XBOX 360 Finally Getting Blu-ray

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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.

Earlier reports cited Lite-On as the company with the privilege of building the new console for Microsoft. Lite-On is also currently one of the suppliers of the internal DVD drive fro the XBOX 360.

One of the strong points for Sony’s Playstation 3 has been the integrated Blu-ray player. The PS3 had the ability to draw both gamers and audio/video enthusiast, and this was proving to be a major advantage over its XBOX rival. It is estimated that 85% of Blu-ray players in use are PS3s. 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. The software giant stated they would continue to invest in its XBOX Live online service as the means of high-definition content delivery.Toshiba received a crushing blow earlier this year at CES that Warner Brothers would be Blu-ray exclusive. This eventually led to Toshiba withdrawing from the HD format war and the demise of the XBOX 360’s HD-DVD add-on. It is interesting to note that sales of the XBOX 360 lagged behind Sony’s PS3 in the month of February, the same month Toshiba withdrew.

Many expected the death of HD-DVD would trigger a growth in Blu-ray hardware sales. However, to the dismay of the industry, acceptance and adoption of Blu-ray has been dismal.

The PS3 is one of the cheapest (relatively speaking) Blu-ray players available — and you get the console thrown in for good measure.

Kevin Tu
39 Comments Comment from the forums
  • 1971Rhino
    Well I was getting ready to take the plunge with a PS3 since my 360's HD drive is essentially a boat anchor, although I have about 20 HD DVD titles. Of course the article says "Xbox 360 consoles equipped with a Blu-ray Disc (BD)-ROM drive" so that makes it look like there won't be an add on box like the HD-DVD drive. So if they don't make an add an drive for Blu Ray current 360 owners get screwed again!
    Reply
  • iron-e
    I hope they make an add-on. My Hitachi 57'' rp hdtv doesn't have hdmi though I doubt that MPAA would allow blue-ray without HDCP.

    Reply
  • deathrage4life
    Thats dumb!
    cant sony do anything about it? it might kill ps3s sales unless there at the same price range.
    Reply
  • o-ooo-o
    Blue-ray can go to Hell.
    Reply
  • RADIO_ACTIVE
    I have both, so I'm not worried.
    I believe that in the future discs will no longer be neccessary, downloadable content will rule the day. Why clutter my small apartment with discs and boxes when I could just fill up a hard drive.
    Reply
  • Blackopsninja
    it might kill ps3 sales? HA sony did that all by themselfs LOL
    Reply
  • Well I havent bought a XBOX yet but I do have the add-on HD drive for my PC so now with it coming with BD then I think I will get that with the HD add on drive I will have a dual player which will be sweet for some of the HD DVD titles I already own.
    Reply
  • Even if they did release X360 internal bluray drive, no games are released on bluray discs. PS3 can benefit all the storage capacity BD provides, along with the quaranteed harddrive ecosystem. So this is not so big thing for X0 gamers.
    Reply
  • wingsofzion
    Here is why Sony won't be worried. The big difference between PS3 and 360 is that Sony is actually making their games on Blue-Ray disc and 360 won't be able to till the next generation of Xbox system. Why? Because then they'll alienate the over 20 MILLION 360 owners who's system's won’t be able to play a 360 Blue Ray game. And what does that spell? Instant disaster. Current 360 games are made on standard DVD's and a firmware upgrade will not magically allow current 360's to play Blue-Ray games, the drives in the current systems would have to be physically taken out and replaced with blue-ray drives in order to do that. And that is why the PS3 will rule over 360 because devs have more room to play with on a PS3 game than a 360 game because of blue ray (MGS4 for example is over 40GB on a single disc). So Sony has nothing to sweat because this move my Microsoft is their way of trying to play catch up while the PS3 will continue to sell. Them going to Blue-ray is just another instance of Sony one upping them once again.
    Reply
  • cisco
    RADIO_ACTIVEI have both, so I'm not worried.I believe that in the future discs will no longer be neccessary, downloadable content will rule the day. Why clutter my small apartment with discs and boxes when I could just fill up a hard drive.
    Downloadable content is the way Microsoft wants to go, and I will fight it all the way. They would love downloadable content, no longer giving a person a hard copy. Hey I haven't seen that movie can I borrow it? Nope it on my hard drive, so you'll have to watch it here and only on this t.v. Oh wait, my hard drive crashed last week so I'll have to buy it again before you can see it. People are idiots if they buy into downloadable content. It's not meant to improve your experience, it's to increase profits. Any small benefit to the end user is negated by its drawbacks.
    Reply