Blu Ray on Xbox360 Possible

[Cabe]

Microsoft has said it may ship a Blu-ray Disc drive for its Xbox 360 games console should consumers prefer that next-generation optical disc format over HD DVD.

Speaking to Japanese-language website ITmedia, Microsoft's Peter Moore, head of the company's Interactive Entertainment Division, also said that the console will never sport an integrated HD DVD drive.

There's no surprise that Microsoft might entertain the possibility of shipping a BD drive for the 360. After all, if it can hook up an external HD DVD drive to one the console's USB ports - as it announced last week at the Consumer Electronics Show that it will - it can likewise connect an external Blu-ray Drive.

Microsoft clearly - and very understandably - doesn't want to risk lumbering Xbox 360 with an internal drive format consumers don't want, and while it's favouring HD DVD by announcing an external drive that can read that disc format, it wants to ensure it's free to support the BD if it has to.

As Moore himself points out, Sony is taking that risk. If BD fails in the market, Sony is going to look weak. But of course, Sony is hoping BD will not fail precisely because the format is so tightly a part of PlayStation 3.

Indeed, the PS3 is arguably BD's strongest advantage over HD DVD. Both have benefits to offer that their rival format doesn't, but beyond factors like storage capacity (BD), cheaper manufacturing costs (HD DVD), it's likely to be BD's presence in the PS3 that pushes it ahead.

If so, Microsoft will want to ensure that BD support isn't one of the advantages Sony can say its console offers over its rival's product, and so an external BD drive will be forthcoming. ®

Source: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/01...x_360_blu-ray/

Your thoughts;

[Kernel Kev]

Clever move by microsoft, i do feel that blu-ray is going to take over in the film industry, but im not convinced that games are going to be over 20 gigs.



Kev
8)

[The Juggler]

I was interested to see that Alenware offer a blue ray cd writer as an option.... but as stated this is a clever move by Ms.



Des


:roll:

[VAMP]

It seems to me that the 360 is turning into the Voltron of gaming systems. With all the addons it's like a flashback to the Genesis days. :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Ryder]

Wait, isn't Bluray a Sony product? :?

[Constantine]

No, it's Sony's format. People can make drives all they want for it. Look at the MiniDisc player - Panasonic jumped at the opportunity to make discs.

P.S. MiniDisc players are ****ing cool/

Constantine

[Ryder]

Ah, but since its Sony's format, don't other companies need to get permission to use it? :?

[Constantine]

I'm not sure on that, but I don't see why they would.

Constantine

[odhranus]

so one of the major reasons to buy a ps3 (and half the reason why it's so expensive) is now available on a 360, it's been said before but clever Microsoft, at least this way, you're not left with a machine that can only play a soon to be dead format (whichever it may be)

[The Juggler]

Saw ad ad on tv for some movie that is now out on DVD and Blu-Ray disk.... guess the main stream is now starting to take an interest too.... But I can also remember last year similiar ads but with UMD as another available format too.




Des


:roll: