Does the Xbox 720 need Blu-ray to succeed? (article)

[BoneWSO]

Does the Xbox 720 need Blu-ray to succeed?

Posted by Don Reisinger


digg_url = 'http://digg.com/xbox/Does_the_Xbox_720_need_Blu_ray_to_succeed';The Xbox 360 is still trying to cement itself as one of the leaders in the current generation of gaming, yet there's already talk about its follow-up, the Xbox 720.
Interviewed in the latest Major Nelson podcast, Microsoft Games Studios chief, Phil Spencer explained that the resurgence of the E3 of old means Microsoft will need to step up its game this year and possibly discuss more than its short-term plans.
"The last two E3s at least, if I use that as a proxy for what's coming, we've talked a lot about what is coming in the next five to six months after E3, and we've had some pressure that maybe we want to think a little broader about what we want to say at E3, a little further out in the future," he said in the interview.
"I came out of an E3 planning meeting just about an hour ago, and we were looking at some of the plans for the future and things that we might want to tease, and it's very exciting," he continued. "There's a lot of stuff on the docket, and maybe we'll break the bank a little bit and talk about things that are further out, which will hopefully get the community excited."
What sort of things will Microsoft discuss? The company isn't saying. But you can bet that if it really wants to discuss the future, the Xbox 720 will highlight that discussion.
If it does, what should we expect from Microsoft? Surely, the company won't want to show its hand too early--the next generation is probably at least two years away--but it still wants to lay the gauntlet down and reassure consumers that although the Xbox 360 is a fine product to buy now, the Xbox 720 will be the best console of the next generation.
Great. But what about the Blu-ray issue?
There's no way Microsoft will install a Blu-ray drive into the Xbox 720, and to be quite honest, I don't think there's any reason for it to do so. The reasons are simple. First, Microsoft doesn't want to pay a competitor--Sony, the key backer behind the Blu-ray Disc Association--to use its format. Second, and perhaps most important, Microsoft realizes that Blu-ray isn't an ideal format, given the fact Blu-ray's chance of success is very much in doubt.
The single benefit Blu-ray provides to developers is its capacity. But once another generation rolls around, doesn't it stand to reason that producing DVDs will be even less expensive and that it may yield a more cost-effective approach than using Blu-ray anyway?
Beyond cost, what's so bad with DVD? The games look perfectly fine on the format, most developers haven't had too much trouble developing for DVDs, and even fewer have spent time complaining that it's not as capable as Blu-ray. In fact, I've heard more gripes from developers about Blu-ray than DVD lately.
But we also can't forget that gaming is moving in an entirely different. Over the next few generations, the need for media like DVD or Blu-ray will diminish and games will be purchased over the Web and downloaded to a hard drive on the console. It's already happening now in small amounts. But rest assured that as the industry realizes the benefit of sending games directly to you and Blu-ray loses its fight against streaming, you can bet that all this talk about formats will be just another stepping stone in the storied history of gaming.
Until that happens, though, I simply don't see any reason for Microsoft to offer Blu-ray in the Xbox 720. I see no reason to pay a competitor for the use of its format when it's cheaper to develop for another that's perfectly fine.
The future of gaming has nothing to do with Blu-ray. And although we don't know what Microsoft will include in the Xbox 720, I'm willing to bet it'll feature DVD and a strong online component where buying games through Xbox Live is made simpler.
It's the smart move.




I know we're not suppose to discuss Xbox in this forum but I found it laughable that this guy thinks DVD will be just fine in the next generation of gaming. Some games are already requiring the space of BD and I can't imagine a game like Killzone 2 coming out and everyone trying to download it on release day. I guess I posted this for more of a discussion on the future of game media than a discussion on Xbox.

[fsavoie]

I really doubt that would be a good decision to still hang on DVD but at the same time, when you looked at what rockstar fitted on a DVD with GTA4 its quite amazing.

[Luis_A51]

Don Reisinger's work ALWAYS makes me want to slap him. He's seriously a total jackass. Nothing he says ever makes sense.

[Simplayer]

Originally Posted by Luis_A51

Don Reisinger's work ALWAYS makes me want to slap him. He's seriously a total jackass. Nothing he says ever makes sense.

Indeed. The guy's a douche.

[jasontkelley1746]

the demand for high definition is already here and will be there even more so they have to use something besides dvd. What medium they use is beyond me. To far away to tell could even just be DL.

This guy is defanately a moron though.

[Luis_A51]

Originally Posted by fsavoie

I really doubt that would be a good decision to still hang on DVD but at the same time, when you looked at what rockstar fitted on a DVD with GTA4 its quite amazing.

Wait, what?
Compare GTA4 with Saints Row 2. Sure GTA looks WAY better, but that game had virtually nothing in it. 4 clothes shops??? There are very few buildings you can go into, small map, and extremely limited variety in every aspect. You have to wonder if Rockstar abandoned GTAs roots (anyone whos played SR2 should agree that its a lot more like the older GTA games than GTA4 is) because they got

1)cheap, lazy, sloppy, or
2) they wanted to be more serious, or
3) they ran out of space on the DVD

Im hoping its #3, otherwise ive lost respect for the GTA brand

[AikonEnt]

They can put whatever they like in it, I still won't be buying one. Oh, and NO talk about Xbox, it's forbidden

[ryoohki]

MS clearly stated that there next gen console will be Online download only or partially. Since 70% are paying members of Xbox Live and 20% are on the network but don't pay, that makes about 90% of people online with the machine. Altought it's not released yet. I'am pretty sure they'll just put a huge ass 3.5 inch HDD in there. By the time it's released, Bluray player will be 99$ and less..

[Wreck]

they shoulda called it xbox 1080 ... both pretty lame but 720 is ugly sounding lame.

[Mr. HiDef]

I hope they do put a bd player in the next xbox not for the success for microsoft but for the success for Blu-ray because whether people here like 360 or not there is alot of people who do and alot of people will be buying the next xbox console so with blu ray a feature means more sales for bd's

[kpkelley]

Originally Posted by Luis_A51

Don Reisinger's work ALWAYS makes me want to slap him. He's seriously a total jackass. Nothing he says ever makes sense.

This guy is supposed to be talking about an innovative new product and what to expect out it and this is how excited he is about the video capabilities:

The games look perfectly fine

That's quite a strong sell for the future of xbox gaming.

[Mr. HiDef]

Originally Posted by kpkelley

This guy is supposed to be talking about an innovative new product and what to expect out it and this is how excited he is about the video capabilities:



That's quite a strong sell for the future of xbox gaming.

Gears of War did look pretty good on dvd I was shocked

[fatediesel]

I think in 2 years blu-ray will be prevalent and cheap enough that people wouldn't want to use a video game system to watch blu-rays. I compare it to PS2 having a dvd player, some people may have used it as their dvd player, but I don't think many people bought it because it would also play dvds. Also, I agree that there is no way MS would pay Sony royalties to use blu-rays, I think they'd try to launch some kind of new disc before that.

[kpkelley]

Originally Posted by Mr. HiDef

Gears of War did look pretty good on dvd I was shocked

Yeah, but if you were talking about XBOX 720 would you want it to look pretty good or perfectly fine or would you hope that it would build upon previous success and create more three-dimensional life-like visuals. The more three-dimensional and life-like the visuals are going to get the more information it is going to require and that means more disc space, whether that is hard drive or media might be the ultimate question, but more space will be required. People with large games libraries won't like not having an external copy of their games as their older games will continue to take up space on their system. Just as we aren't ready for digital downloads of movies, we aren't ready for digital downloads of games either.

[crxvtec]

Im sorry but I am one that does not like having digital downloads. I like to have a hard copy of a game or movie. There are about 10 people at work that have a PS3 and we all share our games and movies. I have 20 movies and games but with my friends letting me borrow, its like i have 100 movies and 60 games. Also, the developers have not even tapped the PS3 capability yet. Look at early PS2 games and tell me they look the same as current PS2 games. I do hope that PS3 games will eventually have 1080P native display and then that will really separate MS and SONY. If the PS3 can do it soon, MS will have no choice but to have a BD drive as DVD will not be able to compete.

As for people buying a PS3 strictly for movies, with prices getting low people will not be buying a PS3 just for movies anymore. However, if people have a chance at gaming, then yes I think people wil still buy a PS3. The DVD player in the PS2 was not that great. The blu ray player in a PS3 is excellent. There is a difference there.

[Sonny]

Any Game developer that really want to make bad ace games with the PQ it deserves will need Blu-ray. DVD just won't cut it....

[HAVOKK]

But games are $60 a pop now on DVD. How many people would be willing to pay for games that are nearly $100? I do think that once Blu-Ray becomes cheaper its a possibility.

[dialog_gvf]

There's no way Microsoft will install a Blu-ray drive into the Xbox 720, and to be quite honest, I don't think there's any reason for it to do so. The reasons are simple. First, Microsoft doesn't want to pay a competitor--Sony, the key backer behind the Blu-ray Disc Association--to use its format. Second, and perhaps most important, Microsoft realizes that Blu-ray isn't an ideal format, given the fact Blu-ray's chance of success is very much in doubt.

Huh?!

Even if one conceded the movie format isn't firmly established, what the heck does that got to do with games on a large capacity physical disc?

Gary

[xtop]

Originally Posted by AikonEnt

They can put whatever they like in it, I still won't be buying one. Oh, and NO talk about Xbox, it's forbidden

oh goodie, bias on stuff that isnt even out yet

Originally Posted by HAVOKK

But games are $60 a pop now on DVD. How many people would be willing to pay for games that are nearly $100? I do think that once Blu-Ray becomes cheaper its a possibility.

um..we're talking 2-3 years from now..why would prices skyrocket to 100?

last i checked ps3 blu-ray games were 60

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by HAVOKK

But games are $60 a pop now on DVD. How many people would be willing to pay for games that are nearly $100? I do think that once Blu-Ray becomes cheaper its a possibility.

BD replication costs are already quite reasonable. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if it was near 2x DVD (all in costs) by now.

And BD can go to 50GB, so there is plenty of future expansion possible.

Games are growing faster than download bandwidth. That's a BIG PROBLEM for a download model. The bandwidth growth curve has to be ahead of the content growth curve to be viable.

Gary