DigiTimes is feeling pretty confident about the
rumors they started yesterday regarding the Xbox 360 with integrated Blu-ray. They are so confident that they're predicting a price war as Microsoft takes on Sony's PS3 at its own game. Their sources claim that the Blu-ray Disc drive will cost Microsoft between $95 and $100 -- much higher than the $18 to $20 DVD drives already found in the Xbox 360. Microsoft is of course, expected to sell its new Blu-ray rig at a loss as is customary in the console market. Sony may then be forced to lower the cost of the PS3 and/or retaliate by increasing Lite-On's cost for the Blu-ray components (like the BD-ROM pick-up heads) purchased from Sony. Whatever the result, the
competition would be nothing but good news for consumers of HD media... you know, if the rumor is true.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
DrXym @ Apr 2nd 2008 5:11AM
I wasn't sure if it was an april fool or not yesterday. It would make sense for MS to support Blu Ray in an Elite model. Sony might get some royalties from this but I suspect they'll lose far more from lost sales or a price war. From Sony's perspective, the 360 not having Blu Ray is a good thing since it is one of the major advantages of buying a PS3.
HD4ME @ Apr 2nd 2008 5:53AM
I will believe this only when MS say it is so.
To me this does not make any sense.
MS could have killed off the PS3 by installing the cheaper HD DVD drive a long time ago, but chose not to and they have always said optical discs are a thing of the past.
Why now support the arch enemy and potentially end up paying sony $millions in royalties, it doesn't make sense, they will be declaring support for the PS3 by doing so, bizarre.
Joe Maki @ Apr 2nd 2008 7:48AM
I agree, they beleive their future is in delivering content over the web. The only reason they would install a BD drive would be pressure from game developers that want to supply games on BD. Then I think they would do what they did with HDDVD and supply an external unit. What they need to do is solve the heat and noise issues :)
DrXym @ Apr 2nd 2008 7:56AM
They chose not to include an HD DVD because they didn't want to be stuck with an albatross around their necks. For Microsoft the physical war was one they wanted to string out as long as possible but not one they wanted to be a casualty of.
Thus they let Toshiba take most of the hits and offered token support via an add-on but no way were they going to taint the 360 with an internal drive in case it became a casualty too.
It seemed at the end that MS might have agreed to an internal HD DVD model (possible branded Toshiba but "powered by 360") but clearly it was provisional on studio support, and since that didn't happen, neither did the console.
Now the war is over, such objections no longer apply. The main issue now is that the 360's main rival that features high definition movie playback for not much more than a 360 costs and Microsoft have to do something about it. They either have to slash their prices or they have to bundle Blu Ray into at least one model because there is precious little chance that downloads are going to take off any time soon.
Bluemanrule @ Apr 2nd 2008 9:31AM
Optical discs being a thing of past resembles statement regarding vibrating controllers. Look these companies only show faith to the bottom dollar, not the consumer. They seek to maximize profits so....if there is enough consumer sentiment to support another SKU, believe that MS & Sony will do it.
WiFiSpy @ Apr 2nd 2008 8:52AM
This isn't going to happen with this Generation of the XBOX .....
Mr. E @ Apr 2nd 2008 1:40PM
I agree with this. They'll probably introduce the next generation Xbox late next year with a built-in Blu-ray drive. It'll be quieter and more powerful, hopefully doing 1920x1080 with antialiasing for all games. If they're smart, they're designing it to be as close to fully backward compatible with the 360 as possible. It also HAS to be more reliable.
KL @ Apr 2nd 2008 9:04AM
I have a tough time believing that MS will start producing games on BR, nor do I see 3rd party developers doing so. Not only would they screw all the early adoptors, they also won't find the number of buyers of those games.
If MS does release the BR drive, it'll be for movies only (imho). As an early adoptor like the millions out there, I thinking we're going to get the shaft. MS has our money. There really is no benefit for them to make an external drive. The new 360's with BR will only gear towards buyers that are on the fence and don't already own a ps3 or 360. I hope i'm wrong about this.
LiqwidZero @ Apr 2nd 2008 9:22AM
And Microsoft is still supporting DD over BD, and Xbox Europe CEO Chris Lewis believes that "...'shiny discs' will look as rubbish as boring old vinyl records and those hilarious Video Cassette Recorders before long."
http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=94696
I highly doubt that Microsoft will release a BD add-on, not with this sort of talk from Microsoft executives.
Loban @ Apr 2nd 2008 9:40AM
Well, let me just state the obvious if this turns out to be true.
Xbox's library of games + Xbox Live + XNA + Xbox DLC + Blu-ray = Doom for the PS3
I know alot of people that want or have a PS3 simply for the Blu-ray drive. If Microsoft can supply this for cheaper and give them a better gaming experience (which they already do), then Sony will have some major competition.
mitchelljd @ Apr 3rd 2008 1:08PM
no doom for PS3, 2008 is the year that the PS3 OVERTAKES Xbox. yes, PS3 has higher sales than Xbox 360.
There are many reasons for that:
1- Blu-Ray
2- Xbox failures. yes the dreaded dying xbox phenomenon is a big deal
3- better PS3 games. the games are starting to look amazing as developers know how to better utilize the power in a ps3
4- better technology, but new lower cost
to be honest, a BD model of Xbox would be bought by some people. but no games could come out for it on BD, it would alienate millions of xbox 360 purchasers.
Achilles @ Apr 2nd 2008 10:25AM
I'll believe this after I hear it from MS. Otherwise, it's just a rumor.
Zingerhill @ Apr 2nd 2008 10:45AM
I'd personally love this. Right now I contemplating buying a PS3 for Blu-Ray only. If 360 got Blu-Ray, I'd just buy a second xbox and move the current one to the bedroom. I really don't want to have another gaming machine in my house.
RLWarrior @ Apr 2nd 2008 11:02AM
word
mntwister @ Apr 2nd 2008 11:04AM
I have trouble believing this story. Sure, Sony would see royalties for the blu-ray, but they have a huge advantage now that blu-ray has won the format war and their discs can hold much more data for game developers, why would they embrace the competition with a cheaper external drive? And why would they ever allow for an internal drive, unless they are more concerned about making the blu-ray thing go mass-market and not concerned about the future of the PS3 as much.
JP @ Apr 2nd 2008 11:14AM
NOISE NOISE NOISE NOISE. The XBOX 360 sucks for media applications. Because of whining fans hitting resonances at intermediate speeds, it's actually louder and more irritating when playing a movie than when playing a game.
joe @ Apr 2nd 2008 2:08PM
Ms isn't stupid.
They predicted that the format war would last long enough to make DD a reality and destroy the shiny disk market.
It didn't.
Now they are faced with the harsh reality that BD is making a big difference in PS3 sales. MS would rather toss Sony $10 an xBox 360 then give Sony an entire sale.
This is the same as when they said games would not be in 1920x1080 resolution. Every time Sony starts gaining ground on them they have to respond. And right now Sony is making big gains on the xbox worldwide.
Is better for MS to do this now then wait for Sony to be ahead in global sales.
Larry @ Apr 2nd 2008 2:15PM
Can this rumor finally die for this week at least? Microsoft has officially denied the rumor.
http://www.techradar.com/news/gaming/microsoft-lite-on-not-making-blu-ray-drive-298480
mitchelljd @ Apr 3rd 2008 1:10PM
is it any surprise microsoft is denying it? their sales would go down as people wait for the new model. and their sales are already dropping