CONFIRMED: Blu-ray Equipped Xbox 360

Submitted by George Walker on May 5, 2008 – 11:41 am16 Comments

Just saw this on Slashdot.

Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer had admitted that Microsoft had been working on support for Blu-ray under Windows during this year’s Mix08 conference. Rumors began to swirl and many began to expect Microsoft to announce a Blu-ray peripheral for the Xbox 360. However, Microsoft came out and denied all rumors, stating that they were not exploring any kind of Blu-ray add-on or in talks with Sony about integrating Blu-ray into the Xbox experience. After months of rumors and denials, the Xbox 360 with a Blu-ray disc drive is due to be manufactured soon and shipped in Q3 of 2008. Pegatron Technology, an OEM subsidiary of Asustek Computer, is reported to have received the winning order from Microsoft for a Blu-ray equipped Xbox 360.

I think we all expected Blu-ray support for the 360, but I was expecting a Blu-ray add-on, not an actual Blu-ray equipped console. Very interesting, indeed. Now, if Sony were really smart, they’d pull a Microsoft and include some compatibility bugs to handicap Blu-ray support on the 360.

For example, they could make the 360 version not upgradeable, so that as new versions of the Blu-ray standard are released, the 360 will not be able to keep up with the updates, as the PS3 is now able to do.

I know for myself, though, I can’t imagine buying another 360 just for Blu-ray support, so a PS3 would still be the way to go.

Now, if there WERE a Blu-ray addon, I would probably be more inclined to pick up the cheaper alternative.

Tags: blu-ray, Microsoft, PS3, Sony, XBOX 360

http://www.aeropause.com George Walker

DOGS AND CATS LIVING TOGETHER… It’s mass hysteria!
Richard Windsor

If its and add-on it would be nice if it played HD-DVD’a as well as Blu-Ray. If this is true I imagine they are saving the real conformation for E3. I own a PS3 so I would not buy a new 360 just for Blu-Ray, but as an add-on I would consider it. My PS3 is barely ever used so having access to friends and so forth while watching movies would make the 360 BR player a much better deal for me. Although anyway it goes is fine by me.
http://www.aeropause.com Shane

*plane swooshes over my head*
http://www.aeropause.com Shane

Yeah I would imagine this is for people who don’t own either a PS3 or 360, but now have the option for Blu-ray on both. My 360 is almost dead, so this would be the next logical step for me.
http://www.eklipse.net Mike Koss

Here’s the beauty of putting into the machine:

Microsoft has now segmented their market even more since the drive will be a “standard” piece of equipment. Now I bet it will have all kinds of caveats that include not being allowed to be used for game development but there will always be a developer that will ask for it and Microsoft will bend to it.
http://www.thevirtualunderground.net/mclazyj/blog/ Joe Haygood

We had some interesting discussions about this very topic this weekend on the podcast. We hope to have it up shortly. I would say that this still leaves a little bit of doubt until The Energy Ball, aka Steve Ballmer drops the official word on it. Right now, we have yet to hear anything out of Microsoft on it.
http://www.aeropause.com George Walker

When was the last time a Microsoft rumor turned out NOT to be true?
http://www.aeropause.com George Walker

Quote from Ghostbusters.
http://www.aeropause.com Shane

Ah yes I should’ve known.
http://www.farbot.com/ Paul Munn

Hm that _is_ a good question.
http://www.thevirtualunderground.net/mclazyj/blog/ Joe Haygood

There was the rumor that said Vista would be a revolutionary experience…still waiting for that to come true.
http://www.aeropause.com George Walker

:O
Sifer2400

lunacy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
http://www.aeropause.com/author/matthew-kellar/ Matthew Kellar

And the bullet point lists for each manufacturer are once again even.

Initiate yawn in 3…2…1…
http://www.whoisbill.com billm

As a ps3 and 360 owner, I think this is dumb. Not because I don’t want the 360 to have blu-ray, but I just don’t see the point. The ability for Sony to use blu-ray for games is what attracts me and I think many other PS3 users. The movies are nice and all, but for me it’s all about the games. So, for MS to add blu-ray and not have the ability to give developers the option to use the blu-ray to make games is a waste.

And for the record, if MS is reading this. If in the future if they do decide to let someone release a game in blu-ray format…..my 360 will end up in the trash and I will never buy another MS product for as long as I live….you have been warned
Bill Tangeman

The 360 is such crap-tastic hardware that I wouldn’t trust a blu-ray machine from them. Exit red ring of death, enter blu-ray of death.