Next generation Xbox 360 with built-in Blu-ray coming in 2008?
by Thomas Ricker 
posted Apr 1st 2008 at 5:07AM
Ok, here we go again. Despite Microsoft's attempt to quash Xbox 360 Blu-ray rumors, they're back... with a vengeance. According to "industry sources" speaking to DigiTimes, Lite-On is developing built-in Blu-ray Disc drives for the "next generation" Xbox 360 game console. Lite-On is expected to begin shipping the new BD players for assembly in the second half of 2008. DigiTimes also claims that the new, presumably smaller Xbox 360 will reduce the power supply from 210-watts to 170-watts. So... care to comment, Microsoft?Update: As noted by our readers, Falcon-based 360s are already running at 175-watts.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Michael @ Apr 1st 2008 6:27AM
great april fools joke that's your 1 for the day
DrXym @ Apr 1st 2008 6:31AM
Given the date this is on I won't hold my breath. Though it would probably be in Microsoft's interests to produce such a drive for its top end model and remove a major feature discrepancy between its console and Sony's.
HD4ME @ Apr 1st 2008 6:37AM
Yeah, April Fools, just like this one :)
http://www.dvdcritiques.com/news/news_visu.aspx?dvd=1877
Jove @ Apr 1st 2008 7:19AM
yeah these rumors wont die because websites like this keep reporting them. oh and by the way we will eventually get to the moon and mars... its bound to happen, eventually. technology doesnt stay still...
Paganmoon @ Apr 1st 2008 10:40AM
Uhm... We've been to the moon.
Jove @ Apr 1st 2008 10:42AM
i meant creating a "moon base"
LiqwidZero @ Apr 1st 2008 9:31AM
Ohhhh! Good one guys! That's a knee slapper right there.
Mr. E @ Apr 1st 2008 10:45AM
No doubt this is a April Foolio, but consider this: It was four years between the debut of Xbox and Xbox 360. November, 2009 will mark four years since the debut of Xbox 360. I would not be surprised at all to find that the *successor* to the Xbox 360 comes with a built-in Blu-ray drive, and has the processing power to render all games at 1920x1080. I'd welcome such a console with open arms--it'd be a worthy replacement for my 360, and undoubtedly Microsoft has learned a LOT from all the reliability problems and noise of the 360.
I suspect we'll learn what's coming for Xbox around the middle of 2009.
Truth Teller @ Apr 1st 2008 11:10AM
Now that's where the console thing gets a little more interesting, Mr E.
If the Xbox 360 sticks to the usual 4 - 5yr 'lifespan' then it would mean the next 'next gen' XBox will happen before the PS3 has even gotten going properly.
1 whole generation behind & still nothing of much worth to play on it
(except pretending it's all about movie playback).
What will the gaming PS3 fanboy crowd have to say then, eh?
daaper @ Apr 1st 2008 11:14AM
you're already looking to replace your 360? wow, shouldn't consoles have more of a run than 4 years? I think the only reason there was such a short amount of time between the two is because the xBox came on the scene so late. Also, why bother with rendering at 1080p? All I ever hear from 360 owners is that isn't an advantage of the PS3 because real games can't be rendered at that resolution with reliable frame-rates...blah, blah, blah.
Not trying to start a flame-war. Just wondering about your's and others' take on these things. Honestly, I'm not sure many would pony-up the extra dough for a 360 with those capabilities. It sounds like they'd just be creating what so many of the fanboys (not saying you are) despise: a PS3. I happen to agree with you, though, I'd love to have a console with PS3's features/specs and XBL/media content.
Truth Teller @ Apr 1st 2008 11:27AM
@ daaper
They would not be 'creating a PS3'.
Despite the BS the PS3 (like the current XBox 360) is way behind the level of current PC graphics cards - IIRC somewhere about the point of the Nvidia 7900GS.
Even with the bonuses that come from being 100% 'dedicated' that is still very very ancient by todays standards.
That's just the nature of the beast, the design is a minimum of a year out of date by the time the unit launches and just keeps getting increasingly left behind as every year passes.
Optimisation will takle you so far but if you want to stay close to the best you have to continue to update.
Those that aren't into that can stick at the gen they are happiest with until prices/specs lure them to change - and the PS2 sales prove there is a big market for those who will not update with every generation, tho I suspect the XBox 360 is going to pull a similar trick and remain in production and sell decently for a long time to come (the huge game catalogue alone will see it appeal for a long long time).
Personally I prefer PCs and have practically zero interest in game consoles.....
.......but the Playstation fanboys are usually pretty funny and occasionally amusing to poke sticks at.
Mr. E @ Apr 1st 2008 12:00PM
daaper, I'm not "looking" to replace my console, but there is most definitely room for improvement. I happen to own both a PS3 and an Xbox 360, so I have no vested interest in bashing or promoting either one. I will say, however, that I have owned an original Xbox, and an Xbox 360 since launch day, and bought a PS3 in late 2007 primarily for Blu-ray movie playback. If I were in charge of Xbox development at Microsoft, I'd see if there were a way to create a new console as I outlined in my original post, yet make it fully backward compatible with the 360. That would not only help to lure existing 360 owners who are looking to get Blu-ray playback, but also those who would like higher quality graphics for future games, AND those who want a quieter experience than the current high-speed DVD drive whine. As a bonus, you'd still be able to play all the great existing 360 games on it. It would be a huge win all around, for sure.
As an aside, I did get Uncharted: Drake's Fortune for the PS3, and it's one of the very best games I've ever played on any platform. So the oft repeated lie that there are no worthwhile games for the PS3 is absolutely false. This fall looks to be quite packed with great games for the PS3 as well.
Mr_Fizzlepop @ Apr 1st 2008 12:15PM
Well, if MS follows its trend it will shoot itself in the foot and stop 360 production and the release of 360 games like they did with the XBOX.
TT, you are right about the PS2 which is why the 4 year cycle is not really valid as it's only the MS life cycle and they are the new kids on the block.
Making an upgraded, backwards compatible console would be a smart move, but it's not likely their R&D can survive the cost with the profits that have currently come out of the 360 with its all too high failure rate.
daaper @ Apr 1st 2008 1:20PM
Mr. E, I completely agree. I've played Uncharted and it is a fantastic game. As I think back about over my many years of gaming, I don't ever recall thinking that there was a ton of great games for any system. There are always "rent" games and "buy" games (mostly "rent"). I, too, am excited about the games coming out this fall. Many of my favorite "buys" have some sort of sequel coming.
TT, all I meant by "creating a PS3" is that an upgrade to the 360 of that nature (blu-ray & 1080p) would be viewed as MS trying to match specs (which seems to sell systems more than the actual games do anymore). It wouldn't necessarily be a better console, but I have a feeling it would push a lot more people in the direction of the 360 that are having trouble deciding. It seems like a lot of the 360 fanboys belittle the PS3's blu-ray/1080p abilities, but I have a sneaking suspicion they wouldn't complain if they worked their way into the 360.
On a side note: If the 360 had a built-in HD DVD player I could've just as easily been swayed in that direction when I was looking. As it was, though, I had a nice, new TV and I wanted a console with an integrated player, not something I had to go out and spend extra on. If the "new" 360 came with Blu-ray, I think Sony would have a very tough fight on their hands...
Gus @ Apr 1st 2008 7:05PM
I find it hard to believe MS would now jump into bed with arch enemy sony especially when they were happy to let HD DVD die when that format was supported by one of MS's major allies, unless of course sony has parted with a truck load of coin and MS simply couldn't say no!
Its been reported many times that Toshiba is all ready in the process of making the next 360, and who knows, now they are building cell processors, maybe the next gen 360 will have the same, maybe with Toshiba's supposed super upconvert or DVD 2.0, time will tell all, but IMO, I highly doubt this article will happen.
JBDragon @ Apr 2nd 2008 12:18AM
I'm giving the 360 a 6 year lifespan this generation before the next system is released, but I also think MS will continue to sell the 360 for awhile at the same time doing the same thing as Sony. MS not going to just quickly kill the 360 off like they did with the Xbox. So I say we'll hear about the new system sometime late in 2010, and the next system will be released November 2011. So there's still just over 3 1/2 years to go. MS is now making a profit on the 360, they need to keep it up and make up some of the loss on the Xbox. MS is just not going to rush out the system until it's been really tested out this time. I don't think MS wants another major RROD problem.
There's also ZERO reason to have a Blu-Ray drive built in the 360. Again, it would only be used for movies anyway, but more Importantly, the 360 actually a lot of great, fun games to play that Blu-Ray Movie playback really isn't that important unlike the PS3. How many of them PS3's are actually hooked up to a HDTV? It's already been Reported that only around half even pay to watch HD content on their HDTV.
I still say Blu-Ray end the end will also fail. DVD is cheap and good enough for more people. Unless you have a really, really large screen, then maybe Blu-Ray would make for since in that case. DVD's work on ALL SDTV and HDTV's, Blu-Ray is only good for HDTV's, of half of those owners, are still only watching SD content. I won't have anything to do with Blu-Ray, I plan to stick with DVD's and get my HD content from my HD Comcast Box. Wither it's Regular HD programming from CBS,ABC, ect, or HD On Demand, even HD PPV. Or Xbox LIVE. Going Blue is just not worth it.
By the time the next system is released, Blu-Ray may be dead or doing about as good as SACD and DVD Audio and MS may end up going with a totally different format. You'll be lucky to see a Ad-On Blu-Ray drive for the 360, and it'll be a cold day in hell before you find one built in! There's just ZERO reason for it.
UnnDunn @ Apr 1st 2008 10:46AM
I'm actually not ready to dismiss this as an April Fools Day prank yet because they do actually link to a third-party article that doesn't have any of the tell-tale signs of April tomfoolery.
Besides, we know that though Microsoft has denied plans to make a Blu-ray drive for Xbox 360, they are open to the idea and the business justifications make sense.
FreeRange @ Apr 1st 2008 3:58PM
I see no business justifications.
Games: If a manufacturer of games can choose to make a blu-ray game, that makes all of the millions of existing 360 users out of luck as their system won't play them. If manufacturers can continue to make them on DVD then 100% of 360 and PS3 owners are still able to purchase it. Same reason I never saw the HD-DVD drive in a 360.
Movies: Microsoft doesn't have a financial benefit in the success of the Blu-Ray format like they did with HD-DVD.
Having said that, I would upgrade from my first-gen 360 to a Blu-Ray equipped one so I can stop considering buying a PS3 (a reason some at Sony might not want it in the Xbox, come to think of it, as the PS3 as a Blu-Ray player is increasingly becoming the only reason I hear for people buying them)
WebDev511 @ Apr 1st 2008 10:51AM
If it makes business sense to do so, then MS will do it. How they're going to make it smaller, put a power hungry blue laser optical drive and prevent red ring of death remains to be seen. Sure the die shrink on the cpu, gpu and chipset should help drop the amount of heat generated and power requirements, but enough to reduce the size of the unit? It would be nice if they could, but I'll believe it when I see it.
h0mi @ Apr 1st 2008 10:52AM
This is why I hate 4/1. If this is true, this is good news. If this isn't true, its a stupid joke. Blahhh.
Jove @ Apr 1st 2008 10:54AM
you might as well say that every other article on engadget hd today is bogus because its april first
Brian Yorks @ Apr 2nd 2008 2:08AM
Uh...they already have test models at MSFT.
Brian Yorks @ Apr 2nd 2008 8:03AM
Just to add. What I am saying is I know for a fact that MSFT (Microsoft) already has working models of the 360 with Blu-Ray built in. I know this from a good friend of mine who works in that areas there. Which I have known about this from him for a few months now and stated before in other posts about this.
David B @ Apr 7th 2008 10:12PM
@JBDragon:
"get my HD content from my HD Comcast Box"
Even on it's BEST day, that HD is not even in the same ballpark as Blu-ray.
It's just laughable that so many (like you and so many other commenters here) think upscaled DVD is "good enough", as is "HD Comcast". Either you're too cheap to buy a decent set, your eyes are in serious need of a checkup, OR you're just completely biggoted against Joe Six Pack and trying to extrapolate YOUR opinion of what looks fine to you out onto everyman to cover for your own inadequacy!