since January, even before HD-DVD was finally killed off by Toshiba. In February, Microsoft stated that it had no plans for a Blu-ray drive. Then April saw a rumor that Lite-ON was developing Blu-Ray (BD-ROM) drives for the Xbox 360. This obviously never actually came to anything.
June then saw Microsoft seem to finally call a halt to the never-ending speculation, when Robbie Bach, President of Microsoft’s entertainment and devices division, stated that no Blu-ray drive was anywhere in Microsoft’s thinking.
Now we see a new rumor emerge, with X-bit Labs reporting that Toshiba-Samsung Storage Technology Corp. has been asked by Microsoft to start manufacturing external Blu-ray disc drives for the Xbox 360. Here we go again…
No technical specifications are yet known about the drive, but a price point of between $100 – $150 is rumored. This would enable the Xbox 360 to compete with the PS3 price wise, even with the extra cost involved for gamers buying an external Blu-ray drive.
The article claims that the main reason for Microsoft’s unwillingness to adopt Blu-ray so far is the mandatory support of BD-Java, the technology that allows extras such as picture-in-picture commentary and video bookmarking. The accusation is that because Microsoft didn’t invent the technology, it doesn’t want to support it.
So, an Xbox 360 Blu-ray drive could be on its way, and soon. Or this could be just yet another rumor that comes to nothing. But even if this story does prove true, and the add-on drive does come to market, will it actually make much difference?
Because the drive won’t be standard, games developers wouldn’t be able to readily use the Blu-ray format for its releases. If it did, it would immediately cut the size of its potential customers by a huge margin. So the only thing Xbox 360 gamers would be able to do with a Blu-ray drive is watch high-definition movies on it. And with the longevity and take-up rate of Blu-ray already being questioned, that probably isn’t enough to justify the product.
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38 Responses to “External Xbox 360 Blu-ray drive on way – PS3 gets HD competitor”
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October 8th, 2008
I’d buy one.
October 8th, 2008
Oh god not again.
October 8th, 2008
More players for Blu Ray adoption is good, but what’s funny is that it will also serve to underscore how much a better deal a PS3 is for those potentially interested in that kind of things and that do not have a console yet
(factoring the Wifi as well for profile 2.0 compatibility)
October 8th, 2008
i think it’s a good move now i hope they get everything the ps3 has but cheaper won’t ever happen though microsolft is realy greedy but it was a real good move next they need to but windows 2000 or something on the 360 that will run fast even make a new program like linex but have microsolft run it then i will be real happy
October 8th, 2008
Blu-ray sales are ahead of DVD adoption at similar points in their evolution Dave. Sometimes you write such good articles, and then pop in some stupid comment that just ruins the whole thing.
October 8th, 2008
This is just great. I spend a whole day bashing Bluray and then Microsoft goes and does this. Well I won’t lie I got the 1080P TV and movies look great with My HD DVD player and the picture quality of Bluray and HDDVD is the same so maybe I may go for it. Really though I have been satisified with the Movie Downloads on the 360 so I may see no real need for this as I don’t really collect movies. If I do go for it, it would be because it’s probably ass small as the HDDVD Player was for the 360 and it would have more USB connections. I have a stand alone HDDVD Player which does a amazing job of upconverting DVD’s but it’s huge. I could use the space saved. That way on one of my 10 trips per year or so to blockbuster I could rent a bluray instead of a DVD. Plus my game store where I pick up my used games has many cheap bluray movies for sale. You all know I hate Sony for it but do I really got a choice.
October 8th, 2008
About the wifi statement, I still have yet to see one person who is serious into online gaming want to connect their PC, PS3, or 360 via WiFi. A wired connection is always preferred in the hardcore arena because of the reliability. As far as Blu-Ray on 360. We have heard these rumors before, but it wouldn’t make any sense for MS to support it with the 360 especially as a product they sold at a loss because they wouldn’t have the ability to recoup the costs with the software (movies). Unless there is some sort of behind closed doors deal, which wouldn’t surprise me as Sony being the patent and license holder for BD has much more to gain here and it may be worth it for them to do whatever it takes at this point to start the BD vs. DVD war because right now DVD still has 97 % of a home video market worth $25 Billion market.
October 8th, 2008
Here is why Sony won’t be worried. The big difference between PS3 and 360 is that Sony is actually making their games on Blue-Ray disc and 360 won’t be able to till the next generation of Xbox system. Why? Because then they’ll alienate the over 20 MILLION 360 owners who’s system’s won’t be able to play a 360 Blue Ray game. And what does that spell? Instant disaster. Current 360 games are made on standard DVD’s and a firmware upgrade will not magically allow current 360’s to play Blue-Ray games, the drives in the current systems would have to be physically taken out and replaced with blue-ray drives in order to do that. And that is why the PS3 will rule over 360 because devs have more room to play with on a PS3 game than a 360 game because of blue ray (MGS4 for example is over 40GB on a single disc). So Sony has nothing to sweat because this move my Microsoft is their way of trying to play catch up while the PS3 will continue to sell. Them going to Blue-ray is just another instance of Sony one upping them once again.
October 9th, 2008
When are people going to realise this ISNT happening. Sony already stated at one of the game conventions this year that blu-ray is ps3 exclusive when it comes to consoles. Pc’s can have drives but no other console has the rights to make a drive, internal or external.
So keep dreaming guys, if you wanted a blu-ray drive you should have bought the BEST console! lol
October 9th, 2008
I love this, this has made my day, thankyou Microsoft. All these Devs and CAD and other xbots totally bash how blu-ray cant do anything for gaming and how its a worthless piece of shit, and they could be getting a blu-ray drive of themselves. This is hilarious. no doubt the Xbox version of the blu-ray player will be ultimatly superior to ps3 in 1001 ways. And obviously now the relevance of blu-ray in gaming will be proved now that Microsoft has jumped on board. Ahh well, all good for Sony, Microsoft will ultimatly be paying Sony to use Blu-ray.
October 9th, 2008
i’d also add that this is a rumour, and that this rumour has been around before which never came true, so good luck with that.
October 9th, 2008
Why would MS want a bluray for their player? To undermine their own sales & rental of HD downloadable content and pay Sony & the Bluray consortium for the privalege? Sure, that makes sense.
As for Bluray supposedly surpassing adoption rates of DVD, that is complete nonsense by carefully doctoring of sales figures, ignoring for example the sales of PS2 but factoring in the sale of PS3.
October 9th, 2008
@Rimmer.
for the same reason that Sony has downloads on movie and tv show downloads on the Ps3. I’m under the impression that donwloads and physical media don’t really compete at the same level.
Downloads are awesome for rentals.
The adoption rates are based on disc sales.
@CAD..
you must admit….with yesterdays convo one may think I’m clairvoyant.
October 9th, 2008
Is the 360 still desperate to be a PS3??
Why not just buy a PS3, it’s quieter, more reliable, more integrated, cheaper and it’s got most of the great games coming this season.
October 9th, 2008
3 reasons why DVD will still win anyway.
#1 the masses are blind and can’t tell the difference and aren’t going to spend more money to get something they can see on DVD also.
#2 the price of discs are significantly cheaper
#3 DVD is more convenient, for example if you want to play a movie in a different room in the house or take a movie over to your friends house. You either have to take the Blu Ray player with you or just forget about it.
Soon Sony’s Movie division will probably start doing timed exclusives.
October 9th, 2008
Ms would be smart if they made an Upconvert FW for the 360.
October 9th, 2008
@ Travis- yeah and that arguement could have been made when DVD came out as well. So what is your point? Blu ray also has the advantage of hi-def tv’s becoming the norm over the next few years.
Back to the article, this is just another rumour and it won’t come true. I don’t think you will see a blu ray in the nextBox either. MS will live or die with downloads.
October 9th, 2008
One more thing Travis, you asked about WiFi and why people would want it. Because, not all of us live in an efficiency apartment. Stringing a cable throughout your house doesn’t help your internet much. Also, what if I switch the PS3 to another TV in my house. Now I need a cable going to every TV as well? I use WiFi and hardly ever have a problem, but then again I’m not a hardcore gamer.
October 9th, 2008
This is just BS.
First of all why would they do this?
To alienate all the existing (and still growing) installed XBox 360 user-base by switching games to a Blu-ray disc?
Hardly.
So we’re just left with the Blu-ray PR goons trying to talk-up an XBox 360 Blu-ray add-on so that a relatively small number of people can watch some BD movies on their XBox 360.
Why on earth would they bother?
This story is all it ever was, mischief-making (either by the BD PR dept or MS themselves pulling the pi$$er of the BD crowd).
$100 says there’ll still be this story and similar like it this time next year but no Blu add-on
(and by next year the Blu gang will be getting desperate as sales numbers massively continue to fail to impress)
October 9th, 2008
Hey Bourne
Let get it straight. If this is even true which I don’t think it is, the bluray will only be for movies. Games will reamin on DVD for the rest of 360 lifespan. Not everyone will buy a external bluray drive so they will never make games for it.
October 9th, 2008
Very true, would have to redesign the entire xbox range. I still think its a rumour BUT this is typical microsoft going back on itself. Its like a child is running the gaming side of Gaming at Microsoft. “First lets promote online downloadable movies, we dont need Blu-ray on our consoles” then later down the line… ” Wait i’ve got a great idea, lets slap an external Blu-ray player on the xbox!?”.
This supports the idea that the 360 is trying to become a ps3.
October 9th, 2008
You sed it bourne, TRYING to be ps3!!
October 9th, 2008
exactly…..PS3 HAS BETTER GRAPHICS…..well the ps3 exclusives have better graphics, not so much with stupid multiplatform, except for bioshock
October 9th, 2008
Bourne
I think it supports the fact that 360 is trying to own your livingroom as Games have nothing to do with Bluray. Now PS3 becoming a 360 with every update, now that’s more of a reality.
October 9th, 2008
CAD- both systems have their advantages. When Sony does updates so that the PS3 gets more in line with what the 360 does it is erasing some of the advantages the 360 had. That’s what this business is about, you may call it copying, but its taking away advantages from the competition. It happens everyday in every business.
October 9th, 2008
Right, so when Sony copies Microsoft they’re ‘evening up the playing field’, but if Microsoft gets a blu ray drive they are ‘Trying to be a PS3′? Get over yourself, dickhead. They are both copying each other’s ideas.
October 9th, 2008
Competition is good. ‘Copying’ isn’t bad if it is natural for the console to have that feature. No point staying shitty because you don’t want to be similar to your competitor. You catch up with them, do something new, let them catch up, they do something new, you catch up, etc.
October 9th, 2008
Harry exactly
October 9th, 2008
are u guys stupid, ms, sony nintendo or whoever, there in the business of making $.. they not bloody fanboys… if ms release a bluray drive on the xbox360 and only 10% of xbox users buy it, then thats 2mil bluray drive is been sold which mean more $ to them..
October 9th, 2008
Indeed Royzy. Both consoles have benefited from each other’s ideas. PS3 moreso than 360, but yeah.
October 9th, 2008
Dearest ivan. Tonight, I celebrate my love for you.
October 9th, 2008
Whoa, that wasn’t creepy at all….
October 9th, 2008
LoL… Xbox 360 needing PLAYSTATION 3 software/hardware wow. Another victory for Sony.
October 10th, 2008
Harry- I’m sorry, when did I complain about the 360 copying the PS3 and wanting to be the PS3? All I said was that these companies are trying to take away each others advantages. Sorry if I used Sony as an example instead of 360, but you can keep your dickhead comment to yourself!
October 10th, 2008
Wylie, I was referring to Bourne, not you. And yes, my ‘dickhead’ comment was fair and just as far as I am concerned, as his comments were assinine. Now get that sand out of your vagina and stop taking everything so personally.
October 10th, 2008
So in case anyone reads this
MS have spanked this blu ray rumour now too
But who knows
October 10th, 2008
@ SW, till next month when the next rumour rears it’s head.
December 31st, 2008
i agree with maximus. this is a multi billion dollar game in which even if the projected sales dont reach expectation, they will make money from the hardcore gamers and HD gurus. Also, every console has its advantages and disadvantages, mostly based on haste of production, design, and exclusivity of dowloadable content. i believe they should all form up and create a triple gaming machine. the XBSii or somthing like that.