Xbox 360 Blu-ray console shipping by September? [Mobile/Archive]

javeryh

05-02-2008, 10:28 AM

If true and depending on price I might be in for one.... I don't want an add-on though and they need to fix the noise/heat issues too... I can't play my 360 anymore for longer than 30 minutes without leaving the entertainment door open (and thus hearing the damn fan) otherwise it overheats and the sound cuts out.

For all of Microsoft's denial (http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/02/microsoft-hoses-down-latest-xbox-360-blu-ray-rumor/), the Xbox 360 Blu-ray console rumors (http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/01/next-generation-xbox-360-with-built-in-blu-ray-coming-in-2008/) just will not die. In fact, they are getting more and more specific. The Chinese language Economic Daily News is reporting that Pegatron, an OEM subsidiary of ASUS, has won the order from Microsoft to assemble the Xbox 360 with Blu-ray Disc ROM drive -- shipments are expected to being in Q3 of this year. Now come on Microsoft, just come clean on the matter, we won't tell anyone.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/02/xbox-360-blu-ray-console-by-september/

Malik112099

05-02-2008, 10:35 AM

not going to happen....there is no hard drive install implemented for ANY of the games and the BR drive is too slow to play a lot of them without it. a BR add on would be more feasable.

javeryh

05-02-2008, 10:39 AM

not going to happen....there is no hard drive install implemented for ANY of the games and the BR drive is too slow to play a lot of them without it. a BR add on would be more feasable.

There are players out there that can read HD-DVD and Blu-Ray so I would assume they could make one that read Blu-Ray (for hi-def movies only) and DVD (for games and standard def movies) and spinning each disc at the appropriate speed or whatever - or am I missing something?

D4rkewolfe

05-02-2008, 10:45 AM

Yeah, if added this late to the cycle I'm definitely positive it would only be made to take advantage of hi-def movies. I pretty much think something similar to what Javeryh said. So the lack of hard drive really will not have anything to do with games as I really doubt companies will make two 360 versions of a game (one Blu-Ray and the other DVD) nor just make games using the Blu-Ray format and exclude anyone else with a non-BD system.

xtreme_Zr2

05-02-2008, 11:05 AM

Sounds like this is gonna be true..

Oddly enough its around the same time the new Spartacus (or whatever they're called) chips will be in production as well, sounds like two new selling points.

KingBroly

05-02-2008, 11:15 AM

So...Wiimote ripoff and a Blu-Ray driven 360? One of them's gotta be BS, and I think it's this one. If both are true...Microsoft's making a HUGE mistake.

LiK

05-02-2008, 11:28 AM

inclusion of a BD drive will hike up the price, dontcha think? i'd expect an add-on only if it happens.

saadman

05-02-2008, 12:10 PM

KaneRobot

05-02-2008, 12:14 PM

If the 360 adopts blu ray and games start to get developed for 360 in blue ray

Regardless of whether they actually do an internal Blu-Ray drive, this will never happen. We are more than halfway to the next gen MS console already, and DVD will be fine for the remainder of the 360's active lifespan.

...and for christsake, there's another thread about this not even 5 posts down at this writing.

SynGamer

05-02-2008, 12:21 PM

With these articles popping up here and there about the 360 adopting blu ray, it got me wondering.

If the 360 adopts blu ray and games start to get developed for 360 in blue ray, does that mean current 360 owners are screwed? I fail to see how that could make any practical sense doing that.

It literally sounds like if microsoft adopted blu ray and made a new 360 sku.....it would almost be like a brand new system.

Obviously this is all speculation, but slightly bothersome to current 360 owners if it were to become reality.

The dev kit that was released in 2004 for the Xbox 360 is the hardware that will forever be used to develop games for the 360. Just because they add Blu-ray or an HDD doesn't mean devs can develop for that hardware spec (and expect to make a profit). They would alienate 10+ million current potential buyers.

MikeC

05-02-2008, 12:25 PM

If they add Bluray it would be for movies only. They would never put the games on a disk that can't be read by all their consoles. Hell, so far they have outlawed games that require a hard drive because of the core and arcade models. If they were going to change anything in their game format standards it would be that first.

ITDEFX

05-02-2008, 06:01 PM

so what are they going to call this one? the 360 Blue?

:rofl:

MisterHand

05-02-2008, 06:30 PM

I'd buy a BluRay add-on (I don't have a PS3). I wouldn't rebuy my Xbox, though.

VipFREAK

05-02-2008, 06:36 PM

So... this is a good lesson that being first is not always the best. lool

ryanbph

05-02-2008, 06:36 PM

Regardless of whether they actually do an internal Blu-Ray drive, this will never happen. We are more than halfway to the next gen MS console already, and DVD will be fine for the remainder of the 360's active lifespan.

.

QFT

If they launch a new system in 2010, they will be fine without having any sort of blu ray player at all...internal or an external add on isn't needed this late.

MisterHand

05-02-2008, 06:49 PM

I think this console cycle will last longer than the usual 5 years...but I suppose that's fodder for another thread.

GRNDHOG

05-02-2008, 06:49 PM

I'd buy a BluRay add-on (I don't have a PS3). I wouldn't rebuy my Xbox, though.

x2

SynGamer

05-02-2008, 07:04 PM

x2
Count me in...if the price is right that is.

porieux

05-02-2008, 07:18 PM

If they did it it would be as an add on. Makes no sense to put it in the console, especially as a first release.

Sporadic

05-02-2008, 07:25 PM

KaneRobot

05-03-2008, 04:42 AM

So... this is a good lesson that being first is not always the best. lool

How does a rumor of revised hardware 3 years after the launch of the console teach that lesson?

Brenex

05-04-2008, 01:52 PM

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/xbox-blu-ray-360,5272.html

Discuss

I'm unhappy as a xbox 360 premium owner if they make it integrated instead of an addon personally. The elite wasn't a big deal because it was just a bigger hard drive and HDMI out but I will have to figure out a way to trade in my pro for a new model with integrated bluray. I mean, that opens up the possibility for games to be made on bluray now. I know the developers of GTA did say something about having bluray as a release media was flat out better for its storage ability.

*EDIT* oops guess this was talked about already. Ignore this thread if you want

rodeojones903

05-04-2008, 01:55 PM

Integrated blu ray with a mandatory hard drive and I will trade up.

mykevermin

05-04-2008, 02:15 PM

http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=181961

Tom's Hardware ain't no chump site, so I'm considering this confirmed for the time being.

That said, since I have a PS3 it's no big deal to me. I'm much more interested in a 360 that has a reasonable failure rate - once that happens, I'll start giving more consideration to getting 360 versions of multiplatform titles.

But all that nonsense aside, I'm curious how developers feel about the idea of having a BD drive coming for the console, but not being able to take advantage of any of its storage capacity? Is it a big deal - after all, the 360 has had many, many incredible games thus far, compared to a handful of alleged rumors/grievances about the limitations of DVD.

SynGamer

05-04-2008, 02:34 PM

There had better be an add-on. I will gladly trade all of my 360 games, accessories, and console to get a PS3.

terribledeli

05-04-2008, 02:37 PM

That's why I don't buy this rumor.

Who exactly is benefiting from any blu-ray drive, external or internal?

Programmers aren't since they'll always be forced to use DVD, for fear of backlash.

The small niche market that, for some reason, won't buy a Sony blu-ray machine. Is it really worth paying royalities to the Blu-ray Association for that small market?

Microsoft has made it clear it doesn't give a rat's ass if you're using your 360 as your DVD/HD player. They're happy with their marketplace service and have gone out of their way to ensure it's success (Securing deals and such)

If the rumor was "Microsoft unveiling new hardware (as in new console, not 360 revision) in September with internal blu-ray drive", I'd believe it. Right now, the 360 is far too long its lifespan for a major upgrade like that.

thrustbucket

05-04-2008, 02:37 PM

But all that nonsense aside, I'm curious how developers feel about the idea of having a BD drive coming for the console, but not being able to take advantage of any of its storage capacity? Is it a big deal - after all, the 360 has had many, many incredible games thus far, compared to a handful of alleged rumors/grievances about the limitations of DVD.

It's not a big deal. That much storage space still isn't needed for the vast majority of games. The only time you'd need more storage space than DVD is if you have a ridiculous amount of FMV (Lost Odyssey). It is also possible to make a game with so much varied artwork you need more space than DVD, but very few studios have the resources to do that. And I wager those will be the exception, not the rule, even in the next console generation.

And for what it's worth, I've heard more alleged developer "complaints" about the PS3's slow dvd drive than I have the 360's limited media storage.

evyrew

05-04-2008, 02:55 PM

I can't see this happening so soon. MS has bet the farm on down loadable content and affordability. They didn't make the HDD standard so they could have the arcade SKU (poor decision), and they made HD DVD optional. For them to create a brand new console, that isn't the 720 (or whatever) would be a dramatic strategic shift for them.

I wouldn't rule out optional Blue Ray, but i seriously doubt they would create a new SKU with it's own share of headaches. I guess we will find out this E3.

mykevermin

05-04-2008, 03:00 PM

And for what it's worth, I've heard more alleged developer "complaints" about the PS3's slow dvd drive than I have the 360's limited media storage.

Christ, dude. I'm not playing tit-for-tat of some "360 sucks PS3 rulez!" crap. I'm just wondering out loud if Blu-Ray will matter for developers, given the tiny, tiny number of times storage capacity has been brought up. PGR4 made a small thing of it, MLB2K8 (I think) had stadiums and shit as free DLC on day one, while it shipped on the PS3 disc (game still stinks on any platform). It's an issue that shows up every now and then - that's all I was getting at.

Lost Odyssey is an interesting example, as the entire game world (save one tiny, tiny area) is on Disc 4. It felt a little shallow to get "achievements" for finishing a game disc (which were 500 of the 1000 points, 125 per disc), since it was more or less an arbitrary point in the game where cutscenes filled a DVD to capacity. It's not something that would translates so easily into a single-disc game. But that's getting way off topic.

thrustbucket

05-04-2008, 03:29 PM

Christ, dude. I'm not playing tit-for-tat of some "360 sucks PS3 rulez!" crap. I'm just wondering out loud if Blu-Ray will matter for developers, given the tiny, tiny number of times storage capacity has been brought up.
I wasn't trying to be argumentative, I'm just stating what I have heard developers say/complain about. It's very difficult to fill up a dvd without fmv.

I do like the PS3's ability to "install" game-data to make up for the slow drive speed shortcoming though. And I really wish the 360 had an optional installation like that.

Lost Odyssey is an interesting example, as the entire game world (save one tiny, tiny area) is on Disc 4. It felt a little shallow to get "achievements" for finishing a game disc (which were 500 of the 1000 points, 125 per disc), since it was more or less an arbitrary point in the game where cutscenes filled a DVD to capacity. It's not something that would translates so easily into a single-disc game. But that's getting way off topic.

I didn't know Lost Odyssey was like that, that's very weird.

coolsteel

05-04-2008, 03:42 PM

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/xbox-blu-ray-360,5272.html

I mean, that opens up the possibility for games to be made on bluray now.

Err no it doesn't, the amount of people with the updated 360 would still be far too small for that, hell developers are still crippled because of the mere existence of a 360 without a hard drive. So unless they're going to say screw you to everyone who bought a 360 so far I imagine the updated model will just be a fancy movie player.

KaneRobot

05-04-2008, 04:13 PM

How many times are people going to post the same fucking thread?

Richlough

05-04-2008, 11:40 PM

How many times are people going to post the same fucking thread?

Maybe there needs to be a 'The Official XBOX 360 Rumors And Speculation Thread' thread ?

KaneRobot

05-05-2008, 10:24 AM

Is it a big deal

No.

SirMikael

05-05-2008, 11:53 AM

Never ever going to happen.

The only thing they would do is an add-on and even than, that wouldn't happen because there is no way they can meet the price of a PS3. They aren't going to give Sony a leg to stand on especially over something so niche.
You should know by now that you should never say never when it comes to video game rumors. :)

EDIT: One thing that really bothers me is that it's become an absolute art form to categorically deny a rumor, only for the "false rumor" to become true just a matter of days later. 99% of the time I think lawyers are evil creatures, but I wish that some of these corporate PR people would get sued for some of their knowingly false public statements. Maybe we need to have press releases done under oath or something, but it's pretty sad when we're lied to on such a regular basis. Whatever happened to "No Comment"?

Chase

05-05-2008, 05:36 PM

I sincerely doubt Microsoft would create a dramatic, new configuration so late into the launch of the 360. It just wouldn't make sense, and, despite what some people will say, Microsoft is not a lot of idiots. A peripheral? Sure. A whole new SKU? I don't think so. Maybe Microsoft wants to attempt to prematurely-bury the PS3 by releasing a comparable unit, but would the repercussions of releasing a new configuration be worth the title of "Sony killer"? Also, before Microsoft starts thinking about making more money, it would be nice if they upped the quality of their product.

CocheseUGA

05-05-2008, 06:31 PM

How many times are people going to post the same fucking thread?

How many times is the same person going to bitch about it in every thread?

Report it and be done with it.

GizmoGC

05-05-2008, 06:37 PM

Walt Jay

05-05-2008, 06:38 PM

inclusion of a BD drive will hike up the price, dontcha think? i'd expect an add-on only if it happens.

True, and how much could they really charge for an add-on? The combination of the 360 Pro + BD add-on would have to be cheaper than the 40GB PS3, else MS is just making the PS3 look like a better value.

thrustbucket

05-05-2008, 07:35 PM

I thought Microsoft only supported HD DVD to kill physical media so they could push downloads? Why would they have anything to do with Blu-ray? Its all about downloads...feel free to ask Sony that as well since their own download store will be launching shortly on the PS3.

Microsoft never said that was their plan. That plan was the plan made up by the internets. They wanted HD DVD to succeed. Anyone that thinks otherwise is a conspiracy theorist.

It's true that they have much to gain from downloads. It's also true that they have much to gain by supplying their customers with whatever it is popular.