Rumor: Microsoft to announce xbox 360 with blue ray tomorrow at 9am [Mobile/Archive]

sleepy180

06-08-2008, 04:55 PM

http://gizmodo.com/5014340/rumor-microsoft-to-upstage-apple-wwdc-with-xbox-360-blu+ray-announcement

Microsoft's on-again, off-again relationship with an Xbox 360 Blu-Ray drive looks set to be on again this Monday. As you all know by now, Monday marks the beginning of Apple's annual WWDC, and a little bird told us something is going to be announced by Steve Jobs there during his keynote. Microsoft doesn't care; a tipster told CrunchGear it's going to "upstage" Jobs, Apple and the entire known tech-using world by announcing an Xbox 360 with Blu-Ray drive one hour before the beginning of the conference.

I‘ve got a close friend who works at Microsoft, previously with the HD-DVD division and now in the E&D division (Xbox, zune). I’m told MS will upstage Apple with a Monday 9am PDT announcement (1 hour before WWDC) via press release that the Xbox 360 will get Blu-Ray before Christmas. Price was “under the current Elite”, but i could get any more details.

Personally i'm waiting for the 3g iphone and already have a 360 elite, but i'm wondering if this is true. I also don't think it will steal any thunder from apple's announcment except from pure gaming websites.

Chacrana

06-08-2008, 05:01 PM

meh... it's a blu-ray drive. I'd rather get a standalone than a half-assed add-on.

VipFREAK

06-08-2008, 05:14 PM

Oh, lol... I figured they'd half ass it. I guess the Blu Ray Play... erm Ps3 will have to stick around after all. xD

mtxbass1

06-08-2008, 05:16 PM

This will not deter me from buying a $200 iphone. Nice try though Microsoft...

davo1224

06-08-2008, 06:03 PM

Both of the announcements are lame. Apple's announcing the slightly less crippled version of the iPhone and Microsoft is announcing a useless rebuild.

daroga

06-08-2008, 06:07 PM

How is this going to "upstage" Apple? What do they have to do with one another?

eliter1

06-08-2008, 06:15 PM

I have more interest in a 3G iphone, the lack of 3G kept me from buying one last time. I guess if my 360 RRDOed I could potentially buy a 360 with blue ray. I hope Nintendo upstages both and announces a Wii hard drive... I can only hope.

Foo228

06-08-2008, 06:49 PM

guess I`ll reserve this spot for sheer dissappointment to be found out tomorrow...on both sides

CokeCola

06-08-2008, 06:54 PM

I don't think this makes a lot of sense. As others have said, no Xbox 360 announcement is going to upstage an iPhone announcement, or vice versa. I also think it would be pretty stupid for MS to announce a new 360 that's coming out "before Christmas" in June, since it would impact 360 sales until the revision is released.

Chase

06-08-2008, 07:32 PM

It is too late for it to be useful - as the 360 will not be able to use it for gaming. Well, Microsoft could, but it would piss off a lot of people.

I expect Blu-Ray 360 deals similar to the present deals from Wal-Mart about the PS3. What is scary, is that it might work out for Microsoft. If they're able to price their possible peripheral less than any Blu-Ray player, then I'm certain a considerable amount of present 360 owners will pick up the drive. Of course, this assumes they will also offer it as a peripheral. I think it would be a mistake not to offer it as a peripheral.

Strell

06-08-2008, 07:42 PM

This only upstages anyone if it turns out MGS4 shows up before Christmas on the 360.

Otherwise it's a fairly useless thing to do at this point.

RelentlessRolento

06-08-2008, 07:54 PM

as long as 360 games don't now require the blu-ray drive, I'm fine with this.

mykevermin

06-08-2008, 08:00 PM

This reminds me.

I can't wait to see the new iPhones.

xmrblondex

06-08-2008, 08:03 PM

This reminds me.

I can't wait to see the new iPhones.

me too.
If they upgrade the memory to 32GB, like in the touch, I'm for sure getting a 3g one, if it's only 16GB, i'll seriously think about it. Now I just have to decide what to do with my current iphone. Maybe I'll give it to my dad.

MrRedrum

06-08-2008, 08:23 PM

I really don't see this happening since it doesn't make any sense to talk about it now... especially since it would be a big E3 announcement and would make more sense to talk about it then. As people have already said, there's no point in announcing it before the WWDC tomorrow because one would not effect the other. Also, I doubt they would implement a new Blu-ray drive to play games since its so "late" into the console's life span and would seriously screw over everyone thats bought a 360 in the past three years since it would require everyone to re-purchase the console. The only way it would work would be at a huge cost to Microsoft where they would "recall" your current 360 like if it RROD'd and replace it with one that had a Blu-ray drive. Plus, bigger hard drives would have to be issued since you would have to install some of the games like on the PS3 because of the low drive read speed.

lilboo

06-08-2008, 08:26 PM

I guess this is neat.
Depends on the $ of the console.

DesertEagleXIX

06-08-2008, 08:27 PM

I wonder how much money Microsoft will have to give to Sony for each sale...

Even if microsoft makes a $399 360 with Bluray, most players will have to buy the damn $99 wi-fi adaptor to get the same functionality. Just what miscrosoft needs-more SKU's to confuse consumers.

hufferstl

06-08-2008, 08:46 PM

I really hope this isn't happening. A $100 price drop would be so much better for them right now(3 months ago, really). They need to keep their lead and a price drop would boost sales. I'm sure the walmart $100 GC boosted PS3s, their lead is going to be cut drastically once the NPDs come out.

pete5883

06-08-2008, 11:02 PM

C'mooooon 60 gig HD.

Kaijufan

06-08-2008, 11:19 PM

Hopefully they also release a standalone drive for those of us who currently own 360s. Now that the format war is over and there seems to be a decent amount of sales on blu ray movies I may consider buying a drive.

Malik112099

06-08-2008, 11:30 PM

the blu-ray drive isnt fast enough to play most games off the disk without an install (see ps3)...would this hold true for a blu-ray drive reading dvds?

007

06-08-2008, 11:48 PM

Strell already brought it up, but the only way I could see this stealing ANY thunder from anyone is if the announcement was a Blu-Ray drive 360 AND the unveiling of MGS4 for 360... which may or may not require the new drive.

It's unlikely and would completely polarize the gaming community, but hey... we'd certainly all be talking about it.

Thomas96

06-09-2008, 12:17 AM

MS might as well make Playstation 3s. with xbox360 innards

KingBroly

06-09-2008, 12:57 AM

No 360 game can or could ever use Blu-Ray as a medium simply because of the split that would create. Putting both discs in the same box would make 360 games more expensive than PS3 games ala HD-DVD/DVD combo packs vs. Blu-Ray discs.

It would strictly be for movies. Quite frankly, it's a stupid idea, and by doing this, they're basically conceding to Sony on the marketplace front. By putting in a BR drive, they're saying they're Video Marketplace isn't better than Blu-Ray, and will just make them look like idiots. Plus, it'd be ANOTHER SKU. 4 FREAKING SKU's again!

I doubt Microsoft will announce it, because they'd be stupid to do so.

Thomas96

06-09-2008, 01:05 AM

I don't like the idea, but hey, there's nothing wrong in at least offering the add on, and perhaps having an sku that includes the add on. Options are always good. I just find it funny that since the launch of the PS3, the 360 has evolved into a basic PS3.

Vinny

06-09-2008, 01:06 AM

The idea of a separate drive just to play HD movies just doesn't work for me. I mean, a Pro costs $350 and the addition of a Blu-Ray drive will be at least another $150... sounds pricey compared to a 40GB PS3.

-Never4ever-

06-09-2008, 01:21 AM

MS might as well make Playstation 3s. with xbox360 innards

It would be the ultimate system.

Foo228

06-09-2008, 02:27 AM

MS might as well make Playstation 3s.

That has a nice ring to it...but it makes it sound like nothing can help the so-far-behind PS3, which is untrue to say the least.

Oh yea, and it makes Nintendo look like a God. :roll:

VipFREAK

06-09-2008, 02:51 AM

Actually to be more precise it would be...

M$ might as well make Playstation 3s with the xbox360 OS loaded on it and use the 360 controllers too.

If they have the 360 innards it will RROD or die...

eliter1

06-09-2008, 03:09 AM

as long as 360 games now require the blu-ray drive, I'm fine with this.

I don't ink you would as this would make loading time considerably slower. That's why the PS3 has lot of games installed, also for this to work the new 360 would need to have to lenses; one for the games and one for the bluerays. A blue ray lense/drive cannot read a DVD and it always reads at a constant speed. The DVD lense/drive has a variable speed, it can go faster when it's reading from the outer ring of a DVD. There is a lot more things that would have to work in sync in order for this to work and a lot more things that can potentially fail. The only bright side? We might not have any more RROD but BROD.:lol:

gunm

06-09-2008, 03:13 AM

If Apple ups the memory on the Ipod Touch, I'm in for one of those.

Can't bring myself to shell out $$$$ for an unlocked iPhone. :p

Scorch

06-09-2008, 03:20 AM

There's no way that MS would announce MGS4 for the 360 with this announcement..

But holy god, would that ever take money out of Sony's pockets. Four days before the game comes out and they announce it's coming this Christmas to 360.. phew

Kaijufan

06-09-2008, 03:21 AM

the blu-ray drive isnt fast enough to play most games off the disk without an install (see ps3)...would this hold true for a blu-ray drive reading dvds?
According to the Wikipedia PS3 article the PS3 drive is only 2x (which is 9 MB/s) but there are 4x drives (18 MB/s) and 6x drives (27 MB/s) which I would assume would be more then enough for games and wouldn't require an install.

Of course if this is true and Microsoft does allow developers to release their games on Blu Ray (unlikely, since they didn't allow developers to release games on HD DVDs) then it would most likely only be games that require more then 1 DVD, and they would require a DVD version be put out for people who don't own the Blu Ray drive.

Gameboy415

06-09-2008, 03:23 AM

If M$ releases a 360 w/BluRay built-in I may finally pick up a Region 1 XBOX.
I've been able to play MOST games I've wanted to on my Japanese 360, but there's a handful that aren't region-free/only in Japanese that I'd like to play in English.

I'd settle for a 360 that doesn't freeze while I'm playing games. :roll:

thrustbucket

06-09-2008, 03:41 AM

I am anxiously awaiting this news, as my PS3 is still sitting in the box as I try to talk myself into returning it.

However, I think most people that ever wanted a 360 already have one, and this will kind of piss off 360 loyalists like myself with no upgrade path other than replacing the system.

If true, the main reason MS would even do this is to steal away the only real selling point of a PS3 left.

Oh and iphone's are super gay. I'll be checking out the Samsung Instinct when it comes out later this month.

chakan

06-09-2008, 03:49 AM

Oh and iphone's are super gay. Ok, The master of meat.

thrustbucket

06-09-2008, 04:06 AM

Apparently Robbie Bach has dispelled (http://kotaku.com/5014456/robbie-bach-on-that-blu+ray-xbox-360-rumor)this rumor.

RelentlessRolento

06-09-2008, 04:24 AM

I don't ink you would as this would make loading time considerably slower. That's why the PS3 has lot of games installed, also for this to work the new 360 would need to have to lenses; one for the games and one for the bluerays. A blue ray lense/drive cannot read a DVD and it always reads at a constant speed. The DVD lense/drive has a variable speed, it can go faster when it's reading from the outer ring of a DVD. There is a lot more things that would have to work in sync in order for this to work and a lot more things that can potentially fail. The only bright side? We might not have any more RROD but BROD.:lol:

whoops I forgot to say not... :lol: my phrase is totally backwards now >_< srry

CheapyD

06-09-2008, 04:47 AM

Guys, this is totally legit.
I've got even more of the inside scoop.

At the exact moment that Steve Jobs holds up the new 3G iPhone, Microsoft will hack into the conference. First, you will hear Major Nelson break the incredibly exciting news that the "Xbox 360 will get Blu-Ray before Christmas". After that bombshell, J Allard will run onto the stage, grab the iPhone out of Jobs' hand, swallow it, and shit out a touch-screen Zune.

It's gonna be great, I tells you.

chakan

06-09-2008, 04:50 AM

Guys, this is totally legit...after that bombshell, J Allard will run onto the stage, grab the iPhone out of Jobs' hand, swallow it, and shit out a touch-screen Zune.

A Brown Zune, I hope?

hankmecrankme

06-09-2008, 04:50 AM

I'd like to see Allard shit out a touch screen Zune on stage.:)

But I'd love it if Microsoft busted in and announced that they were buying Apple. . .

eliter1

06-09-2008, 04:54 AM

evanft

06-09-2008, 12:28 PM

thrustbucket

06-09-2008, 01:02 PM

I'd rather have a touch-screen Zune than an iPod Touch, so I'm on board.

Ditto.

VanillaGorilla

06-09-2008, 01:26 PM

Yeah...so much for this one.

-Never4ever-

06-10-2008, 07:09 AM

Where the hell did this rumor come from anyhow?

If M$ is going to drop a "bombshell" like this, they're going to wait till E3.

happy

06-10-2008, 08:53 AM

Where the hell did this rumor come from anyhow?

If M$ is going to drop a "bombshell" like this, they're going to wait till E3.

This would have been a better time to announce it. Just imagine Sony's press conference right after MS announces some expensive Blu-Ray add-on. Suddenly the PS3 really is the value system. Not to mention they'll be making money from MS sales.

bmulligan

06-10-2008, 09:17 AM

If this rumor has any merit, and the Blu-ray is integrated and not an add-on, and the MB was the improved, quieter, cooler re-design, I'd buy it. Somehow I think that's a little too much to expect for Christmas, though.

Kendal

06-10-2008, 11:49 AM

Hey Cheapy, are you still getting an iphone in Japan if the 3G iphone gets announced?

Why, when most if not all Japanese phones make our phones look like bag phones!

This would have been a better time to announce it. Just imagine Sony's press conference right after MS announces some expensive Blu-Ray add-on. Suddenly the PS3 really is the value system. Not to mention they'll be making money from MS sales.

Why would Sony be getting money from MS sales? You do know Sony doesn't own the BR rights? They are in an association. Tons of companies are in the group. After everyone got their piece of the pie, it would be a drop in the bucket. It isn't like Sony would get $50 per system sold.

thrustbucket

06-10-2008, 01:22 PM

Why would Sony be getting money from MS sales? You do know Sony doesn't own the BR rights? They are in an association. Tons of companies are in the group. After everyone got their piece of the pie, it would be a drop in the bucket. It isn't like Sony would get $50 per system sold.

Sony owns the largest piece of the pie. Not to mention owns or has investments in most of the only facilities that can duplicate 50GB dual layer BD's.

Sony has bet their entire company on Blu-Ray (See Q1 events) and they have the most to gain or lose by it's success.