Microsoft Denies Blu-Ray on 360 Despite Rumors

[John Funk]

Microsoft Denies Blu-Ray on 360 Despite Rumors

Despite a slip-up by Microsoft big cheese Steve Ballmer that had the Internet clamoring that the Xbox 360 would be getting Blu-Ray "accessories," Major Nelson has flatly denied that this is the case.

Yesterday, in a video interview with Gizmodo [http://gizmodo.com/5387238/ballmer-talks-natal-says-blu+ray-add+on-for-xbox-coming], Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer discussed his expectations for Natal and the blurring of the lines between console generations, and then dropped an apparent bombshell: The Xbox 360 would apparently be getting Blu-Ray support. When asked if the console would ever be getting an internal Blu-Ray player, the Microsoft boss responded, "Well I don't know if we need to put Blu-ray in there-you'll be able to get Blu-ray drives as accessories."

For those of you who missed the opening rounds of this generation of the console wars, the first battle between Xbox 360 and PS3 was actually a proxy battle for the real war: Toshiba's HD-DVD vs. Sony's Blu-Ray. That was a war that Sony ended up winning, leaving Microsoft's Xbox 360 at a disadvantage when it came to next-generation 1080p media. Still, even if it might not have been too surprising to hear that Microsoft had caved to its rival in the interest of supporting physical HD, if Ballmer's remarks were to be taken as truth then things would have taken an interesting turn in the console wars.

However, this doesn't seem to be the case - and it isn't the first time [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/92570-Microsoft-CEO-Apologizes-For-Misleading-New-Xbox-Remarks] Ballmer has misspoken about the future of the Xbox 360, either. Initially, a Microsoft spokesperson refused to comment, saying that "[o]ur immediate solution for Blu-ray-quality video on an Xbox 360 is coming this fall with Zune Video and 1080p instant-on HD streaming."

When that wasn't enough to stem the tide of rumors online, Microsoft's Major Nelson stepped in after the gossip had reached fever pitch in order to quell the hubbub, clarifying [http://majornelson.com/archive/2009/10/22/we-have-no-plans-for-blu-ray-on-xbox-360.aspx] that Ballmer had been referring to Blu-Ray drives for the PC: "We have no plans to introduce a Blu-Ray drive for the Xbox 360."

Phew, glad we got that cleared up. False alarm, people.

Permalink

 

[Frank_Sinatra_]

I don't think the 360 would ever go to Blu-Ray, especially since they would be helping the competition. I just can't visualize MS going to Blu-Ray.

What Nelson said makes much more sense than what Ballmer said.

 

[Sparrow]

Eh. Blu-Ray never really caught my eye, and it's just the same now. Even if my 360 can be kitted out with Blu-Ray goodies, I'll be spending my money elsewhere.

 

[IrrelevantTangent]

Well, I haven't exactly been waiting for this with bated breath, as the PS3 has always been the console of choice if you want to have Blu-Ray, but the fact that we 360 owners will get the equivalent version of Blu-Ray is good news.

But I wonder whether or not they will end up eventually giving us Blu-Ray drives for the 360; 'we have no plans at this time' generally means 'don't expect it soon', it doesn't mean a flat 'never...'

 

[Casual Shinji]

I think Microsoft comfirmed it to be bogus and said that Steve was talking about PC implementation of Blu-Ray.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

I don't think the 360 would ever go to Blu-Ray, especially since they would be helping the competition. I just can't visualize MS going to Blu-Ray.

What Nelson said makes much more sense than what Ballmer said.

at one point they will have to unless the next console is all downloadable content

still think it's a bit unfair to everyone they stuck with dvd-9 instead of using a higher density disc. even the ps3 games suffer cause they have to conform to the disc the 360 uses

 

[Treblaine]

Digital foundry has a good article about why this is likely nothing but a verbal slip and not indicative of anything.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-xbox-bluray-makes-no-sense-blog-entry

As this article points out, not only does Blu-ray drive for 360 make no sense but the entire interview does lots to show that Ballmer has every intention of fighting AGAINST blu-ray with HD downloads and stuff like that.

Trust me guys, if you want a Blu-ray, either buy a stand alone-player or PS3, don't hold your breath for a 360 add-on.

The next generation... maybe... but not at this stage in the game.

 

[Forktongue]

Not to repeat what everyone else seems to be saying, but I also don't see Blue-Ray coming to the 360. Microsoft is trying to play up backwards compatibility and downloading of classic games, isn't it? Wouldn't a switch to Blue-Ray prevent 360 games from working on whatever the next system is?

 

[MetaKnight19]

I can't take Steve Ballmer seriously after watching him trying to sell Windows

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGvHNNOLnCk

 

[Swaki]

i love you john funk.
even when your writing an article about a console which i have no real interest in or desire to own wont be getting a blue ray player, which i have no interest in since i can barely tell the difference and even when i sorta can see the small difference it doesn't make the experience any better or worse, im still interested, your writing is so damn good you had me reading about something that cant do something and i was interested.

 

[Swaki]

I can't take Steve Ballmer seriously after watching him trying to sell Windows

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGvHNNOLnCk

"A CLOCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
holy rooster that guy is bat shit crazy, hes even better/worse than billy mays was.

*runs out to get windows 1.0, IT HAS A CLOCK!*

 

[VanityGirl]

What is Microsoft has made a new Ray... GreenRay, that's their answer to BluRay
/bad color joke

 

[Pendragon9]

I don't know if this guy should really be relying on all digital downloads to fight against blu ray.

The PSP Go tried all digital stuff, and just look where it is.

 

[SaintWaldo]

Sony gets royalties from both CD patents and DVD patents. This includes players. They are already getting money from MS in this form. Should we assume that when MS finds out about this, they will remove the DVD drive?

I suppose that MS will soon be shutting off Netflix due to the fact that close to 25% of the content that a user could rent will send money straight to Sony?

Same point can be made about Guitar Hero and Rock Band. Sony/BMG get cash from some of the digital downloads on XBL. When is that going to end, or when was it easy to assume that since it would send money to Sony, MS would never, ever do it?

If you don't understand my point yet, here it is laid out end-to-end:

The XBox already produces revenue for Sony in many residual forms. Flailing about how MS would _never_ use a technology that would aid their main console competitor is silly. I'm not saying that I think Blu-Ray is coming to XBox; I'm saying that anyone claiming it's a no-brainer probably isn't using theirs.

 

[Monocle Man]

What is Microsoft has made a new Ray... GreenRay, that's their answer to BluRay
/bad color joke

I'm leaning more towards Rad-Bolt, honestly.

Personally, I don't see a blu-ray player work as an accessory. You will have the standard HD-DVD and the new Blu-Ray. Either the DVD will be pushed in obscurity because games to come will be too big for it, or games will continue to be made for DVD while the Blu-Ray will become useless because it would only be used to play Blu-Ray movies.

 

[Pimppeter2]

Oh my! They canceled another Xbox accessory I would never buy? Golly gee!

 

[DTWolfwood]

Where is the problem with Blu-ray on the 360 figure that would be win for the gamers <.<