XBox 360 to have Blu-ray? - forced by new games!

[WickyWoo]

revealed that the Xbox 360’s DVD9 support is insufficient to handle what Rockstar wants to do with LA Noire

That's what comes out of the mouth of every developer Sony pays off. Seriously. The second Sony sews up an exclusive it's all about how they couldn't do it without Blu.

Once and for all METAL GEAR SOLID 4 WILL NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY ON THE 360.

Because Sony paid Konami $20 million to keep it exclusive about an hour before their E3 presentation.

HDDVD will most likely never be a gaming platform.

The protective coating is simply not durable enough for gaming use (kids ripping discs in and out and higher rental volume).

It's not a viable gaming platform because no systems use it for games, and it'll never have enough PC penetration to matter. Look how long it took PC to go DVD (until the point they were pressing 6-8 discs per game)

Your average game is about 4-5GB. It fits fine on a DVD-9. And if you're too lazy to change a disc 20 hours into the game...........

[J6P]

Originally Posted by Proteus

I'm pretty sure we'll end up seeing Blu-ray in any future Xbox.

A long time ago Peter Moore (former XBox honcho) stated that if HD-DVD loses the format war, Microsoft would release an external Blu-ray drive for the system -- a statement that was quickly denied by his overlords. I have no reason to doubt him, although in reality it would work in exact reverse of his statement. If HD-DVD started to pull ahead of Blu-ray, and the war looked to be tipping in HD-DVD's favor, you would see MS very quickly release an external Blu drive. Like...instantly.

MS is now and have always been interested in simply prolonging the war, so that optical HD dies on the vine.

They don't give a rat's patoot about HD-DVD, it's not the future for them. Yay 720p downloads! Ugh...

[Nick Graham]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

That's what comes out of the mouth of every developer Sony pays off. Seriously. The second Sony sews up an exclusive it's all about how they couldn't do it without Blu.



Because Sony paid Konami $20 million to keep it exclusive about an hour before their E3 presentation.



It's not a viable gaming platform because no systems use it for games, and it'll never have enough PC penetration to matter. Look how long it took PC to go DVD (until the point they were pressing 6-8 discs per game)

Your average game is about 4-5GB. It fits fine on a DVD-9. And if you're too lazy to change a disc 20 hours into the game...........

QFT. While the concept of DVD9 killing the 360 may appeal to some Playstation-only fanboys, it's not reality. How many games in the last generation even filled 4.5 gigs, much less 9? When I hear a NON-exclusive game developer saying his game would be impossible on a DVD9, I'll buy it, but it's not going to happen. The truth of the matter is that games are so expensive to produce these days, that unless they are handed a bribe in the millions, an independent game developer is going to to find a way for their games to work on both systems, so that they get both revenue streams and have that much more of a chance to make a return on their investment. There is a great article in EGM on the death console "exclusive" that I recommend everybody read.

[PS3Maniac]

Originally Posted by Nick Graham

QFT. While the concept of DVD9 killing the 360 may appeal to some Playstation-only fanboys, it's not reality. How many games in the last generation even filled 4.5 gigs, much less 9? When I hear a NON-exclusive game developer saying his game would be impossible on a DVD9, I'll buy it, but it's not going to happen. The truth of the matter is that games are so expensive to produce these days, that unless they are handed a bribe in the millions, an independent game developer is going to to find a way for their games to work on both systems, so that they get both revenue streams and have that much more of a chance to make a return on their investment. There is a great article in EGM on the death console "exclusive" that I recommend everybody read.

Since when is Rockstar an exclusive game developer?

[Nick Graham]

Sorry, should have rephrased "exclusive game developer" as "a developer making an exclusive game".

[kowhite]

360 will make due with multiple discs, or just not having games. The 360 will not, though, ever have games on HD-DVD, Blu-Ray, or any format that isn't called DVD.

This is simply because they cannot afford to splinter their consumer base, and as such will never do something that effectively makes new games on a new format incompatible with the majority of consoles.

So...no.

[Luis_A51]

this probably just means MS will make an entirely new console in 1-3 years. They've already shown they believe in very short lifecycles to boost hardware sales, and obviously they dont give a damn about pushing shoddy products to market

[Luis_A51]

I dont believe that DVD9 is "adequate" for all games. Sure it is for most, but it has proven already to be too small.

Space restrictions limit not only developer freedom but also require a higher level of programming skill. It takes way more effor to fit the same amount of stuff in a smaller space. Especially with the lack of a system file option on 360s since they cant take into account hard drives.

Its a combination of the two that will see 360 releases suffer in the next 1-2 years.

[WickyWoo]

I dont believe that DVD9 is "adequate" for all games. Sure it is for most, but it has proven already to be too small.

Name me one game that isn't full of a dozen dub tracks and uncompressed audio that it's been too small for. I'm sorry but PC games, which are more inefficient by nature of the platform, with very few exceptions (Medieval 2 is the only one that comes to mind, and is not a game you'd see on a console) fit on a DVD-9, and fit in under 8.4GB on the HD. Usually well under. Command and Conquer 3, full of 720p video clips is 3.8GB. World in Conflict- 4.6GB. Supreme Commander (another console no-no) 7.3GB. Transformers The Game (a direct 360 port) 4.1GB.

That games need Blu-ray is complete FUD. The only games that will need it are ones filled to the brim with 1080p cutscenes. Strip those out, or even downres them to 720p and they'll fit on a DVD

Had BioWare needed 2 discs for Mass Effect they would have gotten it BTW.

Space restrictions limit not only developer freedom but also require a higher level of programming skill. It takes way more effor to fit the same amount of stuff in a smaller space. Especially with the lack of a system file option on 360s since they cant take into account hard drives.

Over 80% of 360 owners have the premium. The rest can buy an HD and upgrade

MS has already dropped the HD ban for MMORPGs, and everything is pointing to them dropping it entirely by this time next year. They know it's artificially holding them back.

The smartest strategy is to drop the 20GB HD to $59.99 (probably what it actually costs them) and eliminate the core system entirely. That's probably what they'll end up doing anyway.

[Frode]

Couldn't they just do it multi-disc and install the core engine to the HDD?

[WickyWoo]

Couldn't they just do it multi-disc and install the core engine to the HDD?

That's definately a solution as well.

[kx11]

Joty

[marzetta7]

Originally Posted by Dave

The point is that if the games wont fit on DVD they will need to get some other medium, and since HD DVD is not suitable for that they will have to go with BD.
I am MS fan and wish them bug success with the 360, but not until they get BD.

When BD goes to 360 to i dont care which console would win the war. BD above all

You can say that again!

But I'm not such a big fan of ol MS.

[WickyWoo]

I think it's almost assured that they'll swap out the diode in their HD addon and write new software that'll do both in the future.

[kowhite]

Originally Posted by Luis_A51

this probably just means MS will make an entirely new console in 1-3 years. They've already shown they believe in very short lifecycles to boost hardware sales, and obviously they dont give a damn about pushing shoddy products to market

Well, there's no chance they'll be pushing a new Xbox in 1 year. I believe firmly they'll stick to a normal life cycle of five years with this console, as if you know the reasons that got them to dump the original...they don't really exist this generation.

MS didn't cut short their life cycle last time just for the hell of it...there were reasons, reasons that don't really exist this generation.

As for the DVD isn't enough...let's be realistic...it is in the gaming world. There are definite advantages to BD, but if the PS2 showed us anything, and the Wii right now, technologic disadvantages don't necessarily mean you can't sell your product, and sell it well.

[Luis_A51]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

Name me one game that isn't full of a dozen dub tracks and uncompressed audio that it's been too small for. I'm sorry but PC games, which are more inefficient by nature of the platform, with very few exceptions (Medieval 2 is the only one that comes to mind, and is not a game you'd see on a console) fit on a DVD-9, and fit in under 8.4GB on the HD. Usually well under. Command and Conquer 3, full of 720p video clips is 3.8GB. World in Conflict- 4.6GB. Supreme Commander (another console no-no) 7.3GB. Transformers The Game (a direct 360 port) 4.1GB.

That games need Blu-ray is complete FUD. The only games that will need it are ones filled to the brim with 1080p cutscenes. Strip those out, or even downres them to 720p and they'll fit on a DVD

Had BioWare needed 2 discs for Mass Effect they would have gotten it BTW.



Over 80% of 360 owners have the premium. The rest can buy an HD and upgrade

MS has already dropped the HD ban for MMORPGs, and everything is pointing to them dropping it entirely by this time next year. They know it's artificially holding them back.

The smartest strategy is to drop the 20GB HD to $59.99 (probably what it actually costs them) and eliminate the core system entirely. That's probably what they'll end up doing anyway.

Someone has already given examples: the mistwalker games. Blue dragon is FOUR DISKS. As developers start going for more advanced features the number of multi-disk games will likely increase.

I was unaware that MS had removed the HDD on MMORPG. However it will be some time before we see games taking advantage of that. Im gonna laugh when people start complaining that they have to fork out $100+ for a HDD to play new games.

[WickyWoo]

Someone has already given examples: the mistwalker games. Blue dragon is FOUR DISKS. As developers start going for more advanced features the number of multi-disk games will likely increase.

So was FF7. And it's 4 discs because it's full of hires video clips. Not because of the actual game.

[Cyorg]

Im gonna laugh when people start complaining that they have to fork out $100+ for a HDD to play new games.

FF-XI anyone? That was the only reason I never bought that FF.

[kowhite]

As an avid Blu_Ray supporter who has no interest in buy HD-DVD, I am also a gamer, who owns obviously the PS3, but the 360 also.

I read a lot of message boards and oddly enough, the ONLY people who seem to care about games on multiple discs to a point they think it actually matters...are PS3 owners who have no interest, whatsoever, in owning a 360. Point being? It really doesn't matter. The limitation might rear its head some day, but is having Blue Dragon on 3 discs really that big an issue?

That's not to say space isn't better it most definitely is. But I don't like to overstate the problem. Whlie certainly PS3 having more space is a great thing, I think it unwise to spin that to mean something it doesn't...ie that this will be 360's downfall. If you want to talk about 360's problems, talk about international appeal and family appeal. Those are the places 360 struggles, and where PS3 (if they can reduce the cost concerns) can beat the 360 out. But the space issue...just isn't a big one.

[Patranus]

Maybe TL51 will be out by then

I was thinking on my drive down this morning why no one has tried to create a Blu-Ray add on from an HD-DVD add on. I dont see that large of a problem if the XBox360 has the codec to decode whatever is on the Blu-Ray disc.