Xbox 360 Blu-ray Rumors Heat Back Up

[Rob Williams]

From our front-page news:

It's been a clean five months since we've last heard rumors about a prospective Blu-ray add-on for the Xbox 360, but that can of worms has just been re-opened with the help of X-bit labs. They claim that Microsoft is working on preparing an external Blu-ray drive, although the site is currently unsure when we'll see an actual launch. They believe that since the format isn't overly popular, Microsoft may decide to wait until January's CES to build up a huge buzz.

Toshiba might not want anything to do with Blu-ray, understandably so, but their joint cooperation with Samsung is the company contracted to build these drives, which Microsoft is hoping to launch for between the $100 - $150 price-point, in order to compete with the Playstation 3, which of course includes support for the format without the need for an external drive.

This move would make sense for Microsoft, and the posting at X-bit seems quite sure that it's going to happen. It may result in a clunky setup, but it would be nice to have a choice between paying for a high-def format or not having one. I'm incredibly happy that the Playstation 3 came with Blu-ray, but it's obvious that not everyone takes advantage of the movie capabilities. The choice should be made easier when the next-gen consoles arrive, as long as another format isn't going to be introduced.

The main reason why Microsoft is unenthusiastic regarding Blu-ray is mandatory support of BD-Java interactive technology and Sony’s reluctance to adopt competing tech called HDi that was developed by Microsoft. Even though Microsoft managed to push its VC-1 codec onto both Blu-ray and HD DVD markets, the company’s negative attitude towards Java prevented it from supporting the former standard in general. As a result, the company used to sell external HD DVD drive for Xbox 360.

Source: X-bit labs
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[slugbug]

I hope Blu Ray doesn't die after they decide to release it

 

[Rob Williams]

I hope Blu Ray doesn't die after they decide to release it

Hah, same here. It wasn't Microsoft that killed off HD DVD though, it was the fact that Sony decided to brilliantly include Blu-ray with their console. That was the smartest move ever. Even if we do see a Blu-ray add-on for the Xbox, I have a gut feeling it will sell in very low numbers. I just don't see a huge demand, but the choice would at least be there for those who did want it.

 

[slugbug]

Well I think if Microsoft had included HD-DVD with their XBOX 360 then the format war outcome may have been a little different.

 

[Rob Williams]

That goes without saying... I don't think anyone can deny that. I still think that one of the formats would have come out the winner, but I honestly believe it could have been HD DVD. There were -far- more Xbox 360's on the market than the PS3 for a long while (I'm sure it's still the same way), so the market penetration would have been good. I actually liked HD DVD more, despite not having owned a player.

Sony did two things right. They came out a year after the Xbox 360, when these high-def players were a little bit less expensive. Microsoft had no choice... if they had HD DVD on their console at launch, it would have been an $800 console, easy. Sony played that game well... and I don't even think they knew it when the console first launched.

 

[Kougar]

That's a very good point. The execs at Sony calling the shots (I suck at remembering names) that made the decision to bundle Blu-Ray with the PS3 said outright, publicly that they did not know themselves if it would work out. They rolled the dice with that one, and it paid off.

Assuming the HD-DVD group had a reason to do so, they may have been able to work out a deal with Microsoft to "eat" the extra cost of HD-DVD on their consoles. Microsoft could certainly afford the attempt, and they would have won the format wars almost by default had they done this.

 

[Rob Williams]

Assuming the HD-DVD group had a reason to do so, they may have been able to work out a deal with Microsoft to "eat" the extra cost of HD-DVD on their consoles. Microsoft could certainly afford the attempt, and they would have won the format wars almost by default had they done this.

I'm just wondering if the problem was that it was just too much cash to sink into the console. For the most part, both HD DVD and Blu-ray were on par cost-wise, and when the PS3 launched, it was already very expensive ($649 if I recall), so I am confident that an Xbox 360 HD DVD would have had to have been priced at around $800, to avoid losing too much cash.

The problem, to me, is this. For HD DVD to appear on the Xbox at that time would have been insanely expensive, and to soak up the cost in order to keep console prices low would have been difficult, and a huge chance to take. If they did take that route, let's say for example that it was $100 they invested in each to keep the price low. That would assume that each console owner would have to buy like 10 HD DVD's at least in order for them to make a profit on their investment. I just don't think they saw that kind of potential, especially given how new it was, and how expensive the media was (and still is).